Transport Malta and cyclists disagree about the studs marking the Coast Road cycle lane. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Cyclists’ protests about the ‘dangerous’ studs marking the Coast Road cycle lane are being disputed by the transport watchdog, which is insisting these were laid down for the riders’ own safety.

A cyclist who made it through a fall with a few scrapes and bruises could have had a worse ending on Sunday when he went over a wet rumble strip. Shaun Galea was at the beginning of the lane off Kennedy Grove in St Paul’s Bay, cycling leisurely. Since there is no entry gap, he had to go over the rumble strip. He fell into the lane, while his bike ended up in front of a passing van.

The 17-year-old said he was not speeding, and another cyclist who spoke to this newspaper explained that the strips were dangerous no matter the cycling speed.

Cyclists have to go over the studs several times to get around parked cars, fellow cyclists, debris and broken glass. When contacted, Jim Wightman of the Bicycling Advocacy Group noted that, while the strip looked great, it could have been made from a material with a better grip, such as tarmac.

However, Transport Malta said that the strips were “an effective layer of protection for cyclists”.

They made the lane safer, a spokesman said, adding that the lane was meant for commuting, not racing or training. “The rumble strips can only be a hazard if a cyclist ostensibly decides to go over them at a certain speed.” Noting that they were a recognised method of segregation, TM said cycling groups had recommended, in 2013, that the lane be placed at the same level as the road.

They asked for the cycle lane to be segregated from the car lane and the rumble strips were the best option within the site’s constraints.

The strips provided safe segregation and a buffer zone for cars that stray off the lane while maintaining an average 1.6m wide lane, the spokesman said, adding that the 12.9km of lanes at Salina provided the “longest and safest uninterrupted cycle route” in Malta.

Meanwhile, Mr Wightman noted that BAG was present with other cycling stakeholders when the lanes were discussed three years ago, and the group had originally asked for something similar for the Żebbug lane, where markings were not physically raised from the surface of the road.

They eventually compromised on a low-profile tactile rumble strip that alerts drivers before they erred into the cycle lane, but which also allows riders to safely leave and rejoin the cycle lane safely.

Unfortunately, the current design has a rumble strip with a high profile, making it impossible to exit or rejoin the lane safely, and is also slippery when wet.

While the group was grateful for the infrastructure, Mr Wightman said that had BAG been consulted, it would have raised its concerns not only about the material but also about the placement of the strips inside the lane.