Riding on fast dual carriageways.

[classic33]

This x 100 - there are just some roads that are inherently unsafe to ride on and best avoided.

Not all are "A" roads either.

I've two "A" roads to cross, at the least, or else use them. The alternate roads are the ones I want to avoid. The "A" roads are safer.

 

[vickster]

I accidentally rode down the A404 to Marlos having taken a wrong turn. A friend who’s from those parts says that neither she nor anyone else has ever seen a cyclist riding there. I’m the stuff of local legend!

It was actually ok, as it wasn’t too busy, had a good gap between carriageway and verge and the road surface good and slightly downhill. Wouldn’t repeat though. Actually preferably to some fast moving single country roads like the A10 towards Cambridge

 

[Milkfloat]

Whilst I would personally stay away from them, I reserve my right to ride on any road I legally can and am more than happy to support any other cyclist that wants to.

 

[DCLane]

Looking at where (I'm guessing) you've ridden if it's Skellow to the A638 there's no chance I'd ride it. And I'll ride on most roads - the Llanfair 400 audax saw me put the bike down the A55 from Holyhead.

There's got to be an easy-enough detour around it.

 

[Rooster1]

Personally, I avoid Dual Carriageways if I can. There are a couple of hills near me that open up an extra lane on the uphill which I don't mind so much. It depends on the volume of traffic I guess.

 

[Pale Rider]

Some dual carriageways near me can be good to ride on at quieter times of day.

Motor traffic tends to use lane two, leaving lane one for me, or at the very least there's plenty of room to pass.

Doesn't apply to the always busy dual carriageways such as the A19.

Cycling is banned on the stretch from Wolviston to south of Middlesbrough.

You could in theory ride the bit past Sunderland and Peterlee, but I wouldn't.

 

[HLaB]

I regularly drive up the A1 in the Peterborough-Newark sort of area. I really wouldn't want to ride a bike on there. I don't much like driving a car along it.

It used to be my commute and I'd echo that a dozen times. The closest I've got to actually cycling on the A1 are converted footways (substandard cycle ways) alongside and they are scary enough.

 

[Brains]

It depends. I've ridden on, say, the Thanet Way (A299) that has big hard shoulders, is flat with good sight lines and wasn't terribly busy at the time. While it was not much fun, and I only did it because I was in a hurry trying to catch up with someone else, I didn't feel in danger.

On the other hand I recently mis-navigated myself onto the A249 just North of Detling. A smaller dual carriageway. I only needed a couple of km (if that) until I could get off it again but it was horrific. Quite narrow, poor sight lines and incredibly busy. I thought better of it, turned round back up the hill that I'd just come down and found another way.

I regularly drive up the A1 in the Peterborough-Newark sort of area. I really wouldn't want to ride a bike on there. I don't much like driving a car along it.

I drive down the A299/Thanet Way, at 70mph, on a regular basis, I'd be very surprised to see a cyclist there, and whilst I'd move into the 2nd lane to pass, many would not.
Given that there is a perfectly good cycle path beside it (I've ridden it twice), personally I cant think of a reason why you want to be on that road, even if it is better than most.

I been driving up and down the A2 for over 40 years, I remember that up until the late 1990's it was regularly used for time trials.
Whilst it may still be perfectly legal to do so, given the volume and speed of the traffic on what is to all intents and purposes a normal three lane motorway, you would be mad to cycle down the A2 today

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I accidentally rode down the A404 to Marlos having taken a wrong turn. A friend who’s from those parts says that neither she nor anyone else has ever seen a cyclist riding there. I’m the stuff of local legend!

It was actually ok, as it wasn’t too busy, had a good gap between carriageway and verge and the road surface good and slightly downhill. Wouldn’t repeat though. Actually preferably to some fast moving single country roads like the A10 towards Cambridge

From Shepreth north there's a nice wide cycle track on the left of the A10. It's a little over a year old.

 

[steverob]

I could boast that I've actually cycled on all the single digit A roads in England (1 to 6; 7 to 9 are in Scotland and I haven't done them).

However it's a little bit of a cheat because for three of them, I've done it near their beginnings in central London, when they are still single carriageway 30mph roads (and one of them had a bus lane to ride in anyway), and another two I only rode on them for less than a hundred yards, at what were basically little more than staggered crossroads; out of one side turning and into another just a bit further down on the opposite side. Only one have I ridden on for any distance outside of London and that was the A4 out of Maidenhead for about a mile, which wasn't that bad.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

There a n old section of A12 dual carriage way that was replaced by a A14 bypass in Essex. It's really quiet , great to cycle on, a couple of audax events use it.

 

[vickster]

From Shepreth north there's a nice wide cycle track on the left of the A10. It's a little over a year old.

Cool. It’s been a few years since I rode to Cambridge from London

 

[mjr]

There a n old section of A12 dual carriage way that was replaced by a A14 bypass in Essex. It's really quiet , great to cycle on, a couple of audax events use it.

Copdock. Has a tunnel to the park and ride then continues as cycleways and cycle lanes to the railway, where a sudden right through a park or allotments or something takes you to the station. Useful as part of a 20ish mile route from Harwich ferry port if you've no bike reservation into Ipswich and there's no space on the unreservable direct train.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Given that there is a perfectly good cycle path beside it (I've ridden it twice), personally I cant think of a reason why you want to be on that road, even if it is better than most.

I didn't notice a cycle path at the time. I just now checked the map and according to OCM the cycle path appears some time after I joined the road (just N of St Nicholas at Wade), and disappears some time before I left (Hawthorn Corner), so no path for significant sections. Not a route I'd choose if I wasn't in a hurry, mind.

This was just one example that came to mind. There are others.

 

[Brains]

Check out cycle route maps at https://cycle.travel/map
The cycle path is actually 20m to the North of the A299, behind the trees, so it cant be seen from the road.
It crosses the road on a footbridge, it's a surprisingly good path.

Note: if you are following it from West to East then ensure you follow the signs when it suggests you go up a little path alongside the road, otherwise half a mile later you will be lifting your bike over a gate

Cycle Path is on the left (North) side of the A299
There is a ditch, fence and trees between the path and the road, so you cant move between one and the other