tedza

yea, you are quite right...but on my return ride I still have to negotiate the trucks anyway. Either way, I should be using the cycle track, which is too risky under the current conditions. Assuming that is ever resolved, I would happily stay off the roads 🙂

My ride from northern suburbs to Woodstock today... …was uneventful, maybe a bit lonely though. Was surprised by the lack of cyclists, saw a total of 4 on my route, all in the opposite direction. The last time I commuted by bicycle was pre covid days, and at this time of year there were plenty of cyclists getting saddle time in preparation for the cycle tour – did not see any of that today. I departed around 6:30 and arrived in Woodstock slightly under an hour later. Route started from Bosmandam. Avoided Montague Drive/Bosmansdam intersection by taking a detour through century city. Joined Marine drive cycle track until Steve Johnson, then continued straight on the incoming lane. Was OK till I got to where the trucks were parked. There it was a bit uncomfortable with the narrow shoulder and oncoming traffic. Previously I tried using the service road, but with all the traffic it wasn’t much better. At the port entrance/Caltex garage I continued straight on the grass verge. Only came across 1 ‘pedestrian’. At the Woodstock bridge I pushed the bike up the embankment, and climbed over the guard rail to join the bridge road, and into Woodstock via lower main. At this stage I am not prepared to use the cycle track along Paarden Eiland to town until the squatter problem is resolved. I noticed that the situation has gotten quite a bit worse, especially down by Oswald Pirow. Was thinking this morning that it may be beneficial to email the CT traffic authorities about the trucks using the yellow lane shoulder as a parking lot – not sure if it would achieve anything, but they are not supposed to park on the shoulder. Return journey in opposite direction - more of the same, only a single cyclist spotted. So a mostly uneventful ride – maybe this feedback would benefit someone who is trying to decide whether to get back on the saddle to commute.. Commuting by car is becoming more and more congested and frustrating. Ride safe

thanks for the input. You are braver than I.. When I last used this route I had been threatened and harassed. Was somewhat aggressive and manage to avoid trouble. Got to the point where one of the metro vehicles would actually shadow me - good of them :-), but only happened once. Also lots of glass on the path so not good for the bike. I am on a MTB, so previously eventually ended up on the route as you describe. Have however heard of the prasa squatters having become more brazen of late, and bike jacking on the woodstock bridge itself. Also believe that the MyShiti woodstock bus stop has been boarded up, but cannot confirm this.

Very interesting route, thanks for sharing. Whats your travel time if I may ask? Upper main going to be interesting with the taxis.

Hi All Don't wish to be labelled as stupid for not being aware, so asking the question. Anyone using the route via Paarden Eiland to town on a regular basis? As a commute? I am looking to do this for a few days a week, as my car was written off by someone in a hurry. So looking to use wifes car, bicycle & bus on different days, for a while. Not really sure I want another car to spend +/- 2 hours in the daily commute. Will see when winter arrives 🙂 So the question then, my commute is from Milnerton to Woodstock, around 6:30 am and return 5pm ish. I am considering using the route as follows: - use cycle track from milnerton to paarden island. When the track swings left at Steve Johnson Cars, I would continue straight, towards the incoming traffic, and continue until bridge at lower church bridge. Noticed a few squatters a while ago on the harbour side. A poster also mentioned a near miss with an armed robbery close by. I would cross the bridge and then cycle to upper main to around Searle Street. Is this still do-able? Or should I rather trust golden arrow (no gap is too narrow) busses? TIA

thanks, going to try this, always looked a bit concerning with the road being somewhat narrow with lots of traffic, but with the trucks parked on marine drive, this is no longer an option.

Anybody still using the cycle route from Paarden Eiland to Woodstock? It's been more than a year since I rode it, and it was dodgy then already. I am no longer working from home ( sadly) and am back to the morning commute. My current route involves getting onto the cycle track at Milnerton, and then after the market area I continue on the shoulder into incoming traffic - not ideal. It worked OK in the past, but now there are all these trucks parked on the shoulder (outbound), so I have to get uncomfortably close to the oncoming traffic. Options include using the inbound lane (no shoulder), or the service road ( scary, not much space with big trucks & lots of traffic), or the cycle lane itself. Another options not included here? Did not see many other bicycles on my commute, seems not that many back at work yet. Any trains that I can latch onto to get through the dreaded Woodstock cycle lane safely ( in the mornings, around 7am?).

So yesterday I used the cycle lane stretch from Woodbridge Island to Woodstock, past the notorious stretch under the Woodstock Bridge, I left early in the the morning at around 6am, and it was obviously still dark, not to mention rather cold! I noticed 2 metro police vehicles stationed at the BRT lane in Milnerton, with another at the part where the cycle lane heads off Marine Drive and into Paarden Island. I noticed a vehicle patrolling this section too. At the stretch where you head under the N1 there were another 2 metro vehicles stationed, and noticed one patrolling the stretch between this and the Woodstock Bridge. All in I observed 7 metro police vehicles on my stretch from Milnerton to Woodstock. I was very impressed and this definitely made me feel more confident in using this route. On my afternoon commute I noticed a metro police vehicle stationed at the woodstock station, close to where all the muggings have taken place. Well done metro police for your much improved presence! I will be back to using this route for my commute. Interestingly, I did not encounter a single other cyclist, neither in the morning , nor the afternoon. Where is everybody??

thanks for the info. Very encouraging indeed. Think I will start using that stretch again.

Was this on the bridge, or under? Sorry, post is confusing me as you also state on the m-citi route? Single attacker? Coming down which hill? I think I may have seen a cyclist loading a bike onto an uber on the top of the bridge as I came in this morning at around 6am. I use the same route, and was considering cycling in this morning, but didn't due to the recent muggings on the route. Am also contemplating avoiding the m-citi cycle route and just using the N1 section from paarden eiland instead. Glad to hear it was a near miss, must still be unsettling though!

I wonder if this isint the way to go - if we all start riding in the bus lane, maybe the citi council will take note?