Ponding
There's a new island here, which was constructed as part of the tram works. If you look at the attached picture you can see that when it is raining there is a large puddle which makes it difficult to cycle over.
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.
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Listed issues, most recent first:
Created by Iain Lane // 1 thread
There's a new island here, which was constructed as part of the tram works. If you look at the attached picture you can see that when it is raining there is a large puddle which makes it difficult to cycle over.
Created by Iain Lane // 1 thread
The city council received a £6.1m grant from the D2N2 LEP to construct 4 radial routes. This is the first, a mixture of a physically segregated and a shared route.
I use this route twice every day and the cycle lane is always blocked by cars parked to use the shops or hotels on this street.
It makes the cycle lane pointless as I can't use it.
This isn't quite our area, I suspect, but I'm wondering if anyone in the group knows what's happening with the once-proposed new bridge at Burwell Lode? Back in 2010, the Campaign newsletter reported that, "The National Trust anticipates being able to build this 'in the next couple of years'"; from what I can find elsewhere on the web, new ramps were built near/to the existing (horrible) bridge in 2012-13.
Not an urgent enquiry - it's just the route to Ely via Reach is one I do fairly often with friends with small children/babies in trailers, and at the moment we have to detour via Bottisham to avoid it, so I wondered if the new bridge was still on the cards at all.
Thanks,
Rachael
Richard G // 1 thread
There seems to be a number of cars parking half in the cycle lane on the new Addenbrooke's road (Dame Mary Archer Way)
Is parking in a cycle lane an offence of some sort, and would it make a difference on what I think is a private road? (I think that those roads around Addenbrooke's are not normal in terms of ownership)
Vegetation breaking through the surface of a, basically brand new, shared use path surface at Smeaton Bing.
Created by Jenny Barnes // 2 threads
If the level crossings either side of farncombe station were cycle/ ped only, with bollards in nightingale rd at the farncombe street end, and on frith hill, farncombe would be divided into 3 areas for cars, each of which would need to come out onto distributor roads. Further, if the New pond rd end of summers Rd as far as Brioadwater school were made one way southwest bound, any traffic trying to bypass the a3100/ Meadrow would be unable to.
Access Walden is a campaign group based in Saffron Walden.
Their objective is to create a safe walking and cycling link between their town centre and Audley End railway station, a journey of two miles.
Created by Bracken VanRyssen // 1 thread
The Brook Lane road badly needs cycle infrastructure and there is definitely the space available and small changes here have the potential to have a big impact on the route. Easy changes would be to resurface and open up the ends of the Brook Lane service road to allow continuous movement along it, as well as putting in a crossing for the Yardley Wood road. On the easterly section a protected bicycle lane for cyclists ascending and descending the hill could be created by moving the parking in the left lane further away from the pavement and using the resulting space (especially important for cyclists travelling up the steep hill).
Created by Roxanne (CEO) // 1 thread
The path running in front of Petersfield Mansions (identified below in red) is only 1.2m wide. This means that when passing each other pedestrians and cyclists often have to use the grass which is problematic when it is wet and muddy. It is also difficult for residents of Petersfield Mansions when exiting their properties as there is very little space for people to manoeuvre around each other.
Usage of this path has increased over the years with more cyclists using the path to access the cycle racks which have been installed on Bradmore Street as part of the expansion of Anglia Ruskin University. It is therefore proposed to widen the path by 1metre to cater for this increased usage and to improve access from Mill Road with the removal of a short section of railing and the installation of a flush kerb.
Petersfield is owned by the City Council and the path in question is maintained by the County Council as highway.
The cost of these works is approximately £20,000 and this project will be joint funded by Cambridge City Council and Anglia Ruskin University.
The path marked in blue is maintained by the City Council and we hope to improve the surface of this path at the same time if funding can be identified.
If you have any comments regarding the widening of this path or would like more information please contact cyclingconsultations @ cambridge.gov.uk by 14th September 2015.
Anon // 1 thread
KCC consultation on reduction in speed limit to 40mph
http://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/40mphspeedlimitheadcorn/consultationHome
Consultation closes 28 Sept 2015.
Created by Dexter Johnstone // 1 thread
Weston Street is an advisory cycle route and should link up with the University of Sheffield concourse. However, it does not and you currently have to cross 3 lanes of traffic. The road is often very busy. There should be a toucan crossing instead of the pedestrian crossing, a short off road cycle path across the large grass verge could link the crossing to Weston Street.
Created by Chris Paton // 0 threads
City of Edinburgh council have done good work trialling a segregated path for NCN1 on George Street. Although the trial is coming to an end it's clear from their documents and consultations that George Street will remain the primary east-west route for cyclists travelling through the city centre and more investment is planned.
The problem is that there is very poor access to this route from the West End for any cyclists who have come along Shandwick Place or Rutland Square (including cyclists from the big offices nearby). Heading east, cyclists have to go through the busy West End road junction and then brave cars sweeping into South Charlotte Street as they turn left while simultaneously needing to find a way across two lanes of traffic to the middle of the road to turn right onto George Street -- scary stuff even for a competent cyclist.
Space is always at a premium but there do seem to be options for improving this with minimal loss of road space. A two-way cycle path could be constructed across the paving to link Hope Street with Rutland Place. With careful design this could be done to minimise impact to the pedestrian space and with reconfigured light timings cyclists could emerge from Hope Street to turn left or right, and likewise cyclists from Shandwick Place and Princes Street could turn into the new path. In addition, a left turn strip at Lothian Road onto Rutland Place would provide access to this new path for cyclists from Rutland Square and Lothian Road.
Created by Bracken VanRyssen // 1 thread
The only cycle access to the train platforms at Solihull station is an extremely small lift, otherwise your only option is carrying your bicycle up and down the stairs which can be quiet challenging. A simple solution would be a wheeling rail at the edge of the stairway to guide wheels down slowly. I see quite a few people with bicycles using the train and I myself do so on a weekly basis and two flights of stairs with a laden bicycle certainly make things tricky.
Created by WildNorthlands // 1 thread
Generally I'd say Brunswick St works well as a bike route but the gate between these two roads and the junction is poorly placed - in order to get through it you need to be on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend and it is common to find yourself coming head to head with a car coming the other way. if there were too gates for each direction, and the northbound was lined up with the cycle lane, it might help.
Created by Dominic Fee // 1 thread
Westminster City Council is undertaking a statutory consultation on the Traffic Management Orders (TMOs) needed to implement the East West Cycle Superhighway at Parliament Square. You can find a description and drawings of the proposals here:
http://westminstertransportationservices.co.uk/tmo/tmo_details.php?tt=2&id=909&cid=1
In Westminster Cycling Campaign we rarely respond to statutory TMO consultations because the proposals are either insignificant or, if they are significant, they've usually been subject to an earlier public consultation. It would be inappropriate for us to repeat points we've made previously, and we wouldn't be listened to.
Nevertheless I would encourage interested people to take a look at the Parliament Square drawings to check that the earlier design has been taken forward properly into a detailed design for construction. We have had a recent example where we did respond to a statutory TMO consultation in which the connection between part of the EWCS proposals (Savoy Street) and the rest of the highway network (a left-in left-out junction on the Strand) hadn't really been thought through. If we need to submit a response regarding Parliament Square, the deadline is 21 September 2015.
Created by Chris Peck // 1 thread
Route betweeen NCN 22 and Waverley Abbey - alternative to major road.
Single storey front, side and rear extensions.
58 Willingale Road Loughton Essex IG10 2DB
Epping Forest
Application reference : EPF/1025/15
Created by Heather Coleman // 4 threads
I can't find anywhere sensible to put such things so this is a general issue for people to start specific threads pertaining to temporary closures.
Created by Donald Noble // 1 thread
A barrier has been erected when the NCN7 cycle path joins the A86, presumably to stop children from cycling onto this busy road. However, this blocks the dropped kerb at this location, and no alternative is available without cycling some distance into Kingussie on a footpath which is not marked as shared use.
The barrier also limits the entrance to the cycle track, which could make it difficult for people with trailers or alternative bikes
Phil Wigglesworth // 1 thread
They're building lots of flats off Rustat Road, which is on a major cycle route and also is the main area for freloading railway station users.
There are some issues with control of the building work, specifically:
- trucks blocking Fanshawe and Rustat Road at peak times causing dangers to cyclists
- mud on the road making the Fanshawe/ Rustat road junction dangerous
Created by Roxanne (CEO) // 1 thread
Outline application for the demolition of existing industrial and office units and 5 dwellings and the erection of up to 90 dwellings, together with associated garaging, parking, public open space, landscaping, access, highways drainage and infrastructure works. All matters reserved except access.
Created by Roxanne (CEO) // 1 thread
Demolition of Daedalus House and construction of a new 7 storey office building comprising of 9026 sqm (GEA) of office floorspace (class B1); cycle parking spaces; associated plant; hard and soft landscaping; a basement with 51 car parking spaces and 7 motorcycle bays; infrastructure works. | Daedalus House Station Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB1 2RE
Created by Jean Dollimore // 1 thread
Official title: "CENTRAL LONDON CYCLE GRID - PRATT ST AND DELANCEY ST PROPOSED WALKING AND CYCLING IMPROVEMENTS"
This consultation proposes the construction of an important two-way east-west cycle route across Camden Town.
It will run from St Pancras Way along Pratt Street, across Royal College Street to Camden High Street, where a two-way cycle crossing will be provided.
It will then run two-way along Delancey Street as far as Mornington Terrace.
A later consultation on the continuation of this route to Regents Park is promised.
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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.