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:

  • cycle lane waving in and out of road

    Created by Andrea Bredel // 1 thread

    this is one of many cycle lanes here in Ipswich that go on and off the road several times. This is very awkward for cyclists as they need to be very careful when getting back onto the road and most probably confuses drivers as well.

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  • Holywells Park Cycle Route

    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.

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  • London Road / Hospital Walk Junction Signals Upgrade

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    Discovered that this junction is "due for upgrade in the 2014/15 financial year. The budget for the traffic signal upgrade programme is essentially aimed at a like for like replacement scheme with new equipment. However we try to accommodate low cost improvements that can be implemented at the same time. ... There is scope to implement an advanced cycle stop line on Hospital Walk, although there would not be sufficient carriageway width for a lead in lane."

    This is one possible way to improve westbound connectivity from the Walks and Chase through Millfleet to the town centre and southbound Route 1. The increased distance (compared to Broad Walk) is offset by light traffic, a 20mph zone and a potentially easier crossing - but at the moment, the lights make bikes exiting Hospital Walk wait a long time and then it lets hardly any out before turning red again.

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  • No safe cycle access to Beacon Hill services/Travelodge Hotel

    Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads

    Considering that this is very close to the National Cycle Route 51, I'm wondering why it's basically impossible to get to, on a bicycle without going on a major trunk road roundabout?

    Cyclists may not be their target market, however service stations can be useful on longer cycle rides for food supplies. Also hotels can prove useful if a longer journey, touring, or realise your too tired on an overnight ride, such as the nearby Dunwich Dynamo.

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  • Awkward turning onto cycle path, Shincliffe Peth

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    Coming out of Durham down Shincliffe Peth on the A167, there is a pedestrian refuge at the foot of the hill, by the turning to the cycle-track which skirts the bottom of Maiden Castle hill-fort. You are expected to negotiate a 180 degree turn to access this track, at the same time as avoiding speeding cars and the pinch-point of a refuge. In the other direction, cyclists have to be cautious of using the refuge as the width of it is not sufficient to accommodate a tandem or a cycle with trailer or child tag-along attachment. Visibility is poor when crossing the road from north to south.

    Improvements might include moving the 30mph limit to the foot of the hill, introducing speed cushions or a raised junction table. If the speed were reduced, the central refuge would not be needed and some of the difficulties might be avoided, but that may not be the best solution at this site.

    Speed of the traffic is the main issue here, both for cyclists and the pedestrians who use the popular footpaths.

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  • Does the path towards Shincliffe end here?

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    From the bottom of Shincliffe Peth, past Houghall College, there is a shared use pavement on the south-west side of the A177, as can be seen from the map. However, if you are proceeding south-east towards Shincliffe, it is unclear what you are supposed to do at the point shown in the photograph. It is easy enough for cyclists coming the other way to leave the road as indicated, but going south-east should you cross to the other side of the road, or continue along the increasingly narrow footway, which is not really wide enough for pedestrians and cyclists to share? There is certainly no signage further along the path to suggest that cyclists are supposed to be there.

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  • Strange end of cycle route by Maiden Castle sports ground

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    On the north-east side of the A177 there is a short stretch of pavement cycle route which ends abruptly as shown in the photograph, with no dropped kerb back onto the road.

    The purpose of the sign and the route are unclear. From Google Streetview you can see that there is a path leading into the sports grounds: http://goo.gl/maps/ELHci -- if that is the destination of the cycle path then why does it have an "End of cycle route" sign, if the user is intended to continue into the grounds?

    Even if that's the intention, a dropped kerb would be handy as cyclists may have taken to the pavement not realising that the route was going to finish again so soon.

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  • Framwellgate Waterside roadspace allocation

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The picture shows Framwellgate Waterside, part of the national cycle network route through Durham which also connects with a major route to Newton Hall and the riverbank paths. Yet as a car driver you could be completely unaware that this is a major cycle route as there is no obvious cycling provision. Cyclists can be unsure whether they are meant to be on the road or on the footway by the river.

    At the far end of the shot, the road disappears under the Gates shopping centre, where are located two car parks with a capacity of over 450 places. Despite this we have on-road car parking all along this stretch of road. Providing a fully-segregated bi-directional cycle path of decent width instead would send a much stronger signal that cycling is being taken seriously as a mode of transport. If the parking really is required, then when the passport office site is redeveloped the road should be shifted across to make more room for dedicated cycle infrastructure.

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  • One-way streets in Crossgate area

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    In the area round Crossgate, the older section of Durham City to the west of Framwellgate Bridge, there are a number of one-way streets which make cycling inconvenient. In most cases the streets have been made one-way primarily to make it easier to provide car parking on narrow residential streets or to reduce through car traffic.

    These streets should be reassessed, and where possible opened up to bicycles in both directions.

    Some restrictions are particularly pointless, such as the one in the photograph. In theory, if a cyclist descends South Street, the only lawful option is to turn left and pedal up Crossgate. Just beyond the no-entry sign pictured is a two-way stretch of North Road that leads from Framwellgate Bridge to Milburngate, from which cyclists could access the National Cycle Network routes to Pennyferry Bridge and local routes beyond to Newton Hall.

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  • Narrow cycle route section with kerb

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    This section of NCN 70 from Claypath down to the side of Leazes Bowl roundabout has cyclists and pedestrians on separate halves of the path, rather than shared-use. This has the advantage that cyclists are more likely to be able to freewheel quickly down the hill without upsetting pedestrians. However, the cycle portion of the path is higher than the pedestrian side, with a kerb. As the path is not particularly wide, if you meet a cyclist coming the other way it is quite tricky to pass safely.

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  • Narrow muddy patch by River Wear

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    This stretch of footpath / cyclepath by the foot of Maiden Castle hill-fort is narrow and tends to be very muddy. It's an extremely difficult site as the river banks had to be reinforced here recently. Whether any improvement is possible is hard to assess. In the meantime, it offers the full off-road biking experience on your way to work, should you so wish! There is a case for creating a through route on the other side of the river to avoid this stretch. See http://durhamuniversity.cyclescape.org/issues/897-improvong-route-from-university-to-belmont

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  • Whinney Hill roundabout: cycle lane potential?

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    Like the roundabout at the bottom of Potters Bank, the roundabout at Whinney Hill, the approach to Durham City from the south-east, is designed for high speeds and has no provision for cyclists. The new cycle lane up Shincliffe Peth ceases when it reaches the roundabout.

    From the photograph, taken in the autumn, you can see from the leaves on the road how little of the width of the roundabout is actually required by cars and lorries. This would seem a great opportunity to try a Dutch-style urban roundabout, with a wide cycle lane all round the outside and cutting the entering traffic down to a single lane. The curves could be tightened to reduce speeds and to give pedestrians more direct crossings of the roads.

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  • Cycle lanes on Front Street, Framwellgate Moor

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    Yes, most of the vehicles in the photograph are parked! Despite appearances they are not blocking a dedicated red-tarmac cycle path: there is in fact no particular cycling provision on Front Street. The width of the road, however, would lend itself to a wide bi-directional route being provided, segregated from the road and pavement and with priority over side-roads, with car parking spaces being retained in most cases. This would give an excellent direct route for cycle commuters from Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor, to the proposed Aykley Heads business park, the railway station, and the city centre. There may be parts of the route, such as by the Front Street shops, where this might not be possible, but on-road lanes could be provided. Currently much of the middle of the road is given over to white hatching and right-turn lanes. Some cycle parking by the Front Street shops would be good: there's plenty of car parking on-road but nowhere to lock up a bike.

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  • Worn out road markings, Dragon Lane

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    Where the on-pavement cycle lane comes to an end, the road markings which continue the NCN 14 and 70 on-road are worn out and patchy. The design of the lane to take you southbound onto the pavement is poor, because the adjacent parking means that the traffic is usually driving straight over the top of the dedicated cycle lane in the middle of the road.

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  • Priority to cyclists at car park exit

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The exit from this retail park car park has two lanes. There are no road markings warning drivers to expect cyclists on the shared-use pavement which is part of NCN 14 & 70. This section of pavement was recently rebuilt. Why could we not have a raised table at the exit, giving priority to cyclists and pedestrians here? Why does the through-route for cyclists have to give way to the car park exit? While the shared use pavement is welcome, the lack of priority is what tends to lead to experienced cyclists taking to the road instead, as it can actually be safer as well as quicker. If cycling infrastructure is more dangerous or slower than the road alternative, it is not worth installing.

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  • Cyclists dismount for Tesco car park traffic

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    By the Tesco superstore off Dragon Lane, the road junction was recently rebuilt. On the west side of Dragon Lane is a shared-use pavement which forms part of NCN 14/70. While cars travelling north on Dragon Lane can go straight across on a single phase, cyclists are expected to dismount, and cross with pedestrians at a two-stage crossing. The object is to maximise the flow in and out of the Tesco superstore car park, which is the only purpose of this junction. Designing the junction to give greater priority and convenience to cyclists and pedestrians would help shift the balance back to sustainable living.

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  • Duke of Wellington junction

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The junction by the Duke of Wellington has a number of issues. The only official cycling provision is the shared-use pavement on the east side of the A167, with a toucan crossing over Potters Bank. No provision has been made for cyclists to safely leave or join this path at the junction: it is as though no-one is expected to cycle on Potters Bank or Lowes Barn Bank, but in fact these roads are also well-used by cyclists.

    The photograph shows the sign at the south-east corner of the crossroads, with the cycle-route pointing you to Consett and Bishop Auckland. The sign points you to the toucan crossing in order to continue north up the A167, past Neville's Cross junction to join NCN 70 at Tollhouse Road. Of course, a cyclist with local knowledge going to Bishop Auckland would never choose to go this way: instead you would go west, down Lowes Barn Bank, to join NCN 70 at the Broompark picnic area off Broom Lane. This cuts about a mile from the journey, as well as several awkward road crossings. The sign just doesn't take account of the road and cycle-path network!

    Another issue is the timing of the traffic light phases when coming out of Lowes Barn Bank. This has been reported to the Council via FixMyStreet: http://www.fixmystreet.com/report/393775

    If you observe the lights from the pavement, it is quite clear that cyclists are given insufficient time from the Lowes Barn Bank lights changing to red before the lights on the A167 go green.

    One possible solution here would be a Dutch-style "green phase" where pedestrian crossings all go green and additional cycle-only lights on all approach roads go green as well. This would allow cyclists to turn safely, join and leave the shared-use paths, etc., without suffering conflicting movements from cars. Pedestrians would be able to cross diagonally in one go if needed. Reducing the speed limit on the A167 would also help: the pavements alongside the A167 are used by children going to local schools and the park.

    The junction itself could do with the corners tightening to reduce the design speed of the junction and make it safer for vulnerable road users. Other options include making Lowes Barn Bank a non-through-road for motor vehicles or banning lorries from using it. This would allow the stop line to be brought much closer to the junction. The satellite view of the junction is quite illuminating: see how much road space is devoted to making this junction fast: http://goo.gl/maps/puQ56

    The A167 is one lane in each direction in the sections to the north and south of the junction, but widens to three lanes south approaching the lights, and three lanes north. The need to have high-speed throughput of vehicles at the junction must be balanced against the safety and convenience of pedestrians and cyclists who are most vulnerable at major junctions like this.

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  • Waste of road space, Potters Bank roundabout

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    This photograph shows the roundabout at Potters Bank in the snow. The absurdly-small pedestrian refuge at the foot of Potters Bank is in the foreground. You can see from the snow cover that there are vast areas of the road which are not actually required by vehicles and which only serve to increase speeds through the junction. Junctions are exactly where speeds should be reduced, not increased, as it smooths traffic flow, increases junction capacity and reduces danger.

    The approaches need to be narrowed, to ensure that only one car at a time can enter the roundabout from each direction, making it safer for vulnerable road users. The pedestrian refuges need increasing in size. More radically, the whole roundabout could be removed: this is only a T-junction after all, with the space saved being dedicated to segregated cycle lanes stretching from Prebends Bridge up Potters Bank and along Quarryheads Lane to the university.

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  • Hazardous junction: Potters Bank and Elvet Hill Road

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    There is very poor visibility travelling west to east on Potters Bank and cars often exceed the 30mph speed limit because there is relatively little housing development on this road. If you want to turn right into Elvet Hill Road it is hard to see vehicles travelling up Potters Bank from the roundabout until you are very close to the junction. This places cyclists in a vulnerable situation as you could easily be hit in the rear while waiting to turn right.

    If you try to turn right out of Elvet Hill Road to descend Potters Bank, it is also hard to see if anything is coming from the left. This route forms part of the proposed re-routing of NCN 70 through the centre of Durham.

    See http://goo.gl/maps/VKpSj for a Google Streetview image showing what it's like to turn right from Potters Bank into Elvet Hill Road.

    Given the broad mouth of Elvet Hill Road, there is actually quite a bit of road space available. I think it would make a lot of sense if the up-bound lane of Potters Bank were diverted to swing in to the mouth of Elvet Hill Road, to give a wider turning lane in the middle which could be used for right turns in either direction. Mind you, that still doesn’t help much with turning right out of Elvet Hill Road. Some speed cushions on the approach as you come down Potters Bank might help. Or even fixed speed cameras (which are apparently not used in County Durham at present).

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  • Carparking on Dragon Lane pavement

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The south end of Dragon Lane has a shared-use pavement which is actually a decent width for a change! Unfortunately this means cars and vans end up parking on it. As there is so little obvious signage or paint markings, they probably do not realise they are blocking a National Cycle Network route and long-distance cycle leisure path (Walney to Wear). What's the answer? Bollards? Better enforcement? Paint?

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  • Parking on uphill side of Potters Bank

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    The bottom stretch of Potters Bank is quite steep, and therefore cyclists tend to be going quite slowly up this section of road. In this situation it is nice to have plenty of space so that you can pedal at your own pace without feeling hassled by traffic trying to overtake. Unfortunately on this section of road, there are several car parking spaces on the up-hill side of the road. When they are occupied, passing them on a bike is a slow and uncomfortable business. It would be far better for cyclists if these spaces could be removed and an up-hill cycle lane provided.

    The parking spaces are not adjacent to any properties so there is no particular need for people to park there rather than in neighbouring streets: they are probably mainly used when the spaces in Quarryheads Lane are full.

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  • Paper Mill Lane to Bury Road link - planning application

    Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads

    Further to http://www.cyclescape.org/issues/928-paper-mill-lane-alterations-planning-application I think it would be useful to campaign for a cycle and walking link from the site through to the retail park with major supermarket and other amenities, and also other links to that western part of Ipswich.

    In my quick skim through the planning application I've not seen any consideration to this route.

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