chargrill
New Member
- Location
- Manchester
On my cycle home yesterday evening i had a chat with a couple of traffic officers on hairdriers about why they didnt ticket some cars in cycle lanes. They told me that they weren't allowed so i sent a nice email to several people at the council.
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"Lately I have been having problems using the cycle lanes through Fallowfield. It is becoming a more common problem and with the return of students to the city I forsee the problem becoming more dangerous, not only for the traffic on the road but for any less experienced cyclists.
I am sending this email to yourselves due to a conversation I had with a traffic enforcement officer on my cycle home this evening.
The following is the series of events of this evening;
This evening at approximately 5.15pm I was making my way home through Withington when I spotted two traffic enforcement officers on scooters heading north towards Fallowfield.
Once in Fallowfield I had to move into traffic at the lights at the junction of Wilbraham Road and Wilmslow Road due to a car parked in the cycle lane outside the Tesco Express store.
Further along the road where the new cycle lane is (this cycle lane has a solid white line running along its length), yet another car was parked in the cycle lane. This time I had to move out into fast moving traffic to avoid the parked car (which I regluarly see parked on the cycle lane). I was further incensed by this when upon passing the car there was an empty parking space.
I managed to catch up with the traffic officers at the junction of Platt Lane and Wilmslow Road. I asked the officers why they had not stopped to ticket the two cars that they had passed which were both parked illegally. I was told by the office on scooter registration MX57 CXU (I think this is the correct reg.) that they could not do anything because they didn't have the responsibility to do so.
I find this hard to beleive considering the job titles that they have emblazonded on their backs.
May I also draw your attention to the Highway Code and in particular the following rules:
Rule 240
You MUST NOT stop or park on
DO NOT stop or park
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069860
Would if be possible for you to inform me of the role of the traffic officers? If not, contact details of somebody who can would be greatly appreciated.
It would also be appreciated, not only by myself but the majority of cyclists who use the afore mentioned cycle lanes, if action could be taken against the motorists who clearly think that the laws of the road do not apply to them and continually park in cycle lanes.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this email and hope you will be able to take the time to send me a reply."
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What do people think?
.........
"Lately I have been having problems using the cycle lanes through Fallowfield. It is becoming a more common problem and with the return of students to the city I forsee the problem becoming more dangerous, not only for the traffic on the road but for any less experienced cyclists.
I am sending this email to yourselves due to a conversation I had with a traffic enforcement officer on my cycle home this evening.
The following is the series of events of this evening;
This evening at approximately 5.15pm I was making my way home through Withington when I spotted two traffic enforcement officers on scooters heading north towards Fallowfield.
Once in Fallowfield I had to move into traffic at the lights at the junction of Wilbraham Road and Wilmslow Road due to a car parked in the cycle lane outside the Tesco Express store.
Further along the road where the new cycle lane is (this cycle lane has a solid white line running along its length), yet another car was parked in the cycle lane. This time I had to move out into fast moving traffic to avoid the parked car (which I regluarly see parked on the cycle lane). I was further incensed by this when upon passing the car there was an empty parking space.
I managed to catch up with the traffic officers at the junction of Platt Lane and Wilmslow Road. I asked the officers why they had not stopped to ticket the two cars that they had passed which were both parked illegally. I was told by the office on scooter registration MX57 CXU (I think this is the correct reg.) that they could not do anything because they didn't have the responsibility to do so.
I find this hard to beleive considering the job titles that they have emblazonded on their backs.
May I also draw your attention to the Highway Code and in particular the following rules:
Rule 240
You MUST NOT stop or park on
- the carriageway or the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency (see Rule 270)
- a pedestrian crossing, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines (see Rule 191)
- a clearway (see 'Traffic signs')
- taxi bays as indicated by upright signs and markings
- an urban clearway within its hours of operation, even when a broken white line is on your side of the road, except to pick up or set down passengers (see 'Traffic signs')
- a road marked with double white lines, except to pick up or set down passengers
- a tram or cycle lane during its period of operation
- a cycle track
- red lines, in the case of specially designated ‘red routes’, unless otherwise indicated by signs
DO NOT stop or park
- near a school entrance
- anywhere you would prevent access for Emergency Services
- at or near a bus or tram stop or taxi rank
- on the approach to a level crossing/tramway crossing
- opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space
- near the brow of a hill or hump bridge
- opposite a traffic island or (if this would cause an obstruction) another parked vehicle
- where you would force other traffic to enter a tram lane
- where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles
- in front of an entrance to a property
- on a bend
- where you would obstruct cyclists’ use of cycle facilities except when forced to do so by stationary traffic
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069860
Would if be possible for you to inform me of the role of the traffic officers? If not, contact details of somebody who can would be greatly appreciated.
It would also be appreciated, not only by myself but the majority of cyclists who use the afore mentioned cycle lanes, if action could be taken against the motorists who clearly think that the laws of the road do not apply to them and continually park in cycle lanes.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this email and hope you will be able to take the time to send me a reply."
......
What do people think?