‘Ridiculous’ bike lane blunder blamed for spike in tyre punctures
New bike lanes at St Kilda are being blamed for spike in bike tyre punctures.
Several cyclists have called Neil Mitchell this morning to report finding pieces of green glass in their tyres after using newly resurfaced green bike lanes on Beach Road.
Michael rode on Beach Road with three other cyclists yesterday. Three of the four bikes in his group got punctures.
“It’s a green-coloured glass and when we change the tubes you feel the inside of the tyre to see if there’s anything sticking out. We’re pulling out bits of green glass,” he told Neil Mitchell.
“I can’t imagine what stupidity led to putting glass in bike tracks.
“It’s ridiculous.”
John says four people he rode with on the weekend also got punctures near Luna Park.
“There was one guy who had a thin tyre and we picked out close to a dozen pieces of glass from his tyre alone,” he said.
Press PLAY below to hear from cyclists caught up in the baffling stuff up
The Department of Transport says it has found broken glass spread over a section of Beach Road in St Kilda which is “inconsistent in shape, size and colour with the beads used in our green asphalt”.
The department is working with police to determine if there’s been an act of vandalism.
But Bill* has worked as a contractor as part of the bike lane rollout for several councils.
He says the workers who laid the bike lanes have “just been lazy”.
“They’re supposed to clean the job up when they finish it … you’re supposed to actually clean it off with a blower and not leave ay of this residue,” he told Neil Mitchell.
Press PLAY below to hear what a bike lane contractor thinks has happened
*not his real name