Hawke’s Bay surgeon Liz Insull’s cycling safety survey seeks road users’ views
A Hawke’s Bay surgeon wants road users’ opinions on how to make the region’s roads safer for cyclists.
Ophthalmologist Liz Insull – a cataract and eyelid surgeon – moved to Hawke’s Bay from Auckland nine years ago and loves cycling.
But she said she had noticed traffic in the region had increased, and her commute from Havelock North to Kaweka Hospital in Camberley had increased by five to six minutes on average since moving to the region.
Insull said she saw this as an opportunity to start an independent community survey, asking about people’s experiences getting around the region on a bike and in a car.
“Often many of the issues, locally and in the world, seem too big and so people don’t even try,” she said.
“Rather than complaining, I wanted to be constructive and see if I can find some solutions.”
As a clinician, Insull said she was naturally interested in data, but as a parent she wanted her kids to be able to cycle around the region safely and for adults to have realistic alternatives to getting in the car for every journey.
The survey asks about cyclists’ near misses and crashes on Hawke’s Bay roads and what prevents drivers from choosing cycling for everyday commutes and journeys.
She planned to compare it with crash data from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
Of about 200 responses so far, Insull found near misses were common in Hawke’s Bay, but rarely reported, and people who drove more than cycled would consider cycling more if they felt safer on the roads.
“What I’m finding is that people don’t feel safe on the road,” she said.
Insull said she hoped at least 500 people would answer her survey so she could take the data to government agencies and the council to advocate for change.
Ideally, she wanted to see protected and separated cycleways connecting the region, particularly along commuter routes.
The survey is open until October 23 and can be found at safercyclinghawkesbay.com.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in Britain, Germany and New Zealand.