Road builders are standing by their design of a Bell Block off ramp despite an injured cyclist calling it into question. In the New Plymouth District Court, Darren Paul Prentis, 31, a builder, was convicted of careless driving causing injury to the cyclist. The cyclist, who was not named, suffered a broken pelvis. But in her victim impact statement to the court, she said: “I do not blame the driver.” Rather, her crash was a result of the poor design of the overpass, she said. NZ Transport Agency highway manager David McGonigal said yesterday the Henwood St ramp was designed to meet modern safety standards and the court’s judgment made it clear the crash was caused by the careless actions of the driver. “The layout of the give-way configuration is standard throughout the road network. Because of this and the actions he took to protect the cyclist from further danger he would not disqualify him from driving. Prentis was convicted and ordered to make an emotional harm payment of $700 to the cyclist.
