Do cycle lanes have speed limits?

[HLaB]

The speed limit for shared use paths is 12mph (from someone on one of my videos) but I dont know about specific cycle lanes or paths. Noone actually does the speeds set and the police will not pull you over about it unless you are cycling dangerously and weaving through people at high speeds.

They are winding you up, there is no specific limit unless clearly stated on signs but it is recommended that if you are travelling greater than 18mph to travel on road and furthermore, speed will be more likely dictated by the situation and self enforcing, for example limiting your self to circa 4-5mph may be appropriate if its a busier (more trekked) path.

 

[Pauluk]

I think the design speed of a shared path is 10 mph, but I don't think this is the same as a speed limit. I still don't think there is a specific speed limit unless indicated by a sign and as yet I've never seen one.

 

[Red Light]

The speed limit for shared use paths is 12mph (from someone on one of my videos) but I dont know about specific cycle lanes or paths. Noone actually does the speeds set and the police will not pull you over about it unless you are cycling dangerously and weaving through people at high speeds.

You are confusing design speeds with speed limits.

 

[fossyant]

Personally, stick to the road if you want to make any progress quickly. Paths/shared use are just that, cycle slowly.

 

[gambatte]

I don't have a speedo....

 

[swansonj]

Partially true.

In Royal Parks there are speed limits for bicycles and you are able to be penalised for speeding.

Sorry to be a pedantic so-and-so

Are you sure that is still the case? I was under the impression that the Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Amendment Regulations 2010 had added a definition of "vehicle" as "mechanically propelled", thereby bringing Royal Parks in line with general speeding law where cyclists are not included in the vehicles the speed limits apply to.

Someone pointed that out on the CTC Forum at the time, but I've not seen any discussion of what's happened in practice since.

 

[sabian92]

Try that and they'll do you for "Wanton and Furious driving."
http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/prosecution/pbd_policy.html#_27

You learn something new every day then - I had no idea. What's the criteria for being caught?

Are you sure that is still the case? I was under the impression that the Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Amendment Regulations 2010 had added a definition of "vehicle" as "mechanically propelled", thereby bringing Royal Parks in line with general speeding law where cyclists are not included in the vehicles the speed limits apply to.

Someone pointed that out on the CTC Forum at the time, but I've not seen any discussion of what's happened in practice since.

I didn't realise it had changed, apologies. I don't live near a royal park in my defence

 

[Dan B]

You learn something new every day then - I had no idea. What's the criteria for being caught?

You have to be going slow enough to catch :-)

 

[Boris Bajic]

You are correct. The 2010 Regulations removed the speed limits for cycle in Royal Parks.

The speed limit was not enforced when I broke it countless times in clear attempts to elicit a response from the Parks Police.

My brother and I used to 'pedal furiously' on an old 10-speed Gitane touring tandem through Richmond Park in the late 70s and early 80s.

It had a mechanical (analogue) speedometer which we'd try to push up towards 40. In those days the speed limit was 25mph in the park, so we were able to pass unsuspecting motorists on descents.

It was stupid, juvenile and potentially suicidal, but we was never nicked by Ol' Bill.

 

[Banjo]

Not sure about the law but commonsense tells me if a path is shared with pedestrians dogs etc then you should be going slow probably 10 mph or less.if the same path were empty and visibility is good go for it .Unlikely to be a real issue unless you injure someone.

 

[Matthew_T]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HdSlyRel6E&feature=g-upl

At the start of the video, there is a cycle lane on the pavement. I would very rarely use this as it slows me down a considerable amount. However, the shared use path at the end would be used by me sometimes. In this case, I felt that it would have slowed me down a bit and I was happy with cycling on the road for the whole length of the journey as the traffic wasnt too heavy.

 

[Dan B]

The speed limit was not enforced when I broke it countless times in clear attempts to elicit a response from the Parks Police.

I know people who have been pulled over and had a Stern Telling Off from the fuzz for exceeding the Richmond Park speed limit on roller skates. As the story was related to me, they managed to avoid getting an actual ticket by explaining that they were in training for the Euro Championships

I should add that this was on the road not on any kind of shared-use path

 

[Boris Bajic]

I know people who have been pulled over and had a Stern Telling Off from the fuzz for exceeding the Richmond Park speed limit on roller skates. As the story was related to me, they managed to avoid getting an actual ticket by explaining that they were in training for the Euro Championships

I should add that this was on the road not on any kind of shared-use path

I was pulled over in Bushey Park for driving a commercial vehicle (a van).

As I pulled up the policeman roared with laughter and said "You lucky, lucky bastard!".

My van had side windows and was therefore not covered by whatever law forbade the use of commercials.

I was working. We both knew it. My mudflaps were almost on the tarmac because of the weight of my load. I think he was just having a good morning. He was still chuckling when I pulled away.

 

[Davidc]

Although Cycle Craft says 18mph max for a shared path I think that's far too fast when mixing with pedestrians, dogs, small children on bikes etc.

If I'm on them I keep myself to 10 mph or less, unless I'm the only user in sight. That's partly for my own safety, as those paths are full of people not looking or on the phone, cyclists who don't know that they should pass on the left, 1km long dog leads, and they have surfaces similar to the Bermuda Triangle in a hurricane.

I have only rarely had the "You should be on the path" whinge from motorists. I usually just ignore them or give them a pained, fed up type look. I'm not responsible for their pig-ignorance.

 

[BrumJim]

[QUOTE 1891353, member: 45"]I rode at over 20 on a shared path yesterday. It was capable of more if I had been bothered.[/quote]

That's a minimum speed on the bit of shared path I use. Although not during school holidays and sunny days, when pedestrians get in the way.