Manchester's Oxford Road cycle lanes.

[Globalti]

I wrote this in the thread about the Edinburgh Cycle Coop then realised I had hijacked the thread so have started a new thread here.

Has anybody used the new cycle lanes along Oxford Road yet?

The cycle lanes have been squeezed in on both sides of the road by taking space from the pavement and the road carriageway, making both narrower. The bus stops are on islands meaning bus passegers have to cross the bike lane to get to the bus shelter:

These pictures make it look neat and tidy but it's actually a confusing jumble of signs, kerbs and street furniture with the cycle lane weaving along grabbing pavement or carriageway wherever it can. There is a desperate need for parking in the area so MCC has tried to control the somewhat anarchic situation by creating bays for cars to use. Speaking as both a cyclist and a driver I can see this being a disaster; firstly that area of Manchester is very popular at night (the Curry Mile) and there are big groups of people wandering around and crossing the road. On Friday and Saturday nights and times of festivals like Eid the area absolutely hops. I have walked down there with a customer whose office is there and it's impossible to prevent yourself from straying occasionally into the cycle lane, especially if you happen to be deep in conversation and not paying much attention on a crowded pavement.

Driving a car and emerging from a side road you've got to cross the cycle lane then join the traffic lane. This means that at busy times you've got to deal with two separate lots of traffic coming at you. The first time I did this I realised that, despite always being aware of cyclists, I had completely ignored the cycle lane, driven across it and was waiting to join the traffic, while actually blocking the cycle lane. When bikes went down the road with motorised traffic, pedestrians and drivers only had to concentrate on one stream of moving bikes and vehicles. It's going to cause lots of frustration and accidents, especially as a small number of cyclists will ride too fast in the cycle lanes.

I go down there a couple of times a month for lunch with my customer and will sit in the cafes and watch then report back. I hope my fears are unfounded.

 

[13 rider]

That look like an accident waiting to happen the bus passenger getting off the buses onto those islands are they going to look or just walk out

 

[glenn forger]

I think this is the proposal St Thomas hospital in London is opposing, a flaoting bus stop. They dont seem to have caused problems although that lane looks a bit weird.

 

[glenn forger]

Whitechapel:

 

[Nigelnaturist]

You really don't want my opinion on most cycle lanes, but those two images just look a waste of tax payers money, seriously going down there above a walking pace i would suspect is dangerous, let alone the speed many of us on here are capable of, what worries me is if they try to make them compulsory as many car drivers already think they are.

 

[Jenkins]

They're better then the new one on Woodbridge Road in Ipswich - the new cycle lane runs on the raised ramp between the bus shelter and the bus stop!

Edited to add picture - now how bad does the Manchester set-up look?

 

[mjr]

There have been bus stop bypasses for decades in some bits of England. It's much better than when they put the cycle track between bus shelter and stop because then people just walk out with no warning as a bus comes into view. At least with bypasses, people are walking away from a bus that's just stopped, so you've a chance of seeing them... although Manchester's shelters look like they might be obstructing the view.

If you want confusing, see the Norwich tombland cycle track that I think @glenn forger started a thread about. It's the same colour as the footway and the kerb is very subtle.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Jenkins both are bad, I am guessing cyclists were not involved in the design of any of them. it also smacks the idea of not undertaking this encourages it which is wrong, then we wonder why cyclist get killed undertaking as with lanes like this they think its the norm.

 

[Julia9054]

There have been bus stop bypasses for decades in some bits of England. It's much better than when they put the cycle track between bus shelter and stop because then people just walk out with no warning as a bus comes into view. At least with bypasses, people are walking away from a bus that's just stopped, so you've a chance of seeing them... although Manchester's shelters look like they might be obstructing the view.

If you want confusing, see the Norwich tombland cycle track that I think @glenn forger started a thread about. It's the same colour as the footway and the kerb is very subtle.

They have just planted a bus shelter band in the middle of the cycle lane I use on my way to work. I now have to cycle round the front of it between the shelter and the bus.
Fortunately, being rural North Yorkshire, there is never anyone actually at the bus stop and only ever me in the cycle lane!

 

[mjr]

it also smacks the idea of not undertaking this encourages it which is wrong, then we wonder why cyclist get killed undertaking as with lanes like this they think its the norm.

Wow. You swallowed the HGV party line whole, then? It's more that motorists are left hooking or sideswiping and even if they weren't, filtering is legal and motorists are told to watch for it in the highway code, which they are meant to know.

Bus stop bypasses work elsewhere. I expect they'll work in Manchester. As for Ipswich's idea...

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Wow. You swallowed the HGV party line whole, then? It's more that motorists are left hooking or sideswiping and even if they weren't, filtering is legal and motorists are told to watch for it in the highway code, which they are meant to know.

Bus stop bypasses work elsewhere. I expect they'll work in Manchester. As for Ipswich's idea...

Funny that I have had a HGV license. Passed the theory with one of the highest scores in Gillingham and only 2 minors on the practical, and to be honest it wasn't really highlighted. Filter/undertaking is a bad idea period how many times do people jump out of the passenger door at lights, as for left hooking if car drivers followed the high code and signalled properly as a cyclist we would have a better chance of braking as we would being the observant souls we are notice the indicator and be braking before the manoveur took place, but as we know those that are likely to do that are unlikely to indicate. The person the left hooked me a few years back saved my life in all probability simply because they indicated and I saw it and knowing the road i.e. up coming garage was braking before she started the left turn, by jingo it was close though.

 

[clid61]

Never never ever invite a left hook .

 

[YahudaMoon]

For all them doom and gloom pointers on Oxford Rd/Wilmslow Rd cycle lane, It ain't even finished yet

It's also going onto the tram lines at Peters Sq/Central Library when completed of what looks real cool at the moment

When finished all traffic will be doomed 'n'banned in peak hours exceptions for pedestrians, bicycles, public transport buses and taxis (Black cabs only I guess?)

Just saying

John

 

[Globalti]

This is the reason why, before starting the Oxford Road scheme, they spent months upgrading the A34, which runs parallel a couple of hundred yards to the east.

 

[Blue Hills]

Fortunately, being rural North Yorkshire, there is never anyone actually at the bus stop!

A few bits of rural lancashire no longer even have the buses. Rumours that some of the bus stops are going to become monuments.