An Aucklander says Auckland Transport's decision to put a cycleway between a bus stop and footpath could lead to death after he was almost hit by a person on an e-scooter when exiting a bus.
The man told Newshub he had caught the Inner Link bus in Auckland CBD on Tuesday night when he had to change buses at Victoria Park.
"I just about got collected by an e-scooter as I had to make an exit from the bus, saved by a fraction of a minute," he said.
The design of the cycleway at the bus stop in front of Victoria Park Market means the designated cycle lane, which runs along the road, transfers up onto the footpath at the bus stop.
But instead of taking cyclists behind pedestrians, they now follow a red line that runs between the footpath and the bus stop.
The man told Newshub he thought it was only a matter of time before someone exiting a bus was injured by a cyclist or someone on an e-scooter.
"This could be death waiting to happen," he said.
"As we know already there have been deaths from e-scooters, and also serious injury to pedestrians from e-scooter users."
However, Auckland Transport has defended the design.
"The cycleway on Victoria Street has been designed to the Transportation Design Manual and includes elements like zebra crossings in the cycleway to make people on bikes aware that they should stop for people getting on or off buses," media relations manager Mark Hannan said.
"This lane has been open for about a year and we are not aware of any accidents."
Construction for the cycleway finished in late 2020 and the AT website said the cycleway benefits include: safer streets for walking and people on bikes.
Hannan said that the lanes are common overseas but are fairly new to New Zealand and Australia.
"Because of that we are investigating ideas to raise awareness of how to use these spaces safely. Awareness and courtesy is required from both sides: from people on bikes and people on foot."
This comes after a woman received serious head injuries after being hit by a man on an e-scooter while exiting a bus on Fanshawe St in June 2019. The man was found guilty of careless use of Lime scooter in March 2021.
However, AT pointed out the incidents were "quite different".
"This was on the footpath on Fanshawe St - there's no cycle lane there. The rider was convicted of careless and inconsiderate vehicle operation."
