Potters Bar to South Mimms research institutes
A possible route from Potters Bar via Dame Alice Owen School, NCN12 at South Mimms, Cancer Research at South Mimms and then on via Blanche Lane to join the existing cycle path alongside the A1.
This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.
Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.
You can create a new issue using the button on the right.
Listed issues, most recent first:
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
A possible route from Potters Bar via Dame Alice Owen School, NCN12 at South Mimms, Cancer Research at South Mimms and then on via Blanche Lane to join the existing cycle path alongside the A1.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
Porposed but never built links between the Royal Veterinary College and Potters Bar and Brookmans Park stations. The route parallel to the railway exists as a footpath which would need upgrading to a bridleway with good surface and ideally lit to allow all year use. (Vets work well beyond 9-5)
The Alban Way is unlit and isolated from main roads. Thus it does not provide a safe commuter route in the winter months.
WelHatCycling believes there should be an all year route alongside the A1057 along the route shown, linking Hatfield to the St Albans Green Ring at Fleetville and then continuing in to the city centre.
This will be a challanging route where streets are narrow and car use is high. The priority therefore might be University of Hertfordshire - Oaklands College - Fleetville to encourage cycling to these two key educational institutions.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
WelwHatCycling believes there should be shared use pavements along Digswell Road to link the north of the town to the town centre. This would connect to our proposed North - South and East- West routes described in other entries.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
The cycle route from WGC to Hertford is an unlit isolated former railway. Whilst an excellet ride on a sunny Sunday, it is of little use in the dark winter months for cycle commuting.
The route shown would comprise:
A new shared use pavement along Cole Green Lane / Birchall Lane from the end of the current cycle path to the A414.
A light controlled crossing of the A414 or bridge.
Signed us of the Old Coach Road to the outskirts of Hertford.
Shared use pavement plus signed routes into the centre of the town.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
The east side of WGC is currently served only by the NCN61 route. In 2014 work was done on Heronswood road to add safety markings due to high incidences of accidents involving bikes. There are local concerns about cyclists using pavements to avoid busy local roads.
There should as a minimum be a route from WGC station to the new QE2 hospital, ideally directly via Woodhall shops. The other routes show other useful possible links to create a cohesive network to serve this section of town.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
A long standing missing link in WHBC area cycle routes. The current Bessemer Way cycle path ends where the road becomes a busy dual carriage way. There is no off road cycling link to Welwyn village which prevents the children of the town cycling to Monks Walk School (yet it is possible for Hatfield children to get there virtually the whole way on cycle path!)
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
This route would use a combination of 20 mph road (Fretherne Road, Stonehills) plus upgraded crossings to create a north south route through the centre of Welwyn Garden City. It would share a common section around the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Offices and the Campus with the east west route described in another section.
The route would link NCN57 south of the town with the existing link from Campus East to Shirepark, thus enabling commuters from this business park to access the station. Going further north the link over the White Bridge would then open up the quiet residential streets of north WGC for cycling to and from the town centre. Via the east west route their would be a better connection to NCN12 avoiding the busy Parkway.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
Welwyn Garden City has no off road town centre cycle routes. This east west route would link the network of cycle paths to the east of the town centre to NCN12 to the west and enable cyclists to avoid The Campus, a deceptively green gyratory which is difficult for cyclists to navigate.
It would connect with a north south route at the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council offices, encouraging staff to cycle to work. It would encourage commuters to cycle from west WGC to the station and to work places off Broadwater Road and at the Mundells.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
The Sustrans map erroneously shows part of this route as an on road cycle path. No such path exists.
The Common is one way south west bound. In order to spare cyclist having to use the on road cycle lane on Queensway which is badly engineered, especially at the Woods Ave roundabout, WelHatCycling believe there should be a contraflow cycle lane or shared use pavement along this route, extending accross Lemsford Road and connecting with the existing cycle path on St Albans Road West. This would create a route through the town centre to connect north and south Hatfield.
The photo shows the north end of the Common as currently arranged for cycling.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
Just two (2!) metres of tarmac would legally connect Dellfield Road to the Woods Ave cycle path. With no other work than this it would allow cyclists heading west to avoid the nasty on road cycle path along Queensway parallel to this route.
Ideally works would also be done to allow cyclists heading east to use this route and then continue along the planned Queensway cycle path (see other entry) to avoid Queensway entirely.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
Hertfordshire County Council announced plans in 2014 to improve the walking route from Hatfield town centre to the railway station. We lobbied successfully for the section from the Market Place toucan to the French Horn Lane pelican crossing to be reubuilt as dual use, completing a vital link from the station to the University.
This would be even better if officially extended round the skateboard park and accross Link Drive to join up with the Woods Ave off road cycle path, thus enabling cyclists to avoid the dangerous roundabout at the junction of Woods Ave and Queensway. This is shown in the map to the west (left) end of the route shown.
Created by Adam Edwards // 1 thread
Hatfield has the makings of a good cycle path network. However, the cycle path from the station to the town centre ends at the west end of French Horn Lane and fails to then connect to the University to the south or the Business Park (EE HQ, etc) to the west.
WelHatCycling are lobbying (most recently our MP Grant Shapps) to get this missing link filled. The route is shown on the map and is entirely unobstructed. The key work is a toucan crossing of Queensway, needed not only for the cycle route, but also to open up the north east end of the town centre to passing trade from people cycling and walking via the town centre.
Created by Roxanne (CEO) // 3 threads
Thread for County Council Economy and Environment Committee meetings
http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/CommitteeMinutes/Committees/Committee.aspx?committeeID=74
Created by Chris Peck // 1 thread
Woodside Park is a commercial area which the developers wish to turn into an 87 dwelling residential area, comprised of 61 flats and 26 houses, with up to 235 residents. An additional office space area could also be turned into a further 20 2-bed flats, resulting in a total of 107 dwellings.
The developers' transport assessment suggest this:
"Whilst there are no formal facilities for cyclists, the local roads are suitable for use
by cyclists, and Catteshall Lane is identified as a recommended cycle route by SCC
and Sustrans. This cycle route links with Godalming town centre and Godalming
railway station, which is approximately five minutes from the site by bicycle."
This is patently not true, as the route to Godalming station via the town centre is one-way!
Car parking
135 car parking spaces are planned, however, the assessment suggests that, comparing equivalent car ownership in the local area, only 86 spaces are actually required (because there are only 0.8 cars per flat in central Godalming, and 1.42 cars per house).
While it is accepted that a few extra spaces are required for visitors, is 56% extra parking really needed?
Cycle parking
No numbers are provided, but houses are expected to accommodate cycles in sheds or garages, while there will be covered cycle storage for the flats.
More detail is required on how secure this storage will be.
Created by Chris Peck // 0 threads
The railway bridge over Ockford Ridge results in a narrowing, just as the road bends. The footway here is left narrow, sightlines are poor and the surface is in a poor state.
Created by Chris Peck // 1 thread
With the welcome completion of the cycle path linking Marshall Road to Bridge Road, the weaknesses of links on either side of the route become more apparent.
Bridge Road is a busy, narrow main road. Traffic mostly has to wait behind cyclists, creating uncomfortable conditions for all but the brave. Both roundabouts (at the Chalk Road/Meadrow and the Bridge Street/Wharf Street junctions) are difficult for cyclists (and pedestrians).
An alternative route, either running parallel to the road (a widened shared use footway?) or a raised boardwalk across the Lammas Lands, are alternatives, but both are expensive, challenging options, which require new or wider bridges over Hell Ditch and the River Wey.
Created by Bracken VanRyssen // 1 thread
The path between Smith's Wood and Water Orton could be a key cycling and walking link and a way to avoid the only other crossing of the A452 and M6, which is the busy and fast Water Orton Road. However the route is blocked off with concrete blocks and is in an extremely poor state of repair with overgrown bushes and an exceedingly unpleasant subway.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 3 threads
The City Council has been working on a City Centre Access Strategy to deal with the problem of obstructions, including inconsiderately-parked bikes. This is to be considered formally by a City Council Committee.
Created by Jon_B // 0 threads
There are currently (29/06/15) temporary 3 way traffic lights in place at the junction where Rope Walk meets St Helen's Street.
This is normally a really painful junction for people cycling from Rope Walks onto St Helens Street at busy times with long waits for a gap in traffic and bad sight lines, particularly where west-bound traffic backs up leaving a gap at the yellow box junction so that people cycling have to venture out halfway across the road to see if there is any traffic coming east-bound.
The lights make this considerably easier and would be worth considering as a permanent signal.
Created by Iain Lane // 2 threads
Dear Consultee,
Nottingham City Council (Radford Road Area, Nottingham) (Prohibitions of Waiting and Parking Places (Specified Classes of Vehicles)) Traffic Regulation Order 2015 (TMP 7115)
Please find attached a consultation letter and associated drawings, SN/TMP7115/01/A, SN/TMP7115/01/B and SN/TMP7115/01/C which relates to the above Radford Road Area, Nottingham – Traffic Regulation Order (TMP 7115).
Created by Dawes Jaguar // 0 threads
The pointless pedestrian gate here is really awkward for pedestrians and cyclists alike, as it's hung on the wrong post and the area of bitmac that has been laid for it is ludicrously small. This area normally ends up a muddy mess in the winter. People simply don't move in sub one metre angular movements, shunting back and forth to avoid the grass. Note the track in the grass that shows what one cyclist did shortly before the Google car got there.
Remove all three gates and replace them with a removable bollard.
Created by Dawes Jaguar // 0 threads
There are regular collisions at this junction because motorists speed on Bournville Lane and the site-lines are very, very poor. The simple solution is to change the priority. This would solve the problem for motorists, and make it easier for cyclists to use Hay Green Lane as part of a cycle route.
I have suggested the change of priority to BCC but was given a list of excuses why this cannot possibly be done. One of these was that Bournville Lane is a blue route. I see no benefit in an emergency journey ending here because someone pulling out of Hay Green Lane couldn't see the approaching police car.
Created by Dawes Jaguar // 0 threads
Cotteridge town centre has been allowed to degenerate into a hostile place for cyclists and pedestrians. Motorists have multiple lanes for driving and parking, whilst pedestrians are blocked from crossing the road by steel railings. Cyclists are given nothing. Watford Road and Rowheath Road are both OK for cycling, but their junction with Watford Road is horrendous. Midland Road has no contra-flow, so it is obstructive to cyclists trying to avoid the multi-lane horror of the Pershore Road. The two lane double-roundabout is difficult to negotiate even in a car.
This whole area needs to be redesigned, putting cyclists and pedestrians first. I'm sure I'm not the only person who doesn't shop in Cotteridge because the environment is /vile/.
Created by Dawes Jaguar // 0 threads
Birdcage Walk is fitted with Cycling Prohibited signs and barriers, yet it is as wide as some roads. Talking to a PCSO on a bike I saw cycling there, he told me Cadbury's were happy for people to cycle on Birdcage Walk if they did so responsibly. So how about replacing the signs with "Share with Care" signs, and the barriers with bollards spaced wide enough to allow cyclists through but not motor vehicles?
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
Created by Grahame Cooper // 1 thread
Irlams O'th Height roundabout has been the location of a number of collisions involving cyclists (including myself and my daughter last September).
There was a consultation last year over proposals produced by Sustrans for the improvement of this, and I showed my comments (annotations on proposed plans) at a previous GMCC meeting. You can find this annotated document here: https://copy.com/tAIjQdMSxfcsq4fz (large PDF - need to download to see all pages).
A leaflet on the intended imrovements can be found here: http://www.urbanvision.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Cycling-Leaflet.pdf
I am disappointed with this for the following reasons:
- Extensive use of shared footways in the scheme (Salford Council seems to be in love with these, but they are bad).
- Southbound approach on A666 looks impractical & dangerous: a sharp left turn onto the shared footway right at the busy entrance to the roundabout!
- Whilst carriageway widths have been reduced, kerb radii at the mouth of entrances and exits do not seem to have been reduced, so "drivers looking right whilst accelerating left" will still pose a danger for cyclists who do not want to use the shared footways.
- Limited improvements to the subways (tile removal, lighting and resurfacing) will probably not result in an attractive facility for cyclists. Access to this from Bolton Road (northbound) looks awkward.
- There is no undertaking mentioned to ensure that facilities will be maintained and swept.
- I'm still not confident regarding the social safety of the off-road parts, especially in the dark winter months.
Those are my immediate reactions. Could be more to add.
Hamish F // 0 threads
There are no contraflow signs when entering Devonshire Rd from Adermans Hill. Cyclists have reported hostility towards them as they ride "against the flow". The markings are correct as the cyclist enters Devonshire Rd from A105 but of course the drivers do not see that.
Created by Paul James // 0 threads
All the sideroads between Richmond Circus and Manor Circus are a danger to cyclists on the cycleway.
There is no warning to motorists that there will be crossing cyclists and the building angles make it hard to see if anything is coming.
Turning traffic from the A316 can have an obscured view of the cycleway due to foliage.
Decrease corner radii.
Make road hump more pronounced.
Make cycle surface colour continuous across roadway.
Add markings across roadway.
Add warning signage.
Move give way lines back to before cycleway or add additional give way lines.
Created by Rosalind Lund // 1 thread
further to the piece in newsletter 128, I wonder if any thought has been given to the difficulty of turning right into Emmanuel Street if you are coming towards the town centre from St Andrew's Street? We go fairly often to the Arts Cinema and this is the obvious way for us to go home, but it is impossible to turn right on the correct side of the bollard at present as it is designed only for left turning cycles coming out of town. There is, however, nothing to suggest that such a right turn is illegal.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 1 thread
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
If a foot/cycle bridge is not going to happen in the medium term, then how about some traffic calming measures to reduce driver's speed expectations over the bridge? Drivers who have just come of a dual carriage way at 70mph+ or have been zooming along the A40 at 60mph+ are suddenly sharing space with cyclists having had little warning that this is about to happen.
We suggest deploying traffic calming measures, such as marked cycle ways, belisha beacon crossings (much needed anyway!) and signage making it clear that care is required. If the speed limit was clearly lower, many drivers will not be so aggressively trying to overtake cyclists.
Created by Colin Bell // 1 thread
Has there been any improvement in the "new" NCN 11 route from Waterbeach to Lode since last summer? Last time I went that way I had to wheel the bike across fields and carry it over two or three stiles.
Any information, including a forecast date when a proper route is likely to be built, welcome. Thanks.
Created by JonC // 0 threads
Our club (South Herts CTC) had to cross the A505 to get back into Hertfordshire on Sunday and we took a route between Litlington and Therfield which involved 500 m along the A505 and a right turn at the roundabout west of Royston.
I was quite surprised there was no cycle route to help cyclists here. It was a Sunday so at least there were fewer heavy vehicles than normal, but the speed of some cars coming up behind made it tricky to change lanes on a bike when turning right at the roundabout.
Since then I have studied other ways of crossing the A505 (using Google Streetview) and can't find any easy crossing points near Royston. I see it is the boundary between Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, which complicates matters (although it looks like the A505 road is in Herts).
To the east, I've used the B1368 crossing at Flint Cross, which is also a nightmare. To the west the crossing at Slip End does at least have a central refuge. It seems little or no thought was given to cyclists when the A505 was constructed.
Created by Katja Leyendecker // 1 thread
The (draft / emerging) 1Core Strategy seems to hint at a bus loop (Policy UC7) and a motor vehicle "ring road" (Policy UC9) too. It mentions pedestrian routes but there's no mention of cycle routes. See attached photo. (I didn't mark up the map, as it might become a tad too messy)
The "ring road" is just like Scott / esde84 described before http://newcycling.org/space4cycling/part2 (in comments)
The photo in the attachment is from "Newcastle Proposals Map" listed here http://onecorestrategyng-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/examination_library (not sure how long thi link will stay live, link rot may happen)
Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
The traffic lights at Eagle Street were timed such that travelling eastbound you would always get caught at the second set unless you were extremely fast setting off. After discussions with the council and it brought up at the Sustainability Forum by Cllr Smart, it was fixed to increase the length of time that those lights were green, and was great as you always knew you could get through the second set of lights without having to wait unless you just went through the earlier ones just before they went red.
However over the past few days the signal timing has changed back to the older timing where the probability of getting through the second set is virtually nil. In an ideal world they would be phased such that the first set would go green, then the second set would go green several seconds later at the point where you would be arriving at them, rather than having them change to green almost at the same time.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
Dove Street is currently one way. It would be useful if it could be made 2 way for cycling for peopl coming from St Helen's Primary School to NCN 1.
The left turn from St Helens Street into Dove Street is much easier than a right turn from St Helens Street into Regent Street, as you don't have to block a lane of traffic and hope for a gap in the traffic in the opposite direction, especially with kids. It's also a shorter route when heading towards the town centre.
Sam // 1 thread
The bollards at the bottom of Herbert St haven't been replaced after the electricity cable was laid last week.
Rather than directly replacing the bollard slalom that existed beforehand, the bollard specialists might have suggestions on what the layout should be here which camcycle can suggest as for the replacement...
Created by Andrew Woodward // 1 thread
Providing a cycle-friendly surface on the path from Meadlands Drive to the road serving the German School and the Polo Club would improve cycling access to Strathmore and Russell Schools and help provide a better quiet route from Meadlands Drive area towards Richmond - providing more/better options for avoiding the busy Petersham Road.
Meeting with Leeds City Council to discuss possible remedial works due to high casualty rates.
Created by Cycling Dumfries // 1 thread
No safe route from Collin to Dumfries town centre - the A75 is a dual carriageway along this stretch of road with no direct alternative route
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
There's a very poor dogleg right-angle with barriers at the entrance/exit from the West Cambridge site to Clerk Maxwell Road.
This should be turned into a wide splay with good visibility.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 0 threads
The route from Kingston Bridge into Church Road and up to Bushy Park traverses busy traffic routes with little protection for people cycling. Making this short section easier and safer for cycling would provide an important link to join up the quiet routes from Hampton through Bushy Park to Kingston town centre.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 2 threads
Ham Gate Avenue: As you cycle past parked vehicles which narrow the road by almost half you are trapped in a long tunnel. Impatient motorists who want to enter from the other end do so and simply drive at you forcing you practically into the gutter or off the road completely. Would it be ever possible to ban parking on this avenue and limit the speed to 20mph as it is in the park?
Note - there is a shared use segregated track alongside the road here (part of NCN 4) but it is frequently too narrow to cope with the volumes of cyclists and pedestrians; it is overhung with low tree branches and the surface is poor.
Created by Steve Crapper // 1 thread
This planning application is a revised version of a previous application that would have infilled the disused railway beneath Buttermilk lane bridge, preventing the disused railway becoming a vital new greenway between Bolsover and Poolsbrook country Park (extending the existing Stockley Trail)
The revised application has changed from infill to ramps, but this forces an unnecessary road crossing, when an underpass is perfectly feasible
please object on this basis if you are able . our campaign has created a Facebook page called "build the Stockley Extension"
Bolsover
Application reference : 18/00178/FUL
Created by David Earl // 4 threads
There are some evil short grey posts on the busway cycleway that are really hard to see in the dark. I have heard of a number of people hitting them with disastrous consequences
Created by Sam Saunders // 2 threads
On the eastern approach to Clifton Suspension Bridge the narrow road curves past a pedestrian refuge next to a toilet block. The short cycle lane that had started as approximately 1.2 metres wide narrows to approximately 0.9 metres at the refuge. More than half of the cycle lane at that point is paved with uneven cobbles unsuitable for cycling, especially on a bend. The traffic lane (approx 3.2 metres) is too narrow for a car and a bicycle to pass together. The cycle lane, in effect, is encouraging inexperienced cyclists to adopt a vulnerable road position and to cycle on an unsuitable surface.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
St Peter's Dock on the National Cycle Route 51 just north of Stoke Bridge has a really poor surface which collects water, also the old rails that are no longer used and no longer connect to the rest of the rail network are a hazard for cyclists and ideally should be removed.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 0 threads
Westbound cycle lane is painted about 2m out from the kerb for no reason; child cyclists tend to follow paint rather than the common sense option which is to cycle next to the kerb.
Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread
The route on the east side of the A167 past Crossgate Moor and Framwellgate Moor crosses a number of roundabouts. The cycle-path leads you across the roads very close to the roundabout, via the central refuge in the middle of the road. Some of these roads have two lane entry to the roundabout. Crossing both lanes at once is tricky as you have to have an eye on whether the traffic is about to move out onto the roundabout. If you have a longer vehicle, such as a bus, waiting, then the route to the refuge is blocked. There are no road markings to warn motorists that cyclists might be expected.
The route is probably going to be improved as part of the Great North Cycleway. If these roundabouts are to be made safe enough for children to use, major alterations will be required. (The route goes past Durham Johnston School so should be available to children.) The route should cross further from the mouth of the roundabout, preferably on a different-coloured surface, maybe raised.
Created by Simon Nuttall // 3 threads
The railway line from Cambridge to Newmarket turns out across Coldham's Common and right through the middle of Cherry Hinton, and then carries on passing to the north of Fulbourn.
There are currently (2013) two main routes from the east of Cambridge to Cherry Hinton - the Tins and Snakey Path. However both have long very narrow sections involving pedestrian conflict.
The railway line is single track - but satellite images show the bridges crossing Barnwell Road and Coldham's Lane were both built for dual track. So this means there should easily be enough room to accommodate a cycleway alongside the railway.
This route could then connect up with the Chisholm Trail and provide a direct fast cycle route to and from the city and the Science Park area.
A community consultation 'The Barnes Ponder' in October 2013 has show strong support for making Barnes a 20 mph neighbourhood .
“20mph is plenty enough speed on the roads!”