Alistair Smith riding by Shed 5, a pinch point for cyclists that he feels needs to be addressed.

CYCLISTS are concerned their safety will be at risk from a campervan park and other proposed developments for the Wellington waterfront.

Vehicle traffic to the helicopter pad and around Fergs Kayaks is already unsafe for cyclists, says Cycle Aware Wellington secretary Alistair Smith.

Add a campervan park and the city council would have to put in a lot more controls and create clear vehicle, cycling and walking lanes, he says.

“Our future plan could perhaps have more than one route, a sort of slow walking and recreational cycling route and then perhaps, more inland, a faster cycle track used by people who want to commute.”

Wellington City Council is considering new plans for the waterfront, after delaying three planned multi-storey buildings and a redevelopment for Frank Kitts Park, in response to the recession.

Proposals include $400,000 designer public toilets, an ice-skating rink on Queen’s Wharf, and a campervan park opposite Whitmore St.

Council spokesman Richard Maclean says the council takes cycling on the waterfront seriously and the campervan park would be safe.

“Clearly, there would be traffic-calming measures all around the campervan park to make sure that campervans and cyclists wouldn’t run into each other at high speed,” he says.

“We have had ongoing problems with cyclists riding at high speed on the waterfront and mixing with pedestrians, so we continue to look at ways of possibly separating cyclists from pedestrians or in fact encouraging cyclists to slow down.”

At City Boat & Bike Shed, near Frank Kitts Park, director Pete Carter isn’t bothered by the campervan park, but says better cycling access would help his business.

“The council should be doing more to promote cycling as a safe activity and a viable activity right around the city.

“On the whole, it’s pretty poor in terms of cycle ways and where people can go. It’s dog eat dog in terms of commuters.”

Cycle Aware Wellington is among more than 60 submitters on the council’s draft waterfront development plan.