The difference regarding cycle paths.

[steveindenmark]

I was in the car today. Driving along my usual cycle commute to work. This route takes me along the 170 between Kolding in Denmark and Flensburg in Germany. It is 75 km of wide, often segragated cycle path. The the 170 is classed something like an A road in Denmark. If it was in the UK it would be a wide, well used B road.

The section I ride on has a WIDE non segragated cycle path. It then narrows to a cycle path that is about a bike wide and this section is about 5 km long. Ive ridden this route for 13 years and have never found a problem with it, even when the trucks come by. They have enough room to move over a bit, and they do.

When I got to the narrow cycle path today, the local Council had posted this sign.

It says "New cycle path, coming here soon. Happy you."





This is the cycle path as it is now. Yes I am parked in the cycle path and there are no cyclists for miles.



This is the cycle path 1km further on. Most of the path is this width.



It made me think how many UK councils would be this considerate. Not many, I think.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yebbut, Marmelade Potatoes?

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'd imagine you will be Glaed Dig if that's what you've had up to now...

 

[steveindenmark]

No, Im ok for spuds and jam. I have a local supplier. But I do stop occasionally and get jam at different road side stalls. It makes the cycling a bit more interesting and i usually take half a baguette with me and have a snack :0)

 

[steveindenmark]

Yebbut, Marmelade Potatoes?

You can only get them in Denmark :0)

 

[Globalti]

Nice post but most British roads are medieval drove roads or packhorse roads enlarged for cars and to widen them further would bankrupt the UK. The most prolific time for road construction was the 1700s and 1800s when the Turnpike roads were built and many of these are now A and B roads, also too narrow for cycle tracks to be added.

 

[steveindenmark]

I appreciate that but we have not always had cycle paths and Holland got theirs in my lifetime.

 

[snorri]

The narrow lane in the second picture is known as the 'One metre strip' and certainly not a cycle lane although used as such by some cyclists. The purpose of the one metre strip is to protect the carriageway edge, I'm told!. These strips have been included in new trunk roads in Scotland for some years.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Sometimes in Kent too, I'll cycle in the carriageway when I come across them, although they are almost always on very fast roads. I've seen people cycling on them, nothing gives them space, they are full of detritus and look like hell on a stick.

 

[siadwell]

snorri and w00hoo, I think the cycle lane is the bit on which Steve's car is parked in the last picture (i.e. it's the width of his car).

 

[w00hoo_kent]

snorri and w00hoo, I think the cycle lane is the bit on which Steve's car is parked in the last picture (i.e. it's the width of his car).

Could be, in which case apologies for my poor comprehension, but

The section I ride on has a WIDE non segragated cycle path. It then narrows to a cycle path that is about a bike wide and this section is about 5 km long. Ive ridden this route for 13 years and have never found a problem with it, even when the trucks come by. They have enough room to move over a bit, and they do.

When I got to the narrow cycle path today, the local Council had posted this sign.

It says "New cycle path, coming here soon. Happy you."
<photo: sign>
This is the cycle path as it is now. Yes I am parked in the cycle path and there are no cyclists for miles.
<photo: car parked on verge>
This is the cycle path 1km further on. Most of the path is this width.
<photo: car parked in wider marked non-segregated path>

Makes me think not.

 

[Flying Dodo]

The bit where the car is half on the grass is the narrow cycle path, and yes, that's not wider than the hard shoulder you typically get on UK A roads. Legally, the Highways Agency/local authorities only have to maintain the road up to the width of the first solid white line. Any holes in the section from the solid white line to the actual edge they don't have to deal with.

Of course here in the UK, sadly a large number of oncoming vehicles wouldn't bother moving over a bit for a cyclist cycling along the shoulder.

 

[steveindenmark]

The "cycle path" which is being replaced is where my car is parked on the 2 nd photo. The normal cycle path is what my car is parked on in the 3 rd photo. This road is straight for miles and like I say, riding in that strip has never been a problem. I have never known an accident along the 74 km of cycle path. I cannot imagine anyone pressurising the Council to improve it and so it looks like they have decided to do it off their own back.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

If it's a cycle commute to work shouldn't you be on a bicycle rather than in a car?

 

[steveindenmark]

The "cycle path" which is being replaced is where my car is parked on the 2 nd photo. The normal cycle path is what my car is parked on in the 3 rd photo. This road is straight for miles and like I say, riding in that strip has never been a problem. I have never known an accident along the 74 km of cycle path. I cannot imagine anyone pressurising the Council to improve it and so it looks like they have decided to do it off their own back, which is not a surprise.

Ive never felt in danger along that road and it is regarded as a cycle path by cyclists and traffic.