Spokes surveys on the tram system

Two Surveys

As a cyclist, do you have an opinion on the tram tracks in the central city? Perhaps you've even had a crash on those tracks? Do you know that Christhchurch City Council (CCC) is proposing to extend the tram network?

We've created two surveys on the tram system, and we would like you to fill out one of those surveys:

1. If you've ever ridden along the tram tracks without having had a crash, please fill out the tram feedback survey. This will take between 1 and 2 minutes only. You also have the chance to comment on the proposed tram track extension.
2. If you've had a crash on the existing tram tracks, please fill out our crash survey. It will also take between 1 and 2 minutes only.

Please note that we are not 'anti-trams'. Spokes would love to see public transport greatly improved and extended, including trams (if and where they fulfil a public transport function).

Survey Results so far

As of 16 June 2008, we have received 42 crash reports, and 15 opinion reports. Please see the two attachments below for the details (names and e-mail addresses withheld, of course). Some highlights from the opinion survey are:

Opinion Survey

Some highlights from the first (opinion) survey:

• We are asking respondents to rank whether the existing tram system "creates a very unsafe cycling environment" (=1) or "...safe..." (=5). The average response is 2.33 (i.e. almost halfway between the extremes).
• Armagh Street is easily the scariest part of the tram route for cyclists.
• There is very good support for trams as public transport, rather than a tourist facility.

Cycle Crash Survey

Some highlights from the crash survey:

• 35 of the 42 reported crashes happened in Armagh Street.
• 25 of the crashes would probably not have happened if the tracks had been kept straight in the centre of the road. 12 of the crashes happened where the tracks were in the centre of the road, so here it's not the poor design, but other reasons (e.g. trying to avoid car leaving a parking space). For the remaining 5 crashes, it was not possible to categorise the reason for the crash, but we have contacted those submitters and requested that they clarify this point.
• 23 of the 42 crashes happened in the three locations on Armagh Street where the tracks weave to the side of the road, and the weaving tracks were the main factor in the crash.
• Two submitters have had two crashes on the tram tracks.
  
• Nobody has reported their crash to Police. One person has reported their crash to the Christchurch City Council, and was advised that it is a known hazard. One cyclist commented on the ‘reporting' question:

"No - spoke to cyclists who suggested this was fairly common occurrence so felt there was little point complaining. And perhaps I felt I was going too fast for the wet conditions"

Crash Report - Example 1

Moderate head injury, contusions, hematomas, sprained thumbs, cracked ribs, torn muscle in neck, grazes, concussion, the ongoing TBI has been life changing, had 1 year of very intense headaches which I was on medication for still have ongoing problems with headaches and memory loss, can't multi task as well, bright lights and big crowds are hard to handle. I'm sure there is more subtle things but have learnt to manage a lot of the minor things.

I had 3 months fully off work and did a gradual return to full time over a period of 2 years.

Crash Report - Example2

Fractured left humerus very close to top. In hospital for 1 week waiting for 4 hour surgery. Large plate and 11 screws inserted.

About 4 months sick leave. Still seeing physio and chiropractor; may need second surgery to remove plate.

Reported Crashes versus Actual Crash Numbers

The tram system opened in February 1995. How many crashes have been reported to us for the various years?

year	crashes
2008	13
2007	8
2006	7
2005	3
2004	4
2003	1
2002	2
2001	1
2000	0
1999	0
1998	2
1997	0
1996	1
1995	0
total	42

So for the first 5.5 months of 2008, we've got 13 reported crashes, more than in any other (full) year. And the further back we go in time, the fewer reported crashes there are. Obviously, people tend to report the recent crashes more often.

But how many crashes do get reported, and how many are there actually? That's of course impossible to say, but let us make some assumptions here:

• Let's assume that 2008 has the highest reporting rate.
• Let's also assume that the number of crashes per year won't have changed, i.e. there is a constant number of cycle crashes on the tram tracks each year.
• Let's assume that at best, we have had every third crash reported to us that has happened in 2008 (i.e. a 33% reporting rate).
• Let's assume that at worst, we have had every tenth crash reported to us that has happened in 2008 (i.e. a 10% reporting rate).

Based on the above, the number of actual cycle crashes per year is in the range from 86 to 282, for a 33% to 10% reporting rate, respectively.

Based on the same assumptions, the total number of actual cycle crashes is estimated to be in the range from 1,100 to 3,700 for the 160 months that the tram system has been operating. That's 1.6 to 5.4 crashes every week!

Please see the attachment below [actual-number-of-crashes] for the calculations for these figures.

Commentary on the Main Crash Pattern

As outlined above, just over half of the reported crashes were caused in only three locations along Armagh Street, and are related to the design decision to have the tracks weave to the side of the road. In most cities, tram tracks are straight and the trams stop in the middle of the road, with traffic waiting behind a tram loading or unloading passengers. In Christchurch on the other hand, half of the cycle crashes associated with the tram tracks could have been avoided if Council had followed this common design practice.

What next?

Thanks a lot for your time. We have been using your feedback to work with the City Council on their proposal. Further survey responses are appreciated. We will continue forwarding crash reports to CCC (but withholding names and e-mail addresses for privacy reasons).

Spokes will put two requests to CCC:

1. Don't repeat the mistake of weaving tram tracks with the proposed tram extension, and
2. Address the problem of the weaving tracks in the three locations on Armagh Street
   

Regarding the second request, we can't see any other option than digging up the tracks and straightening the alignment. And if CCC is prepared to spend 4 to 5 million on the tram extension, lack of budget doesn't appear to be the problem. Council owes it to the 500 to 2,000 cyclists who have come to grief in those three locations on Armagh Street to once and for all fix the problem.

The Spokes submission on the tram system extension is online.

Attachment	Size
tram-crashes3.pdf	163.37 KB
tram-opinion-02.pdf	53.74 KB
actual-number-of-crashes-02.pdf	19.59 KB