Prachuap's 10 million baht bicycle lane ends up as roadside parking

[buksida]

A Bt9.6-million, 2.9-kilometre-long bicycle lane along the beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Mueang district has ended up as parking space for vehicles, with police saying nothing can be done about it.

Following complaints from local residents that they could not ride in the bike lane, Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan police station chief Pol Colonel Chayinthorn Sukhonthorn on Tuesday said no action could be taken against motorists who parked in the lane.

He explained that the provincial public works and town planning office had built the bike lane without cooperating with the local administration to issue any law or regulation for its usage, so police could not act against motorists that parked there. The lane was allocated for cyclists from the beach road in front of Wing 5 Air Command to the Bang Nang Rom Bridge.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... s/30357519

[Big Boy]

Quite incredible really. I've been to Prachuap many, many times and the thing I love about the place is the lack of traffic. I think they must have every car in Prachuap parked there

Seriously though, I love driving along that seafront, and other vehicles are very few and far between. I notice it's market day, which probably attracts a few extra vehicles, and those drivers are probably just as annoyed that the cycle lane has stolen their parking.

Probably a silly question, but the car parking was there long before the cycle lane. Was any provision made for car parking before the cycle lane was laid?

[HHTel]

Bike lanes although with good intentions invariably don't work here. With the exception of the exclusive bike lane on the road to Pranburi, bike lanes in Hua Hin have mostly been overgrown with weeds making them unusable and as the roads get resurfaced they are gone.
The one to Pranburi is excellent and I know quite a few that use it. Unfortunately, Thais being blind to any signage, it's used by m/cycles and even the odd 4 wheel transport.

[laphanphon]

That is not the weekend market days, that is a normal, everyday parking photo.

On market day there would be no parking, as street full of vendors. Any time after the lunch hour, and the bike lane is basically unusable, the majority of the sea front, at that 2 km stretch.

Didn't realize it cost that much, as all they did was paint it. For the bike lane. It did get a resurface at the same time, so if included, then that price tag, almost makes sense.

And the bike lane is over 7 kms, and encompasses the whole bay front. Most of which is usable, as raised, and cars can not park on it, along with more than enough parking along the majority of it.

Frankly I was surprised they even put a bike lane in the area pictured, and along that whole 2 km section of seafront. The sidewalk is more than wide enough for bikes and pedestrians, and I rarely ride my bike in the street along that stretch.

PKK is no longer the no traffic / parking of days past, and as stated, anytime after lunch hour, and oncoming traffic one way or the other, will have to yield so the other can pass by.

[Pleng]

The one to Pranburi is excellent and I know quite a few that use it. Unfortunately, Thais being blind to any signage, it's used by m/cycles and even the odd 4 wheel transport.

Unfortunately there are many sections of that "bike" lane that are signed to specifically allow motorcycles to use it.

[laphanphon]

5 kms or the almost 7 km bike lane at PKK municipality are excellent also. Just the last section get used as parking.

That was inevitable, and don't think anyone expected, even the planners, that it wouldn't be used for parking. Although this AM, 7 ish , there were very few vehicles there.

That 2 km stretch, before 10ish AM onward is fairly clear. Until pre-lunch time, then school lets out, then dominated (in photo) by vendors and parking. Later taken over by the dinner and non sunset surf watchers, followed by more diners and beverage sippers into the late evening.

Gets quite busy south of Hadthong Hotel at night. Far from the quiet sleepy fishing village of days past.

Same as HH, original city planning, for bikes, scooter, samlaws, songthaews, and not the present influx of 4 wheeled vehicles, let along big 4X4 and SUVs.........too late now....oops.