National Cycle Network - some paths not very good?

[briantrumpet]

Let's go the whole hog:
View attachment 438630
http://bloft.lu/bicycle-streets-in-gent/

The stretch of road in Die also is the only road for all traffic going along the valley: sharing, and compromise, is the only option. It's a seriously busy road in the summer. at least the new layout is a distinct improvement, for which I'm grateful.

 

[mjr]

Why?

Why not spend the money maintaining the roads, bringing them up to scratch. It benefits every road user, not just a few.

Because that's just peeing money into holes in the road if nothing's done to reduce new holes being worn into them by heavy motor vehicles, so it's better to discourage motoring on unsuitable roads by priotising cycling on them at the same time as repairing them.

 

[classic33]

Because that's just peeing money into holes in the road if nothing's done to reduce new holes being worn into them by heavy motor vehicles, so it's better to discourage motoring on unsuitable roads by priotising cycling on them at the same time as repairing them.

Paint the cycle lanes on the worst part of the road. Keeping heavy traffic off it and reduce the holes increasing in size then.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Let's go the whole hog:
View attachment 438630
http://bloft.lu/bicycle-streets-in-gent/

We've got a few of these locally, where bikes have right of way, and cars are discouraged or prevented from using the whole length of the road. Unlike the example above there's no red markings, just signs, and every few hundred metres the road is blocked to cars or there is a one way section for cars that is two way for bikes.

Why?

Why not spend the money maintaining the roads, bringing them up to scratch. It benefits every road user, not just a few.

Because it doesn't just benefit a few users. By reducing motorised traffic it benefits local residents who don't have to breathe the fumes, or drive short distances because it was unsafe/unpleasant to walk or cycle, and local businesses that can get deliveries more easily and get more customers because it is more pleasant to walk down the street. Also emergency vehicles can get to where they need to go more easily. In fact, it benefits everyone who lives on works on, or uses the street, not just road users.

Paint the cycle lanes on the worst part of the road. Keeping heavy traffic off it and reduce the holes increasing in size then.

I thought that was government policy around here: only paint a cycleway on a road that is so wrecked it's unusable for cars.

 

[rogerzilla]

I'm sure road damage has increased since the weight limit of HGVs was increased to 44 tonnes. i know the per-axle weight is supposed to be lower but the entire sub-base of the road is collapsing in many places - not a pothole, typically an area about 10 feet by 10 feet. Cars do very little damage as even the Wilmslow panzers are too light.

 

[Andy in Germany]

But how far down?

On that road, I'm guessing until you hit something solid and immovable, like the bottom of the hill.

 

[Brains]

When we were riding in Germany we found they graded cycle route quality 1-6.
Grade 1 was akin to a velodrome surface and 6 was a sealed flat surface akin to a newly laid London type traffic free CS route.
One assumes ungraded 7 to 10 were typical UK road rough tarmac to cobbles.
A typical UK gravel cycle path and the similar would have been grade 11 onward and not classed as a cycle route. (As they are unsuitable for skinny smooth tyres)

This means in the UK there would probably not be a single contiguous kilometre of cycle route at the minimum German level 6.

 

[mjr]

This means in the UK there would probably not be a single contiguous kilometre of cycle route at the minimum German level 6.

You're too harsh. The bits of former railways with recent tarmac and no flooding (part of Route 51 near Girton, say) might just scrape level 6 and be slightly more than a kilometre between junctions where it all goes to hell again

 

[ColinJ]

When we were riding in Germany we found they graded cycle route quality 1-6.
Grade 1 was akin to a velodrome surface and 6 was a sealed flat surface akin to a newly laid London type traffic free CS route.
One assumes ungraded 7 to 10 were typical UK road rough tarmac to cobbles.
A typical UK gravel cycle path and the similar would have been grade 11 onward and not classed as a cycle route. (As they are unsuitable for skinny smooth tyres)

This means in the UK there would probably not be a single contiguous kilometre of cycle route at the minimum German level 6.

That is not true. There are some really good routes being created all over the country, often on the routes of disused railway lines. Example, Padiham Greenway which is nearly 3 km long ...

Guest appearance from @potsy (front left) in the days when he still wanted to ride with me!

 

[Edwardoka]

I noticed in Holland that on road cycle routes often have reasonably wide cycle lanes either side of the road so effectively reducing the road to a single carriageway, where motor vehicles can find it difficult to pass each other if the cycle lane is in use by cyclists- again maybe a model for NCN.

Basically on road cycle lanes could be a lot better providing there is a willingness to seriously inconvenience motorists.

We have something similar on Eaglesham Moor up here, cycle lanes on either side and a single track lane between them.

This is what they normally look like.

I'm sure that some people must drive between the lines, only I've never seen it (except when they're overtaking)
If the extremely worn paint is anything to go by (this was taken by streetview in 2011 and it is much worse now) , no-one ever has.

 

[Andy in Germany]

We have something similar on Eaglesham Moor up here, cycle lanes on either side and a single track lane between them.

This is what they normally look like.
View attachment 438703
I'm sure that some people must drive between the lines, only I've never seen it (except when they're overtaking)
If the extremely worn paint is anything to go by (this was taken by streetview in 2011 and it is much worse now) , no-one ever has.

Maybe because it's unusual, whereas in the Netherlands people are used to them and probably get trained how to use them as part of their drivers licence. Certainly when I rode in the NL drivers gravitated to the middle of the road between the lines.

 

[mjr]

Maybe because it's unusual, whereas in the Netherlands people are used to them and probably get trained how to use them as part of their drivers licence. Certainly when I rode in the NL drivers gravitated to the middle of the road between the lines.

I'm often surprised how many GB drivers hug the left verge on roads with no centre lines, but still travel at high speeds, increasing their chances of killing an animal that runs across the road, as well as damaging their vehicle. It's like there's not enough rural driving in the driving tests that are mostly delivered in urban test centres...

 

[classic33]

On that road, I'm guessing until you hit something solid and immovable, like the bottom of the hill.

There's two slight bends in that "straight" road, and an unsited entrance on your left(as you head down). Then the wall at the bottom which requires the 90° left-hand turn.

 

[DCBassman]

NCN27, between the southern NT Lydford Gorge entrance (Mucky Duck), and Burn Lane in Brentor. So far as I'm aware, the route points this way generally, rather than being an alternative. Better to keep on going past Mucky Duck.

 

[sheddy]

Maybe (or maybe not) a chance to fix their comms issues - Sustrans job in Bristol
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/about-u...J-iACwFC_X-5-JD_TJHL8dMNXyqcofGg9i-BdscSRdSMM