Mulberry Corner Proposed Changes by SCC
Suffolk County Council have put forward some plans for changes to Mulberry Corner, which Cycle Ipswich don't believe will help cycling.
This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.
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Listed issues, most recent first:
Created by Shaun McDonald // 2 threads
Suffolk County Council have put forward some plans for changes to Mulberry Corner, which Cycle Ipswich don't believe will help cycling.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 1 thread
There should be a walking/cycling connection between Lidl and the housing behind it (Craigmillar Castle Avenue area).
People living there are forced a long detour down to Niddrie Mains Rd then up to Lidl again. This encourages car use and discourages walking.
Niddrie Mains Rd is terrible for cycling so this connection would also benefit people cycling from Greendykes or Inch (through the park).
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
The fence around the car part at Inch House has no gap at the back (there is a gate to allow access to the waste bins but it's locked). This forces walkers and cyclists into a very narrow path along the wall and entrance of Inch House, too narrow to pass others and people leaving the house step right into your path.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Important crossing point between Craigmillar Castle Park and Inch Park. Very dangerous because the bends in Old Dalkeith Road make cars from both directions difficult to see, and the width of the road encourages speeding well above 30mph (there is a speed display which is triggered by most cars).
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Chicanes too narrow for trailers. Also they are at the bottom of a slope, so when you turn into the path you can't use any momentum to get uphills.
They are at the end of the tarmac path through Craigmillar Park, an essential route connecting Inch and Craigmillar and the only way to avoid either the Cameron Toll mess or the Craigmillar Castle Road ratrun.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Convert some of the pavement along Niddrie Mains Rd to a proper segregated cycle path. The pavement is already very wide, and east of Craigmillar Castle Av it already almost looks like a cycle path as there is an additional kerb in the middle of the pavement, dividing it into two 2m wide paths.
It would need a few dropped kerbs and repair of a few potholes, but other than that it could be easily converted into a cycle path. Many people cycle on there already (illegally).
It is important because Niddrie Mains Rd is very busy, often jammed, with many pinch points that lead to dangerously overtaking.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 4 threads
Two sets of chicanes that are unnecessary and difficult to get through.
This is an important bike/pedestrian connection to avoid busy Niddrie Mains Rd.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 2 threads
The feeder lane between the bus stop and the ASL in Liberton Rd northbound should be segregated. Road and pavement are very wide here, so it would be easy to add a cycle lane segregated by a kerb to replace the curernt painted feeder lane.
The painted feeder lane is extremely dangerous as the road bends left, so that buses, HGVs and other vehicles regularly encroach on it. Just today I saw another cyclist almost pushed onto the kerb when a bus started to move.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
The bike lane (end of the "quality" bike corridor) on Mayfield Rd southbound ends about a hundred metres before the junction with Liberton Rd. It should extend up to the junction, and ideally continue through to Kirk Brae and Liberton Road.
Extending the bike lane would allow cyclists to pass the queuing cars and get to the traffic lights. At the moment, cyclists are stuck at the bottom of the steep hill at the end of the cycle lane, and then can cycle up only very slowly, with lot of angry car driver behind them. It often takes two green phases to get from the end of the cycle lane to the actual lights, unless you overtake on the right against oncoming traffic speeding around the corner from Liberton Rd.
This is a key junction as there are no other routes between KB and Liberton/Gilmerton (except going around to Cameron Toll which is not much better).
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 7 threads
Need dropped kerb and a few metres of footpath to connect the existing footpath, so that people can cross at the existing traffic island to get to the road leading to the recycling centre.
This is a very important pedestrian and cycle connection between the Inch and Craigmillar Castle Park. You can see from the desire line that many people walk across there already.
The high kerb makes it impossible to use for people with bicycles, wheelchairs, buggies etc. They are forced to travel along the busy Old Dalkeith Road rather than cross it directly.
Created by Stephan Matthiesen // 0 threads
Convert the existing pelican crossing to toucan. Needs also a dropped kerb before the lights so that you can get there from the cycle lane.
The reason is that it is very difficult to turn left into Walter Scott Avenue from Dalkeith Road. It is uphills with a lot of traffic, making it very unpleasant and quite dangerous to leave the cycle lane and move into the centre of the road for turning left.
Created by Tom B // 1 thread
Following a consultation ( https://consultation.richmond.gov.uk/highways-transport/proposed-banned-left-turn-from-south-worple-way ), Richmond Council has now put up 'No Left Turn' signs at the eastern end of South Worple Way, just before the junction with White Hart Lane, to try and prevent dangerous driving and motor vehicles blocking this very tight junction by trying to use it to get across the railway crossing.
Cycles do not cause the same issues in relation to endangering pedestrians waiting on the very narrow pavements, or blocking the road (as cycles take up less room and, if it is necessary while waiting at the railway crossing, they can easily be moved aside by riders).
North and South Worple ways are important through routes for cyclists as they allow people to avoid the much busier Mortlake High Street and Upper Richmond Road. However, motorists can use these routes for rat-running (and can do so aggressively, in my experience, particularly on North Worple Way), and therefore it is important to show that cyclists have equal if not greater priority on these quiet routes.
It would be good to make it clear that the banned left turn from South Worple Way onto White Hart Lane is not intended to apply to cyclists by adding an "Except Cycles" sign to the new signage. This would help avoid any potential misunderstanding by (and consequent conflict with) drivers and other road users.
Created by Donald Noble // 1 thread
Access barrier (presumably to stop motorbikes) is too narrow to permit access by some bikes, including mountain bikes with wide bars, plus all sorts of accessible bicycles, as well as pushchairs/wheelchairs/mobility scooters etc.
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.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
DfT are running a consultation about the East Anglia rail franchise, which will be used for the specification which will be put to bidders in summer 2015 for the start of the next franchise in October 2016.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/east-anglia-rail-passenger-franchise
Created by Tom Corder // 1 thread
My work colleague crashed when crossing the painted roundabout this morning as it was icy and therefore very slippery (she didn't go around the painted area as there was a pedestrian on the road). As she was recovering she met another lady who had also just crashed and as they walked together away from the roundabout, a third cyclist crashed behind them.
It has been reported on the County Council highways fault page.
Created by Chris Lowe // 0 threads
To increase filtered permeability here, a shared-use pavement restoring the Morville Street route for cycles would be useful. There is a dropped kerb at the Ryland Street end, but a dropped kerb will be needed at the Ruston Street end.
It is also important to provide a contra-flow access for cycles to Ruston Street.
These two links are already informally used by local cycle users, but could do with formalising, so that they appear on cycle route planners.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
It appears that Sainsbury's may have acquired the Mace store at 78-80 Mill Road:
http://www.public-notices.co.uk/cambridge/view/13895/sainsburys-7
This could bring intensive lorry deliveries.
The nearest equivalent case, Tesco's planning application in 2007, envisaged two deliveries of 41 minutes from on Mill Road.
This location has no delivery bay, so deliveries blocking one side of Mill Road are presumably likely.
The shop already has planning consent for food sales (indeed, it is a Mace store) so may not result in any planning application.
Created by Jon_B // 0 threads
There is a marked ASL at the North End of Upper Orwell Street with a marked cycle lane leading up to it.
However, this end of Upper Orwell Street is very narrow and traffic turning left into it from St Helens Street at an acute angle often swings wide encroaching into the ASL. Very large vehicles making this turn would probably have no choice but to do so.
This makes the ASL a dangerous area for cyclists and I would generally avoid using it.
The junction either needs to be revised to avoid this issue and protect cyclists waiting in the ASL or a one-way motors / 2 way cycling system considered.
Created by Jon_B // 0 threads
Suffolk County Council are proposing a blanket 20mph zone in this area.
Consultation proposal documents are at:- http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/decision-making/consultations/consultation-on-whitton-and-castle-hill-20mph-speed-limit-proposal/
Cycle Ipswich response (currently in draft):- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Itk7qCLrdPB3nV5OPjwbszpG42uACzisIjZtjpfbiQI/edit?usp=sharing
Created by Kevin Ablitt // 1 thread
Twice in the past week I have been cycling up St Johns to make a rh turn onto Cauldwell Hall and nearly been taken out by a driver taking the corner too fast as they travel north bound along Cauldwell Hall and turn down St Johns Rd.
The problems are too fast traffic on Cauldwell Hall and poor design at that junction , need an island to separate traffic.
Created by Kevin Ablitt // 0 threads
Recently a cyclist was knocked off here while trying to turn right out of Constantine Road . The car driver took the corner without obeying the white line markers. Needs hard infrastructure changes .
Created by Jon_B // 1 thread
This route is the current North-South route through Christchurch Park, but fails to realise its full potential for cyclists as it is not properly lit and is perceived as dangerous to use at night as it is secluded.
It also suffers from a poor surface and can be dangerously slippy due to fallen leaves, leaf mould etc.
The route needs to be upgraded by cutting back foliage to improve sight lines and reduce the "seclusion", resurfacing and proper lighting along with regular sweeping and maintenance. CCTV coverage would also improve the perception of safety.
The junctions at either end also need to be revised to ensure that cyclists can safely and easily access the route from Park Road and Foneraux Road.
We would also suggest that a new link to the main Park entrance on Park Road could be created inside the existing perimeter of the park, but fenced off so that it could be available for 24 hour access whilst the park is closed.
This would link with the Avenue which, when adopted and resurfaced, could provide a useful continuation, particularly if closed to through motor traffic.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
Major new housing development, basically joining up East Road with Newmarket Road.
Issues relating to cycle parking quality and number.
Wrongly claims cycle route network in the immediate area is excellent.
Proposes no contribution to the Eastern Gate plan.
14/1905/FUL is the planning reference. Documents at:
https://idox.cambridge.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=NFRGTZDXJ7M00
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Created by DavidT // 2 threads
The current layout of the pedestrian crossing at the junction of Winchester road and Vermont close forces cyclists out of the cycle lane and into the flow of traffic. This is a risky maneuver and relies on the patience of the car driver behind the cyclist. A possible solution would be to be extend the cycle lane through the chicane, with give way markings so that pedestrians have right of way.
Southampton Cycling Campaign has received many reports of local cyclists having accidents on the cycle path outside the Dominos Pizza outlet at the southern end of The Avenue.
A recent incident was reported in the Southampton Echo, http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10475081.Cyclist_hurt_in_road_crash/
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
There is a loading bay in the cycle contraflow cycle lane, which means that the cycle lane is blocked for cyclists as soon as a vehicle is parked there. This means that cyclists have to pull out into the path of oncoming buses, thus making the NCN route unsuitable to young children or inexperienced cyclists.
We have a tandem which fits in all the spaces on trains in Scotland (as far as I know), but we are prohibited from taking it on any except the East Coast line trains. I've been writing to various officials - elected and otherwise - and contributed to the recent review of the Scotrail franchise, but am not getting much joy. No one seems to think it is a big deal. But, for my family, with 2 kids aged 5 and 1, and no car, if we don't go by tandem and train, we can't go anywhere much. The tandem is not a luxury but a practical transport solution. Does anyone else want to join in and make this more than a one-woman issue?
(another related issue: even once the kids can ride their own bikes, we won't be able to use trains much since most only allow 2 reservations).
Created by PeterMac // 1 thread
Redesign of Grey Street to remove the danger of cars reversing (blind) out parking bays into middle of the road.
Created by Alex Oldman // 1 thread
Disused railway tracks on St Peters Dock provide short section of road surface that is dangerous to traverse from East to West by bike.
If you are avoiding crossing the tracks then you are forced into oncoming traffic.
If you cross the tracks, you are then potentially trapped between parked cars and the railway tracks, which can be dangerous.
The tracks are very slippery when wet or icy, and sections are often hidden underwater because there is poor drainage after heavy rain.
Ideally the tracks are totally removed, or the surface covered with concrete or tarmac.
Created by Gregory Williams // 1 thread
The A2 is a hostile environment for cycling. Cyclists should be directed away from using the A2 towards existing safe alternatives (e.g. RCR16) and the current A2 cycle signs should be removed.
Created by Andrea Casalotti // 1 thread
Here is an ambitious plan for a Bicycle Boulevard from Shoreditch to Fitzrovia, along Old Street, Clerkenwell Road and Theobalds Road, open only to bicycles, buses and motor traffic for local access only.
a. It is now the most cycled route in London, showing that it is the desired EW route.
b. It is of variable width, therefore trying to accommodate bikes, buses, and through traffic in a consistent and safe way is impossible. In other words, a compromise will be a botch job.
c. There will not be mixing of buses and bicycles: bicycles will have a dedicated two way cycle lane on the South side of the street.
d. The Boulevard stops being a mega- EW-rat-run. Motor traffic will have to use Pentonville/City Road.
More details here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yw9mkHhGZaVBKYJs6FxyhC1Z4nNYVl-IFH-aR1ScK9U/pub?start=false#slide=id.p
Martin Lucas-Smith // 29 threads
Proposed route along the rail corridor through Cambridge, part of which is in the Cambridge Local Plan.
Surface, drainage and width issues.
Planned for upgrade as part of CEC 'family network'
No details/dates.
Was an issue 5 years ago (and before)
Created by David MacKay FRS // 1 thread
Our campaign for safer walking and cycling to/from NWCambridge now has a petition and a first video (of five) summarising our position.
See our new video summarising our petition:
https://youtu.be/hIlQAzsU0js?t=1s
I’d be delighted if you could promote this to your networks. Time is of the essence because a Senate House discussion is coming up [3 Nov 2015], and I will report the number of signatures on our petition there. (But signatures after the date will still be useful.)
More information:
http://tinyurl.com/EddingtonSafety
The petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/EddingtonSafety
Anyone is welcome to sign the petition; we ask people to use the Comment field to let us know if they are University Member / University employee / City resident / SouthCambs resident / etc.
For twitter purposes the recommended hashtag is #EddingtonSafety and there is an @EddingtonSafety account too.
Thanks very much
David
David J C MacKay FRS
djcm1@cam.ac.uk
Regius Professor of Engineering,
Cambridge University Engineering Department
Author of “Sustainable Energy - without the hot air” www.withouthotair.com
and “Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms” www.inference.eng.cam.ac.uk/mackay/
Girton resident and parent.
Cambridge Cycling Campaign Member
Created by londoncycler // 1 thread
Six inch high ridge near left side of north bound lane on the south side of the bridge forces cyclists too close to the kerb or into the path of motor vehicles. Issue reported via CTC pothole reporting site. Resurfacing required.
Created by Rohan Wilson // 1 thread
I've visited Riverside to Waterbeach with William Rayner of county cycling team. He's revising signage here and providing it along the St Ives corridor, with the old NCN 51 being renamed Regional Route 24 (blue patch). We've decided finally to continue to sign NCN 11 from Riverside Bridge to Waterbeach Station, and he's looking at suitable (hopefully temporary) wording to advise to follow NCN 51 to Bottisham for destinations beyond Waterbeach, which will hopefully eliminate misrouting those from outside the area.
Our inspection of existing signs showed that only one new signboard was provided on completion 5 years ago of Riverside Bridge. Signboards still send people via Green Dragon. Sustrans considers signage is an important part of any route project.
The intention is to sign Milton Country Park as a destination, not as part of the route, removing route signs within the park, and probably retaining Coles Road as the signed route through the village, though it would be much preferable to have improvements past the shops and the village green, pubs etc.
Retaining the route to Waterbeach as NCN will help keep the gap in people's awareness.
I am planning to contact again the landowner of the missing link between Bottisham Lock and Fen Road, Lode with a suggestion for a low-level route, southeast side of the Bottisham Lode floodbank which is the route of the public footpath, where signs forbid cycling. It might be considered more visually acceptable. All parish councils are for the route, including the one of which he is a member.
Created by Andy Allan // 1 thread
Garratt Lane at Earlsfield station sucks massively for cyclists, and is a jarring interruption to the Wandle Trail (Sustrans route 20). It would be great to extend the riverside path underneath the railway to avoid this dangerous stretch of road.
Created by DavidTheScientist // 1 thread
While some painted "cycle lane" does exist northbound, there is woefully little provision for cyclists considering the huge number that use this section of road each day, a large number of whom are those who work at the General Hospital and other nearby health centres. Southbound cyclists have no real provision of space at all, save a graduated stopline, where cars turning right often try to pass right-turning cycles on the inside. Dale road itself is extremely narrow by winchester road, with almost no pavement space for pedestrians.
Cyclists heading northbound on Winchester road must beat traffic off the line at Dale road to get to the painted centre of Winchester road. North of the traffic light at The Range, the cycle lane is almost non-existent, placing cyclists between 2 lanes of heavy traffic, and cyclists have to stop and wait in this dangerous area in order to turn right onto Wilton road. Furthermore, the road surface, especially at this part of Winchester road, is currently deplorable.
Created by Robin Heydon // 9 threads
The A14 is a very hostile, dangerous road for cycling.
Improvements to it, as well as broader changes to the national framework for cyclist crossings of major roads, are needed.
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?
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 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.]
Created by Chris Neston // 2 threads
The cycle path crosses the soutbound exit from the M53 at Cheshire Oaks. The exit is light controlled for traffic as they enter the roundabout. This provides a safe time for cyclists to ride across the sliproad. However the lights are not visible to cyclist on the path and there is no light provided to advise cyclists when they can cross.
This makes it very difficult and dangerous for cyclists to know when they can safely cross. This would require no physical change to the road layout simply a new light to show cyclists when to cross.
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 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?
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 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.