DEAR News Of The Area,

LAST month I decided one morning to cycle from the jetty area to Korora – for the first time ever.

I moved to the area just four years ago and haven’t been very active on my bicycle till now.

I then discovered that the shared bicycle path abruptly ended across the highway from the Big Banana.

So, I had to continue on the narrow hard shoulder of the southbound side of the Pacific Hwy.

James Small Drive is definitely not safely accessible by bicycle.

Then I returned by the same (only) route.

I wrote to Coffs Council expressing surprise that a bicycle lane hadn’t been included in the recent upgrade of the highway.

The curt reply I received was “In regards to your Customer Request – Cycleway on Pacific Highway – Korora.

Anything to do with the Pacific Highway needs to be referred to the RMS – Support”.

This was accompanied by a link to the RMS which actually took me to a company called RMS which manages and supports internet cloud facilities – nothing to do with the State Government.

I replied that I had an expectation that Coffs Council would have had some involvement in the planning and design as a ratepayers’ advocate.

I haven’t heard back.

I then wrote to Gurmesh Singh who called me a few days later to explain that there hadn’t been enough width on the freeway to accommodate a cycle path and that I should submit a suggestion to Transport for NSW to provide a cycleway once the heavy traffic is diverted into the tunnel.

I have done so but have little hope that my small suggestion will be heeded.

Just look around and you’ll see large numbers of people taking to bicycles, many of whom are, like me, elderly.

I have a push bike, but electric bikes are enabling many to get relatively gentle exercise whilst exploring the region.

I call on Coffs Council to be a better advocate for local cyclists.

Regards,
Rob KING,
Coffs Harbour.