Show us your Daft, Pointless or plain hard to use cycle lanes.

[User482]

Coronation Road in Bristol. I had to explain to my wife one day why cyclists used the road as opposed to the cycle path.

coronation road

• rivers
• 30 Oct 2016

coronation road

• rivers
• 30 Oct 2016

If you look carefully at the blue signs, you'll note that the cyclists' "side" swaps from left to right (or vice versa) about halfway down. An alternative is the "chocolate path" on the other bank of the river, now difficult to access due to the closure of Ashton Avenue swing bridge, and if you do get on it, enjoy the bumps and skating rink surface if it's wet or frosty.

We're a cycling city, apparently.

 

[winjim]

If you look carefully at the blue signs, you'll note that the cyclists' "side" swaps from left to right (or vice versa) about halfway down. An alternative is the "chocolate path" on the other bank of the river, now difficult to access due to the closure of Ashton Avenue swing bridge, and if you do get on it, enjoy the bumps and skating rink surface if it's wet or frosty.

We're a cycling city, apparently.

Similarly in my post above, to get round the signal control box, the path actually switches from segregated to shared and back again, all within the space of about fifteen feet.

 

[MontyVeda]

This is a good one (not)... I've seen plenty of cyclists take the proper road position for going straight ahead or turning right from this roundabout, and plenty of drivers yelling/beeping at them to get in the cycle lane, which is only of use for cyclists turning left... for which there's also a short section of shared use pavement.

 

[nickyboy]

So what's going wrong here?

I presume it costs a fair bit to install a cycle lane. And I presume it isn't too difficult to get sensible advice regarding the design of the cycle lanes. Or is that the problem? I have no idea what the design process is for cycle lanes but I'd be interested to hear what it is

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

So what's going wrong here?

I presume it costs a fair bit to install a cycle lane. And I presume it isn't too difficult to get sensible advice regarding the design of the cycle lanes. Or is that the problem? I have no idea what the design process is for cycle lanes but I'd be interested to hear what it is

In my experience, the sensible advice is usually ignored and the councils put in whatever they please. Usually as it's cheaper than putting in something that has been suggested by cyclists, works and that people may use. Then, when no-one uses them as they are not up to scratch or even dangerous they can say "Well, we put such-and-such in at a cost of blah-de-blah pounds and no-one uses it. Why shouild we spend any more money on cycle infrastructure?"

 

[summerdays]

In my experience, the sensible advice is usually ignored and the councils put in whatever they please. Usually as it's cheaper than putting in something that has been suggested by cyclists, works and that people may use. Then, when no-one uses them as they are not up to scratch or even dangerous they can say "Well, we put such-and-such in at a cost of blah-de-blah pounds and no-one uses it. Why shouild we spend any more money on cycle infrastructure?"

I don't think it's that simple. Different cyclists will want different things, depending on their skill and experience level. The experienced roadie just wants to remain on the road normally, the parent with young children wants cycle paths everywhere. Then there are the bod's at the council that can be well meaning, and look at their accident stats and try to sort them out but not always in a way that is appreciated, sometimes they are right, some times they are wrong. Money is short so they can't spend millions on producing fantastic cycle facilities.

 

[nickyboy]

In my experience, the sensible advice is usually ignored and the councils put in whatever they please. Usually as it's cheaper than putting in something that has been suggested by cyclists, works and that people may use. Then, when no-one uses them as they are not up to scratch or even dangerous they can say "Well, we put such-and-such in at a cost of blah-de-blah pounds and no-one uses it. Why shouild we spend any more money on cycle infrastructure?"

So do you think that local councils (I presume they have the responsibility for cycle lanes) have an anti-cycling agenda that is met by putting in rubbish infrastructure?

I doubt that very much. I think it's down to ignorance on the part of whoever has input into the design and sign off. I'm sure lack of money is the reason behind some of the rubbish infrastructure. However, I think a fair bit is down to poor design. It does feel like the design and sign off is done without any input from cyclists. I wonder if that's the case, and if so why?

 

[Jody]

Then there is the latest cycle lane...

Looks prime for pulling a manual

 

[summerdays]

So do you think that local councils (I presume they have the responsibility for cycle lanes) have an anti-cycling agenda that is met by putting in rubbish infrastructure?

I doubt that very much. I think it's down to ignorance on the part of whoever has input into the design and sign off. I'm sure lack of money is the reason behind some of the rubbish infrastructure. However, I think a fair bit is down to poor design. It does feel like the design and sign off is done without any input from cyclists. I wonder if that's the case, and if so why?

I know that the local cycle campaign has commented on designs before now. I don't know what the process is for taking account of those issues, as sometimes it seems input is ignored and other times changes are made. I seem to be on a mailing list where proposals are sent round asking cyclists for their comments. I managed to get a traffic engineer to stand on a roundabout and notice that the problem with traffic flows. His solution was different to mine, and is still being implemented but I will have to wait quite some time to see the change.

 

[Milkfloat]

However, I think a fair bit is down to poor design. It does feel like the design and sign off is done without any input from cyclists. I wonder if that's the case, and if so why?

I think the biggest issue is that there are no national standards, therefore they can freestyle whatever bodge they like. I would much prefer to see less infrastructure, if it meant good infrastructure.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Unfortunately it is not the fault of a local idiot. It is this way round all over the country. Tactile paving is for the benefit of people with impaired vision and does not take the needs or desires of other users into consideration. It is all laid out in BS 7997:2003 (according to Wikipedia ... I do not plan to pay for the privilege of downloading a copy to check)

I have a copy of 'guidance on the use of tactile paving surfaces' as published in Scotland, which I could send you, too big to upload. (2.8 Mb, limit is 2)

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I have a copy of 'guidance on the use of tactile paving surfaces' as published in Scotland, which I could send you, too big to upload. (2.8 Mb, limit is 2)

This is the one for the segregated path...

 

[SavageHoutkop]

And I can safely guarantee that I'd gladly cycle over the rumble strips going against my line of travel rather than the ones going in my direction (and when I'm a pedestrian with a sleeping child in a pram / pushchair, I'd rather walk on the cycle side).

 

[Theseus]

Pretty obvious from that how much they consulted with cyclists on whether a rumble was preferable or not to tramlines.

 

[User482]

This is the one for the segregated path... View attachment 149746

If (as is the case on my daughter's school run) you have to cut diagonally across the strip to cross the road, those surfaces are lethal in the wet. The small wheels on her bike slide off the raised surface, causing her to fall off.