Sign this route
This route should be signed. It's a very nice quiet bicycle-walking connection between Liberton and Gilmerton, but very difficult to find, especially the footpaths between all the curved bits of Malbet Park/Wynd.
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Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
This route should be signed. It's a very nice quiet bicycle-walking connection between Liberton and Gilmerton, but very difficult to find, especially the footpaths between all the curved bits of Malbet Park/Wynd.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 1 thread
Cycle lanes in both directions needs urgent improvment. It's painted on but
- it is far too narrow, encouraging dangerous overtaking
- road surface in the gutter (=cycle lane) extremely bad, with deep&wide cracks, most covers have sunken etc.
- paint has faded
- parking (near the schools)
Many sections of Gilmerton Rd have hatching in the centre, wasting space; these sections would be wide enough for a segregated path (or wide lane protected by bollards/armadillos).
In the narrower sections, the existing bike lane should be removed completely because at the moment it increases the dangers (encouraging cyclists to be in the gutter between kerb and speeding cars).
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Drum Street is very narrow in Gilmerton, many shops and pedestrians. Should really be included in 20mph.
Created by chdot // 1 thread
Longstanding issue about 'optimum' design, particularly to reduce conflict caused by vehicles turning from Teviot Pl due to signal phases.
Created by Rosie Downes // 5 threads
Transport for London's public consultation on Cycle Superhighway 1 is open from 16 February to 29 March. The LCC office has set up this thread to facilitate discussion of the proposals.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 1 thread
Cars and buses southbound often cut the corner at the traffic lights (road bends to left), driving over the cycle lane.
The cycle lane leads up to the lights but ends there and restarts some distance along the road.
It is dangerous because drivers think that cyclists are out of the way in their own lane, even larger vehicles overtake here without realising that they easily move into the bike lane. Attached a photo where that happened to me, on 21 October 2014, the bus overtook and cut me off, I had to slam the brakes in order not to be squashed.
The bike lane should be clearly separated here, bypassing the traffic lights completely.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Drivers often cut the corner at the Bank of Scotland, driving over the cycle lane. The current layout encourages drivers to overtake without giving people on bicycles the necessary distance. Parking is also a dangerous problem here.
It would be easy to install plastic highway bollards here along the cycle lane which would encourage drivers not to encroach on the cycle lane.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 1 thread
Very difficult to cross here, coming from Brunstane Burn Walkway to turn right towards Musselburgh.
The timing of the traffic lights seems to be such that there is almost always traffic from one direction, so one often has to wait for very long here.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Lady Rd needs a segregated cycle path uphills. It's very steep uphills with dense&fast traffic, and it is particularly difficult to turn right.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Apparently it is not possible to close the road to through-traffic, but it could be significantly discouraged by making it a less convenient ratrun.
I suggest at the entrance to the carpark of Inch House the road could be changed to create a very tight corner. This would not affect people going to Inch House from either direction, but it would make it less convenient to drive through, and slow down the cars (there is a blind corner behind the house).
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 1 thread
The road through Inch Park has a lot of very high/short speed bumps which are total bone-shakers for people on bicycles - dunno how many eggs I have broken cycling home from the shopping centre.
I realise aggressive speed bumps are there to remind drivers of the 10mph speed limit.
Perhaps they could be changed to have a gap or a shallower ramp in the centre so that they are easier on bicycles. Some actually have pothole repairs which essentially created such a ramp and they are much nicer.
Presumably this would also be better for users of mobility scooters.
Created by edge // 1 thread
When approaching this junction from the East on Widney Lane (and possibly other directions as well), the traffic lights do not detect the presence of waiting cycles.
Since the default priority at this junction is for traffic on the Blossomfield Rd / Marshall Lake Road axis, this means that cycles heading from Widney Lane to Longmore Road have to wait indefinitely to cross the junction.
In busy times this is not a problem, because a waiting car will trigger the traffic lights to change.
However, at quiet times this effectively means cycles cannot cross this junction legally at all. I have experimentally waited more than 5 minutes for the lights to change. Unless a car comes to trigger the change, cyclists are stuck.
This "bike-blindness" built into the road signalling infrastructure is unfortunately not uncommon. As well as being inconvenient for and disrespectful of cyclists, it reinforces the notion that bicycles are second-class road-users - indeed that they do not really belong on the road at all.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
It would be great to have a pedestrian/bicycle entrance in the South East corner of Kings Buildings. This would be of much benefit to everybody coming from the south, as you can avoid the steep, busy Mayfield Road.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
The shared footpath under the bypass ends at the bottom of Loanhead Rd and then there is no suitable connection into the Straiton Retail Park area.
Loanhead Rd is very steep with fast cars. Straiton Rd is fast dual road with unconnected bits of narrow painted cycle lanes. Both are total barriers for other than high-risk extreme sports enthusiasts. No way families could cycle to the shopping centre here.
The connections into Edinburgh (Burdiehouse Burn, or the new Loanhead-Lasswade path) are actually really good, so it's particularly sad that you're dumped in a car hell on the last few hundred metres.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Need considerably more bicycle parking at the shopping centre. The few racks here are often overfull.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Need proper bike parking in front of Summerhall. Bikes chained to the guardrails are a hazard for pedestrians.
Some should be right at the entrance, some more could be at the front of Summerhall Square (please not tugged away somewhere at the back of Summerhall Square where it would be perfect for thieves).
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Contraflow bike lane in Salisbury Rd for easier access from Southside to Commonwealth Pool, Pollock Halls and Holyrood Park.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Contraflow here would make it much easier to get from Pleasance and Geography Dept in Drummond Street to South Bridge and avoid the uphills detour to Hill Place.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Contraflow bike lane to make it easier to get from University to East Crosscauseway (St Leonhards, Innocent etc.) and St Patrick Square.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Make more pedestrian friendly and discourage car use. There has been a fatal collision in 2012 but near hits are common.
Remove the fence around the garden, or add additional entrances on all four corners, to open it up and enable pedestrians to use the garden to cross the square in East-West direction and diagonally. At the moment it doesn't have an exit in the west, making it a dead end and barrier for people moving between Nicolson St and Potterrow.
The pavement on the south (from Mosque kitchen to the libanese restaurant) are far too narrow. Double yellow lines regularly ignored, creating blind corners, making it difficult for pedestrians to cross.
Marshall Street should be narrowed considerably to one lane, as it's really only used for a few bus lines, no need to have two fairly wide lanes here. The southern pavement far too narrow, but it is very busy with pedestrians.
It is used a lot as ratrun between Nicolson Street and Potterrow.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
These racks are too close to the wall so you can't actually lean a bicycle against them in a stable way.
Also why only so few in such a central and busy location?
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Need much more bicycle parking here, also to access Nicolson Street.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
The whole area is a barrier, there are no connections between North Bridge, St Andrews Sq/George St and top of Leith Walk without lot of bus/taxi/confused private car drivers and cyclist-blender junctions.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Cobbles, tarmac patches etc almost impossible to cycle on.
These streets are key connections between centre and the Innocent Path.
Created by Dawes Jaguar // 1 thread
A cycle path built here would complete this proposed route segment: http://www.pushbikes.org.uk/location/bournville-3
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Created by Hester Wells // 1 thread
There is a campaign for a cycle route between Bar Hill and Cambridge, also connecting Dry Drayton, Madingley and Coton to North-West Cambridge.
Currently cycle provision for these villages is poor. Bar Hill has lower rates of cycling than other villages that are closer to Cambridge.
The campaign site is: http://www.bhddmadcycle.com/
Created by David Green // 1 thread
My employer is planning to relocate from central cambridge to the Cambridge Business Park (near Waterbeach). There is currently no decent cycle (or footpath!) access to this business park which avoids riding along the A10. I am a confident cyclist but I am not looking forward to riding to work along sections of the A10.
Are there any plans for cycle route construction which the campaign can, perhaps, help accelerate?
Created by Sarah Wood // 0 threads
This contraflow infrastructure is hazardous for several reasons: the path is very narrow - realistically around 0.5m wide, the cyclists is riding in the gutter, at risk of being doored and catching wing mirrors. What caught me out was a vehicle travelling North and turned right to access an entrance. Our sight lines were blocked by parked vehicles in parking bays to the right of the cycle path. Until this situation is addressed cyclists will continue to be vulnerable along this section of the road.
Created by Simon Nuttall // 19 threads
The Reach Fair ride takes place on the early Bank Holiday Monday (May Day) in May.
The web page for it is:
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/rides/
The planning overview is summarised:
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/rides/timeline.html
I've created this issue to help plan this event.
Created by HVS // 2 threads
The A41 ring road cuts across a useful quiet route north-west out of Chester, which is an alternative to the traffic-free Greenway (which is unlit, and slippery in icy conditions). Crossing the A41 during busy periods - e.g. when commuting at rush-hour - can be a slow and potentially very dangerous process, especially after dark. A better crossing for cyclists and pedestrians, or a lower speed limit on the A41 (or both), would be very helpful here.
[Original version of map was wrong; I've now updated it.]
As the bridleway crosses Milton Road, it swaps sides of the busway, so most pedestrians and cyclists want to cross diagonally. However the toucan crossing only protects people crossing Milton Road. It doesn't stop busway traffic.
This is confusing and dangerous. When the road traffic stops at red lights, and the Toucan crossing turns green, it feels very safe to cross the busway. Yet buses can come from three directions (busway west, busway east, Milton Road south) at speeds of 30 mph.
Cyclists in particular are tempted to cross diagonally from north west to south east. Last week I saw a near accident.
Created by Sarah Wood // 0 threads
There are several pedestrian refuges along the road particularly at the western end of the road. The refuges cause a pinch point for cyclists. The road marking confuse priorities between those using the on road cycle path and other traffic.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 0 threads
Cyclist coming from the river come up Friars Lane exit and have to currently route right round Richmond Green because it is one way. Many do not and simply cycle across the green. The path across the green should be formally opened up to cyclists - as a share path with pedestrian priority - or a seperate track provided along the south side of Richmond Green.
Created by Kevin Ablitt // 1 thread
Motorised vehicles currently use the rat run through Milner Street to avoid the fraffic lights at Grove Lane/ St Helens St.
This is part of NCN 41 , any extra traffic passing through here detracts from the cycling experience and is negative for residents.
Cyclist comments are needed now !
Created by Eric Booth // 2 threads
Prince St bridge is an anarchic pigs ear. I like pigs and fond of a bit of anarchy but it's getting beyond a joke. Of course it will all be sorted out properly in due course but we could live with this for years. Here's a quick fix:
SOUTH
1. Move south vehicle stop line back 10m behind tramlines
2. Remove all bollards unless one or two kept in line with centre of bridge with arrows right for cars
3. Widen cycle lane from bridge to Festival way turn so suitable for 2-way cycling.
4. Put in Give Way painted line at an angle running from enlarged cycle lane to centre line so southbound cyclists alerted to need to filter across traffic.
NORTH
1. Remove all bollards
2. Widen cycle lane for 2 way cycling all the way up to the traffic lights with The Grove.
3. Remove 5 bollards on each side of north bound traffic light along with the two set back
4. Paint cycle lane passing behind light and then back onto carriageway making it nice and clear that it's an option for cyclists when lights red or they can carry on (as most will, no worse than now but at least it will be clear that they can treat these as 'give way')
5. There will need to be 'give way' paint to make clear that pedestrians have right of way on the by-pass.
Yes it's muddled but less so than now and makes the desire lines easier. It's also a cheap paint based fix pending the proper job.
Created by Rosie Downes // 5 threads
Transport for London's public consultation on Cycle Superhighway 1 is open from 16 February to 29 March. The LCC office has set up this thread to facilitate discussion of the proposals.
Created by WildNorthlands // 1 thread
Brook Hill roundabout is a major barrier for cyclists in West Sheffield. The traffic is fast and as it is a three-lane spiral roundabout with the exit roads (except Bolsover St) having two lanes there is a lot of lane-switching by motorists. This makes the risk of a collision very high, and for less experienced cyclists it is simply a no-go area.
Many of the buildings adjacent to the roundabout belong to the University, and have been built up to the curtilage, so there is no space to expand the pavements and make them shared use.
One alternative for cyclists coming from the Walkley/Crookes area via Bolsover St is to use Tower Court, but this area can be very congested when the University is in session, with several thousand students using the Arts Tower and Library.
The council has signed an alternative route via Weston St and the Netherthorpe Rd tram subway, but this involves a drop in height of about 100 metres and subsequent climb up again, plus the negotiation of access barriers in the subway, so is not really sensible.
Meanwhile on Upper Hanover Way, a cycle crossing was severed when the tramway was installed, although cyclists still use the crossing. A proposed alternative crossing is stalled as it is too expensive.
What can be done about this knotty problem?
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
The permeability gate between Hooper Street and Kingston Street is obstructive as it only allows passage in one direction at a time.
Given the ever-increasing amount of cycling in areas like this, it's time to get this replaced with a simple bollard arrangement that would allow two-way passage whilst still enable the emergency services to unlock for access in an emergency.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 1 thread
I have serious concerns about the safety of this portion of the bike path; arising from its recent re-design. Recently my 10 year old son was in a very close “near-miss” with a car turning off the A316 into Bicester Road; and I believe many more similar incidents are likely occurring. Eventually someone will be seriously hurt or killed on it.
However, the improvement in the track leads cyclists to feel more confident in using it – giving a false sense of security.
In particular:
• The segregated track makes it particularly appealing for inexperienced and more vulnerable cyclists (such as kids).
• This track design leads to an increase in the cyclists speed.
• The smooth/quick nature of the track leads inexperienced cyclists to believe that THEY HAVE RIGHT OF WAY across side roads.
• There are no markings on the roads to tell drivers coming in or out of side roads that cyclists could be on the track crossing their path.
• There is a particular challenge for EASTBOUND cyclists.
To avoid stopping at every side road, when on the track travelling Eastbound (as per red arrow on photo) approaching roads such as Bicester road, the cyclist has to simultaneously
(a) check to their FRONT/LEFT side to see if a car is exiting the side road
(b) check BEHIND them on their REAR/ RIGHT hand side to see if a car is about to swing off the A316 into the side road (usually at speed) - (as per orange arrow on photo).
This is a hard combination to perform – looking 180 degrees opposite directions at the same time. If you are an inexperienced cyclist, on an apparently safe track, it is very likely that you will not realise you have to be this vigilant and not check adequately for cars.
Hence, my boy rode across Bicester road from the east and was very nearly hit by a car turning off the A316.
(Note that travelling from the west is somewhat easier as both the vehicles turning in from the A316 and those turning out from the side roads are in your front field of vision).
My suggestions for improving this situation are:
(1) Clearly mark the bike track across the side roads so cars are aware there are cyclists approaching from the side.
(2) Ideally, give cyclists priority across the side roads; so making cars slow to a halt and making it more intuitive for cyclists.
(3) To facilitate this, would require some stopping space for traffic coming on/off the A316 to after the bike track crossing
At roads such as Bicester road the bike track could be curved to the south by about 2m before crossing the side road – this curve in the track would
(a) naturally slow cyclists down as they approach the side road
(b) would provide vehicles moving onto the A316 a decent gap so they can separate the concerns of first negotiating the bike track then focus on getting on the A316;
(c) for vehicles coming off the A316 the additional space would give them space to stop and give way to cyclists.
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 Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
The entrance to Dock Street should be turned into a continuous footway with pedestrian and cyclist priority over turning vehicles akin to this Danish junction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcnmLU1ClTo
This would improve sight lines for pedestrians too as the dropped kerbs are away from the junction, and it would also go with the pedestrian desire line as many tend to cross closer to the junction than the dropped kerbs. It would also slow down the vehicles entering the narrow street.
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.
Over the past couple of years of regularly cycling between Waterbeach and Cambridge on NCN11 I have noticed that the path between Waterbeach and Baits Bite Lock is in really bad repair and is getting gradually worse. I have been in touch with the council to ask them to repair it, and they told me that as far as they are concerned the path is only a footpath, and they have no obligation to maintain it to a standard suitable for bikes. Sustrans tells me they have no responsibility for maintaining that section of the route, and that the council should be responsible for it.
It seems absurd to allow the path to fall into total disrepair, but at the moment it doesn't seem like anyone recognises any obligation for its upkeep.
I am happy to go out occasionally with some secateurs and chop off the more annoying bits of greenery, but the path needs resurfacing and that feels a bit beyond me!
Does anyone have any experience with this sort of problem? Have they come across it on other sections of the NCN?
Martin Lucas-Smith // 11 threads
Major planning application here - c. 10,000 homes
Created by Ned Harrison // 1 thread
Holywells Park has a section of cycle route 51 running through it, linking South East Ipswich to the centre with a pleasant and safe route down to the waterfront.
During Winter, the park is closed at dusk, sometimes as early as 4, meaning that just when the roads are most dangerous (dark and wet) cyclists are forced onto steep and busy routes either along Cliff Lane or up Bishops Hill.
The closures are largely at the request of the Park Friends group. I've spoken to them, and their concerns seem to be largely about what might go on after dark. It's not clear that there is any evidence for this, nor that the current situation of locking the main gates but leaving others would do anything to deter misbehaviour.
Keeping it open as a cycle route would ensure a legitimate presence in the park, and help provide less confident cyclists in the area with a safe route to and from town.
I'd propose either locking later, or for a trial period leaving the park unlocked.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
Many cyclists won't cycle to Harwich International from the Ipswich direction due to the roads. There really should be a high quality cycle route for this to continue the cycle journey from The Netherlands, where you can ride of the ferry and on to quality cycle infrastructure. The fact people choose the train is not a good sign.
This issue is the overall goal, and needs to be broken down into smaller sub issues of smaller more specific projects or improvements that can work towards this goal.
Meeting with Leeds City Council to discuss possible remedial works due to high casualty rates.
Created by PurpleSue // 2 threads
I watch in wonder and amazement as the new cycle lane alongside the A41 from Mostyn lights to the zoo is completed - with lamposts in th emiddle of the path - not to mention a three legged road sign which I am sure will make passage impossible.
I will investigate more and take photos....
Created by chdot // 1 thread
Longstanding issue about 'optimum' design, particularly to reduce conflict caused by vehicles turning from Teviot Pl due to signal phases.
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.