Bristol is named as the new Cycling City

[User482]

I believe that the proposals include training to encourage more confidence on the road, but also a new dedicated off-road north/ south path through the city. I do think that a variety of solutions are what's needed - looks to be a big step in the right direction.

 

[simon l& and a half]

The Brighton scheme is particularly good on personalised travel plans - visiting people at home, talking through the options, and accompanying them on trips.

 

[simoncc]

We shall see. The money will certainly be spent. £11 million can easily be absorbed by the bureaucracy of a city council. If, as a result of Cycling City status there is anything more to show in Bristol than a lot of new signage, unusable bike lanes, lots of pro-cycling council leaflets in libraries, feeble school visits to promote cycling, conferences at very nice conference centres where all staff arrive by car, and other ineffective and expensive measures I'd be pleasantly surprised.

 

[peanut]

personally I think the arrogantand irresponsible attitude of the majority of cyclists in Bristol is just as much to blame as the inconsiderate attitude of most drivers.
I recently worked in St Pauls district of Bristol and commuted in daily from South Somerset by car.(Temp post)

I couldn't believe the complete and utter lack of respect and commonsense of most bikers. Complete disregard for traffic lights and highway code. They cycle along the pavements career in and out of up to 3 lanes of moving cars ,undertake, overtake and frequently cycle on the wrong side of islands and lanes.
I saw less than 10 % stop at traffic lights. Most either just cycle straight through or inch their way out into the junction forcing cars to stop. Some even career up onto the pavement to go round the corners sending shoppers and mothers with prams flying in all directions.

Spend a couple of months in Bristol centre as I did and you'll change you're mind as to who are the bigger menace

 

[summerdays]

I've worked in St Pauls recently and I think you have to have a different attitude and "relax" ... they are definately more laid back, which can be frustrating when you are trying to get things done.

I wouldn't base your opinion of Bristol cyclists on that ... one guy in St Pauls couldn't see why I objected to how he parked his van - in the photo below the guy parked his van (the one which is on the far side of the road in the photo), this side of the white car - blocking the junction that I was trying to turn into. He argued and went into his house ... then a brother came and moved it!!!

And I would disagree with the 10 % stop at traffic lights... I sometimes think it seems as high as 40-50% though.

 

[User482]

personally I think the arrogantand irresponsible attitude of the majority of cyclists in Bristol is just as much to blame as the inconsiderate attitude of most drivers.
I recently worked in St Pauls district of Bristol and commuted in daily from South Somerset by car.(Temp post)

I couldn't believe the complete and utter lack of respect and commonsense of most bikers. Complete disregard for traffic lights and highway code. They cycle along the pavements career in and out of up to 3 lanes of moving cars ,undertake, overtake and frequently cycle on the wrong side of islands and lanes.
I saw less than 10 % stop at traffic lights. Most either just cycle straight through or inch their way out into the junction forcing cars to stop. Some even career up onto the pavement to go round the corners sending shoppers and mothers with prams flying in all directions.

Spend a couple of months in Bristol centre as I did and you'll change you're mind as to who are the bigger menace

I don't dispute your experience, but I think a reality check is required! Any casual browse of the accident stats will show that motorists are a far bigger menace than cyclists.

In any case, I've never been very impressed with either the standards of driving or cycling in Bristol - complete lack of respect for other road users and the law from both.

 

[mickle]

You should of sed! I wood of met up withee my babber.

As they say.

 

[Fasman]

For those familiar with Bristol there is a new interactive layer on www.bristolstreets.co.uk. You can leave comments and suggestions using google maps. Clever stuff.

 

[summerdays]

Thanks for that ... first time that I've seen that. I've just added one comment to the map so far, on the cycle survey asking Tesco's to provide better cycle parking than the rubbish they have at Eastville. (And yes I have already complained directly to the store - luckily its not my local store it would drive me mad.)

 

[Fasman]

Hmm... it might be worth asking the council if Tesco's were ever bound by a planning application to provide decent cycle parking. If they were, then the council can enforce the planning agreement and Tesco's will be obliged to provide better cycle parking. Email transport.planning@bristol.gov.uk, the council have to reply to formal requests.

 

[sheddy]

I didn't hear it, but R4 had 1/2 hr on the Bristol scheme this morning - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mx6bc/Bristol_Cycling_City/

 

[Davidc]

In my experience Bristol has been a nut-house on its roads for at least the past 40 years! That applies to everyone, drivers, riders and walkers. Regard for the safety of self and others is low, as is respect for road rules and law.

I don't go there often now, but my experience would suggest summerdays figures are about right. They're also about right for drivers.

Every time I visit I see some of the worst driving and worst cycling I've seen anywhere. The riding isn't helped by Bristol having wide and often straight roads with steep hills on them, which encourages inapropriately fast riding. (Who am I to criticise if I look back a few decades!)

The cycling facilities are definitely better than they used to be, and with good management the £11m will do a lot of good. Good, dedicated, cycle routes from the park and Ride sites, with free parking when ride is on a bike, would be a good start. User482' north south route would be a good move. Again it needs a dedicated cycle road. Unfortunately we don't do dedicated cycle roads in Britain, and if we did they probably wouldn't have the smooth tarmac found elsewhere.

 

[summerdays]

Well I have benefited from some of the money spent so far... new cycle stands have been cropping up (not yet in all the locations that I want but its a start), and I use the new path running between St Werburgh's city farm and the Muller Road occasionally - cuts out a bump and is far more pleasant.

There are definitely more cyclists on the roads - whether it has anything to do with cycling city or just financial I don't know. In the last month I have noticed loads of cyclists, parents dropping off kids on the way to school, more folk in the ASL's waiting at the red lights.

Whilst you do get motorists that annoy you as they cut you up or ignore you, I also find lots of motorists expecting cyclists on the road.

My youngest child's school is now a Bike It school so we will see what affect that will have on the numbers cycling. Certainly cycling at school whilst not in huge numbers is not seen as the weirdo thing to do.

 

[Danny]

Unfortunately we don't do dedicated cycle roads in Britain, and if we did they probably wouldn't have the smooth tarmac found elsewhere.

It is actually difficult to build 100% dedicated routes in most older cities because of the limited amount of free space.

However York has made a good attempts at creating dedicated routes - the millennium route goes all the way from the west of the city to the University via a specially built bridge, and most of it is traffic free or on quiet roads. Another route was created by closing a road along the river, which had been used as a rat-run, and turning this into a dedicated walking and cycling route. And both have excellent surfaces all the way.

I know some on this forum are sceptical of dedicated cycling routes, but it is actually quicker and far more pleasant to use both the routes I've mentioned than to try to try and cycle on York's gridlocked road network.