Wayfinding and signage
Inadequate signage for cycle routes
Issues
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:
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23/02685/FUL Part demolition and refurbishment of the Grafton Centre
i) Demolition of 11-12 Burleigh Street and Abbeygate House, ii) Part demolition and alterations to the Grafton Centre, removal of existing facades, erection of new floorspace for life science use, new and replacement façades and shopfronts, provision of terraces at fourth floor level, installation of plant and enclosures, iii) Redevelopment of existing bus turning head and redundant service area to provide new hotel and leisure quarter, iv) New pedestrian access route from Christchurch Street to Burleigh Street, provision of cycle parking spaces, public realm and landscape improvements, v) Highway works to East Road providing new bus stops, pedestrian and cycle routes and other associated works.
Grafton Centre Fitzroy Street Cambridge Cambridgeshire
Cambridge
Application reference : 23/02685/FUL
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Overgrowth on Equiano Bridge
The bushes/trees are pretty overgrown into the left side of the cycle path, meaning you have to move away from the edge at points, on an already narrow cycle track (fairly narrow for bidirectional travel, anyway).
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East Cambs (Stretham) Planning Application, cycling access and speed limit
Outline planning application for the erection of up to 38 Affordable Homes with associated access, parking and landscaping - all matters reserved except for Means of Access
Land South Of 44 Cambridge Road Stretham Cambridgeshire
East Cambridgeshire
Application reference : 23/00712/OUM
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22/02532/FUL -- 22/02532/CONDA Passivhaus dwelling at 173 Queen Edith's Way
Concern about the bike/bin store for the CONDA application.
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Cambridge Environmental Improvement Programme (EIP) 2024
Cambridge City Council has launched its Environmental Improvement Programme (EIP) for 2024, which gives residents the opportunity to identify where they would like the council to fund small-scale improvements to the city’s streets and open spaces.
Cambridge residents are invited to put forward their ideas for the EIP through the council's online consultation platform. A total of £170,000 is available to be allocated to the proposed projects – up to £5,000 is available for local projects unless they are strongly supported in which case up to £10,000 could be made available. Up to £20,000 is available for projects that will enhance larger areas of the city.
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23/02127/FUL Eighth floor proposed for Mayflower House
They propose to add an eighth floor to Mayflower House, and to increase the cycle parking.
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All Saints Gardens
New housing development of about 250 houses next to Barrington on the old cement works quarry land.
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23/01966/ Change of use for first floor at 13-14 Burleigh Street, into two flats
Change of use of the first floor only at 13-14 Burleigh Street, Cambridge from use falling within Class E (commercial, business and service) to two flats comprising one 1xbed unit and one Studio unit (Class C3 (dwellinghouse)).
13 - 14 Burleigh Street Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB1 1DG
Cambridge
Application reference : 23/01966/PRIOR
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post removed ( Nightingale Avenue )
Post removed , increased usage by cars .
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Camber on bike entrance going east on Glisson Road not trike-friendly
Turning from Hills Road onto Glisson Road going east, there’s a “cycles only” lane on the left-hand side, with a concrete separate from traffic in the other direction. The camber is extremely steep in the cycle gap, and risks our cargo trike overturning. The barrier is well meant, but ultimately the steep camber means we have to enter on the wrong side of the barrier, which is less rather than more safe than not having a battier at all.
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Damaged bridleway sign
The Heathfield Bridleway is generally a good piece of off-road provision that links Thriplow to Heathfield/Duxford whilst avoiding the A505. The sign is damaged; Cambs CC say it’s not their duty to repair/replace.
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Westbrook centre redevelopment
There are plans to redevelop the Westbrook Centre to a life sciences campus.
There is a "listening event" today Wednesday 17th May 3pm at St Luke's Church, Victoria Road.
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23/01815/FUL Residential (Cherry Hinton)
Eight flats, six car parking spaces, eight bike parking spaces. Access from Cherry Hinton Road, within the queue region for the 'Robin Hood' junction, across the existing shared-use path.
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23/01701/FUL Change of use of from office to student accommodation - 8 rooms
Change of use of first, second and third floors from office (Class E) to student accommodation (Class C2) comprising 8 student rooms and ancillary facilities. External works comprising the installation of an external staircase and entrance, PV panels to the roof and an Air Source Heat Pump at ground floor level. Installation of two openings into the listed wall for means of access and daylight to the rear.
First Floor And Second Floor And Third Floor 98 Regent Street Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 1DP
Cambridge
Application reference : 23/01701/FUL
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Planned layout of new cycle/pedestrian crossing on Milton Road near Ascham Road
I noticed that on the plans for the ongoing Milton Road development, the plan for a new double split cycle/pedestrian crossing across Milton Road near Chesterton Hall Crescent/Ascham Road has the cycle crossing on the East side and the pedestrian crossing on the West side. The problem with this is it is the opposite way round from the way cyclists/pedestrians approach the crossing from Chesterton Hall Crescent (cyclists on the West, pedestrians on the East). In the mornings, this crossing is extremely busy with pedestrians and cyclists travelling from South to North (to reach Milton Road primary school and Chesterton Community College), and at the north side of the crossing, cyclists need to be on the West side to travel up Ascham Road and the pedestrians tend to walk on the east pavement. The new crossing plan would mean cyclists having to cross the flow of pedestrians on both sides of Milton Road. This would lead to queues of bikes on the crossing (in the road) and seems quite dangerous. I think it would create a natural flow if the crossings were switched to have the cycle crossing on the west (and this is how cyclists and pedestrians naturally organise themselves on the current toucan crossing)? I've included a photo where I've drawn arrows showing the cyclist/pedestrian flow lines in the current plan and if the crossings were switched. It hasn't been built yet so I wondered if there is a way to suggest this to GCP and do you think a change would be considered at this stage?
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Mile Road /Roman Road /A 1307
Hi ! , I am writing to you to voice my concerns that the Bridleway ( Mile Road ) between the Roman Road and the A 1307 is
under threat .
As a regular user of this route ( cycle ) I first noticed that the finger post on the A 1307 had been removed some weeks ago
and on passing that way today found mounds of earth had been pushed up to the large gate making it almost impossible to
pass through . This route is heavily used by people wanting to go from Fulbourn to Babraham or just for walking . It is a well
defined route on all the maps / cycling Apps . I am incredulous that this threat to this route can so easily be blocked . -
Election campaign 2024
It is important that we engage with the candidates at each election, scrutinise their views, and press for commitments to active travel and sustainable transport.
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New scoping application for 'Land South of Coldham's Lane'
Hybrid Planning Application at Land South of Coldhams Lane comprising: Full Application for 'Parcel A' Building 1 (Use Classes E(g)(i) (Offices), E(g)(ii) (Research and Development)) and the Hub Building (sui generis) with associated car and cycle parking, Outline Application for the remainder of 'Parcel A' for E(g) uses including office, research and development, car and cycle parking, landscaping, infrastructure and associated works, with all other matters reserved except for access, Full Application for ecological enhancements to 'Parcel B', Full Application for landscape improvements and access to 'Parcel C'.
Land South Of Coldhams Lane Cambridge Cambridgeshire
Cambridge
Application reference : 23/01683/SCOP
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temporary fencing on Haling way
Temporary fencing, for no apparent purpose, that then becomes a hazard as it falls over or degrades.
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A users first approach to cycle infrastructure design.
How can we tell whether a bicycling environment is good or bad? How many times have you been cycling along a piece of existing infrastructure only to find the word 'end' written on the pavement and yourself forced back onto the road into traffic?
With this in mind, I am undertaking a piece of research as part of my masters dissertation at Queens College, University of Cambridge. I am gathering primary data of existing users of the current cycling network across Cambridge. From this data I will be able to assess the coherence and directness of the existing cycle network and identify potential 'bottlenecks' and issues from the point of view of the users.
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Greenway: Lode to Swaffham Bulbeck
Because of a combination of subsidence and grass tussocks growing through the path, my wife's e-trike tipped over on the Greenway path between Lode and Longmeadow this afternoon. Fortunately she is only bruised and shaken but it could clearly have been a lot worse. I have reported it to Cambs Highways as an emergency.
Unless and until it is repaired, I would advise extreme caution on this section of the Greenway or use the Bottisham Greenway, Tunbridge Lane, Park End and Swaffham Bulbeck High Street instead. The on-road sections of the latter are usually pretty quiet.
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23/1287/FUL Extension of and alterations to Quy Mill Hotel
The area covered includes the cycle route to Church Road. It may also be useful to look at the cycle parking.
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
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Bar Hill to Cambridge Cycleway
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/
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Lack of cycle routes to Cambridge Business Park, Waterbeach
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?
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Park Road Contraflow
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.
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Reach Fair Ride
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.htmlI've created this issue to help plan this event.
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A41 Divides Guilden Sutton from Chester - better crossing needed
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.] -
Dangerous to cross Milton Road diagonally at Toucan crossing
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.
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pinch points Southwood Road
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.
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Richmond Green - one way street
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.
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Kings Avenue/Milner Street rat run.
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 ! -
Prince St Bridge - Quick Fix
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.
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Cycle Superhighway 1 consultation (CS1)
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.
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Brook Hill Roundabout
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?
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Replace Hooper Street gates with bollard
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.
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A316 Cycle Lane - Priority over side roads
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 crossingAt 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. -
St Andrew's St - Emmanuel St Junction
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.
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Turn Dock Street entrance into continuous pavement/cycle track
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.
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Poor exit from West Cambridge site onto Clerk Maxwell Road
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.
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Failing to maintain NCN paths
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? -
Northstowe Planning Application
Major planning application here - c. 10,000 homes
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Holywells Park Cycle Route
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.
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Various improvements between Ipswich and Harwich International
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.
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Regent Street (Route 9)
Meeting with Leeds City Council to discuss possible remedial works due to high casualty rates.
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Errant lamposts and street furniture
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....
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MMW/Forrest Rd
Longstanding issue about 'optimum' design, particularly to reduce conflict caused by vehicles turning from Teviot Pl due to signal phases.
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Litlington to Therfield over the A505 at Royston
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.