Cycle lanes encourage motorists to drive closer to bikes...

[Origamist]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6828100.ece

 

[Origamist]

More here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...e-and-should-roads-be-redesigned-1785239.html

It looks like the study is due to be published in the Accident Analysis and Prevention journal next month...

 

[Bollo]

Mrs Dr Bollo picked up a 'Times' on the train home yesterday evening (what I'm saying here is that I didn't buy it!!).

I suppose the surprise is that such an article appears in the Times at all. I was even more surprised by the editorial on page 2, which stated the case for cyclists and against cycle lanes more directly than I've ever seen a right-leaning paper do before. That actually feels like progress...

 

[Bristol Dave]

Quote:" All the cycle lanes were slightly narrower than the minimum width of 1.5m (5ft) recommended by the Department for Transport. The majority of Britain’s cycle lanes do not comply with this guideline."

That says quite a lot imo. The phrase 'half assed' springs to mind wrt cycle lane commitment from local authorities.

BD

 

[PBancroft]

To repost what I wrote in the PM thread, I spoke with the DfT a while back about minimum standards for cycle facilities, and I was told:-

As far as design of safe road infrastructure is concerned, there is no need (nor desire) to make centrally produced guidance mandatory. Highway authorities have a duty of care under the Road Traffic Regulation Act, section 122 to ensure their roads are safe for users.

Most highway authorities follow our guidance but there is nothing to prevent them from using locally developed design guidance as long as safety is not compromised.

 

[BSA]

Dont cycle lanes encourage people to break the highway code, how do they justify there use?

 

[hackbike 666]

Dont cycle lanes encourage people to break the highway code, how do they justify there use?

Eh?

 

[Alien8]

What I don't understand is why stating the bleeding obvious qualifies as a news story ... or why you need a funded study to state it.

Cycle lanes - spawn of the Devil.

 

[Origamist]

To repost what I wrote in the PM thread, I spoke with the DfT a while back about minimum standards for cycle facilities, and I was told:-

A Dutch study found that narrower cycle-lanes were considerably more dangerous than wider cycle lanes.

 

[D-Rider]

This is true. Coincidentally, I passed a cyclist yesterday in a situation where I couldn't give as much room as usual due to oncoming traffic. Normally, I'd have waited until the traffic cleared and give him a wide berth but he was in a cycle lane that I didn't have to encroach into so I went past. As soon as I did it I realised it had been uncomfortably close... wasn't very pleased with myself!

Incidentally, I hope that picture in the Times was photoshopped because if the bus really did pass that close it's criminal!

 

[Origamist]

What I don't understand is why stating the bleeding obvious qualifies as a news story ... or why you need a funded study to state it.

Cycle lanes - spawn of the Devil.

A lot of people in the corridors of power in the DfT don't take anecdotes very seriously (although it's arguable that they don't take cycling studies that seriously either).

Hopefully this will be a robust report and I'm looking forward to reading it.

 

[andy_wrx]

It's not new.

See Warrington Cycle Campaign 2005 report
http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/

 

[PBancroft]

A Dutch study found that narrower cycle-lanes were considerably more dangerous than wider cycle lanes.

Yes, but its OK because there's no need or desire to mandate wider lanes, because the existing designs are considered 'safe'

B)

 

[Theseus]

A Dutch study found that narrower cycle-lanes were considerably more dangerous than wider cycle lanes.

In the Netherlands I know, but see the Feb 2009 cycle facility of the month on http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/. It doesn't seem possible to link directly to the one in question.

 

[Origamist]

Yes, but its OK because there's no need or desire to mandate wider lanes, because the existing designs are considered 'safe'

B)

Quite. Cycle lanes are often less than 1.5m in order not to make drivers straddle the cente lane markings!