Anyone else got Corvid-19 Cycle Lanes?

[MontyVeda]

...

Are the regular cyclists there thinking? If there were no cones to get knocked over, motorists would be invading the lane at best and knocking cyclists off at worst, wouldn't they? And the cones knocked over don't render it useless after the first person knocks them to the kerb, but it would be better if they'd painted a solid white line between the cones so the lane had legal effect even when the cones were down and it would help you to spot any bases left attached to the road after the vandals have attacked.

Is the key test whether the regular cyclists use them (who already cycle despite the current crap road designs) or whether they encourage more cyclists?

from what i can gather, the cyclists who are complaining are cyclists who regularly used that stretch of the A6 before the cones were put in place, and now they think it's worse, so much so they're saying that they don't use the coned area and stick to the main part of the road.

I don't think it's all vandalism either, I reckon the cones are getting clipped by drivers when they're pulling over to let emergency services through, or just veering off course when they're sending a text or taking a selfie.

I see cones knocked out on a daily basis (they get put back each morning i guess)... not the number in the photo from a few weeks ago but even one or two cones rolling around would put me off using the lane. If I was considering taking up commuting by bike, there's nothing about that lane that would make me think... yeah, that looks ideal.

 

[BoldonLad]

Our local Council (South Tyneside) set up a website, and, did an extensive consultation exercise, shortly after the Covid-19 thing kicked off.

Nothing has actually happened of course..... but, at least they asked, before ignoring us

 

[lane]

Installed in Derby at some expense of questionable utility - now being removed because the emergency is over apparently.

 

[icowden]

Round here we have some better ones. The stretch of the A244 from the Barley Mow to Princess Alice Hospice has been converted from dual carriageway to single carriageway for cars, single carriageway for bicycles. Locals *hate* it. It takes several seconds longer now if you are stuck behind someone doing 30. It's impossible to get to sit in the traffic in Esher quickly enough apparently.

The *really* divisive one is Hampton Court Road from the roundabout to Bushy Park. They have put in a FLOATING BUS STOP and FLOATING PARKING SPACES (according to some, the spawn of Satan and incredibly dangerous). The lane then vanishes at the corner to be replaced with that most effective of cycle management tools - the "picture of a bike on the road". In the other direction there is a painted lane which just gives up about 15m short of the roundabout. They have also changed the speed limit from Hampton Court to Kingston to 30mph. This has been the cue for a lot of mouth breathers to complain about bikes using the road and not the off road cycle lane (which is suitable for slower cyclists, children etc). They can't distinguish between a person on a road bike doing 20-25mph and someone doing 10mph on a trusty bone shaker.

 

[Drago]

This is a picture of our wonderful C-19 cycle lane one morning...

View attachment 550588
Great if you can do a bunny hop

I told youse - scallies!

 

[confusedcyclist]

I'm not sure how long they have been there, but they were not there a few weeks ago, Bradford has new pop up lanes today on the A650, Wakefield Road.One lane of three has been closed with wand orcas, with no noticable congestion at rush hour this AM. They look fresh, and sadly I didn't see any cyclists on them at rush hour, but if they went up this week, it wouldn't be a surprise as it's a hostile route I would normally avoid at all costs, and it's springing up took me by total surprise, and I was following the councils plans and twitter account and moaning about they're inaction only months ago! It may have just shaved 4 miles and 20 minutes off my existing commute... Eager to try next time I'm in the office, but not so sure about the roads I have to take to get there. It's a heavily congested arterial route at the worst of times, so they are needed desperately for those more local who can't get on public transport.

 

[classic33]

I'm not sure how long they have been there, but they were not there a few weeks ago, Bradford has new pop up lanes today on the A650, Wakefield Road.One lane of three has been closed with wand orcas, with no noticable congestion at rush hour this AM. They look fresh, and sadly I didn't see any cyclists on them at rush hour, but if they went up this week, it wouldn't be a surprise as it's a hostile route I would normally avoid at all costs, and it's springing up took me by total surprise, and I was following the councils plans and twitter account and moaning about they're inaction only months ago! It may have just shaved 4 miles and 20 minutes off my existing commute... Eager to try next time I'm in the office, but not so sure about the roads I have to take to get there. It's a heavily congested arterial route at the worst of times, so they are needed desperately for those more local who can't get on public transport.

The area outside the Midland Hotel, from Canal Road, had them in place on Saturday.

 

[irw]

Blimey, a tough audience! Better brush off my A grade material when youre about.

That'll teach you for implying there are scallies in Wirral. They have CH postcodes don't you know!

 

[DRM]

I'm not sure how long they have been there, but they were not there a few weeks ago, Bradford has new pop up lanes today on the A650, Wakefield Road.One lane of three has been closed with wand orcas, with no noticable congestion at rush hour this AM. They look fresh, and sadly I didn't see any cyclists on them at rush hour, but if they went up this week, it wouldn't be a surprise as it's a hostile route I would normally avoid at all costs, and it's springing up took me by total surprise, and I was following the councils plans and twitter account and moaning about they're inaction only months ago! It may have just shaved 4 miles and 20 minutes off my existing commute... Eager to try next time I'm in the office, but not so sure about the roads I have to take to get there. It's a heavily congested arterial route at the worst of times, so they are needed desperately for those more local who can't get on public transport.

Drove up there yesterday coming back from Shipley, it seemed to me that the lane was full of muck, and was blocked by cones/road signs at regular intervals, it struck me that it wouldn't be popular as it is a very hostile stretch and for non regular cyclists it's a fair old uphill drag.

 

[DCLane]

I drove through Leeds last night (north from Headingley in the 'rich' area) - lots of work going on with wands on bits of the A660 where cyclists get squeezed. More work in the city centre to build cycle lanes.

I'm south of the city and commute through the 'poor' bits: they have poor, unfinished infrastructure with plans for a shared path that leaves the dangerous sections untouched.

 

[ianrauk]

New Covid lane that has popped up in Lewisham. Taken up one whole lane.
There is a *half* decent cycle lane to the left, but can have cycle/ped conflict (you can see 2 peds walking in the cycle lane rather than the footpath) even though it's clearly marked.

 

[mjr]

There is a *half* decent cycle lane to the left, but can have cycle/ped conflict (you can see 2 peds walking in the cycle lane rather than the footpath) even though it's clearly marked.

Hardly surprising. We've some of that bike-foot-road layout at the top of the A10 and it doesn't work. People want foot-bike-road so they can walk as far as possible away from the drivers, while people want to bike next to the carriageway so they might benefit from gritting and can pull out onto the carriageway to overtake or turn right if needed. I'd actually favour all bike-foot-road layouts being converted to share-share-road by law.

 

[BalkanExpress]

They took a lane from the cars where I am as well, so we now have two lanes of cars, cycle lane, parking and footpath. Yes, direction of travel where I am is left to right

I am not convinced it is better than the old cyclelan which ran between the parking and the footpath.

First , I am on a down hill section and bikes are going at a fair speed. (For the racing geeks I am just past km17 on last years team time trial course for Le Tour) This means that pulling out of a parking space or a sideroad requires particular attention and a good judgement of speed. Which in an ideal world all drivers would have, but....

Second. we still have cyclists heading up against the traffic (The uphill bike lane is on the far side of the tram tracks and that appears to be to far for some to go). This used to happen on the old path (the bit in red) but is particularly dodgy now as if you have to move out to avoid them you get closer to the traffic than is ideal. Also, drivers pulling out who are looking in the correct direction for bike risk missing those traveling in the wrong direction, I count myself in this, but at least it is uphill so the "salmons" are going slowly enough that I've seen them as I've switched back to looking in the direction of travel.

Lastly we still have some two way travel on the old path, which is no longer a bike path to allow for socially distanced pedestrians. Honestly it does get much busier than in the photo

 

[Brooks]

New Covid lane that has popped up in Lewisham. Taken up one whole lane.
There is a *half* decent cycle lane to the left, but can have cycle/ped conflict (you can see 2 peds walking in the cycle lane rather than the footpath) even though it's clearly marked.
View attachment 553280

I cycled down there last week with a small group. Peds were in the cycle path as well no amount of bell ringing seems to move them. I have to say taking that lane out isn't necessarily at all and can only lead to anti cycling feeling.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Drove up there yesterday coming back from Shipley, it seemed to me that the lane was full of muck, and was blocked by cones/road signs at regular intervals, it struck me that it wouldn't be popular as it is a very hostile stretch and for non regular cyclists it's a fair old uphill drag.

The downhill stretch is clear, and I picked up a fair amount of speed with no concerns. On the uphill stretch, you are afforded plenty of space until it suddenly ends in Dudley Hill roundabout, which is problematic, but Dudley Hill is being tackled (hopefully) in Tranche 2 of the scheme. You're right that the uphill journey can be a slog for the uninitiated, and there were a few obstructions, but on the slower climb these were not a major hindrance. I think that's more due to the temporary nature of the lane, if it is done 'properly' all of this could be addressed.

I used my ebike to ride up the hill, so that wasn't a problem for me personally, and I have the fitness to do it unaided if I was that way inclined. If you're on a push bike, the only practical alternative to this route is NCN66 to Cleckheaton, which is flatter but way more indirect, or the far side of the Fulneck valley through Barkerend and Pudsey, which is also indirect, either way, there's no escaping hills in this part of Bradford. If you go up them, at least you get to go down them, and the ebike makes going up way less hassle.

I worry that this infra might get scrapped before it gets given a chance, because of the hill, and the woeful lack of connected 'safe' routes on the far side, it may not see the uptake the council are hoping for, and that might give them the justification to scrap it without a fair go of it. If you can't get to or from safe routes easily, people are easily put off by the onward journey, regardless how great this section is, and it really is a massive improvement, even if it's not as pleasant as the leafy NCN 66 for instance.