Leyton Green / Amenbury Road layout changes
Harpenden Leyton Green / Amenbury Lane, changes proposed to benefit walkers and prevent incidents with cyclists and skateboarders. Doug has responded for STACC.
This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.
Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.
You can create a new issue using the button on the right.
Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of Cyclenation:
Harpenden Leyton Green / Amenbury Lane, changes proposed to benefit walkers and prevent incidents with cyclists and skateboarders. Doug has responded for STACC.
The Aincent Briton junction has been flagged for a redesign, let's get on top of the issue and make sure it is done right.
Created by mike1727 // 0 threads
Local survey showed people want more bike racks in Redbourn
Footpath 32 is to be converted to be a bridleway. The footpath runs at the edge of a field parallel to the Wheathampstead road from the Hertswood Forest car park entrance to Nomansland. It will have a garpack surface for cycling/walking and a larger strip of grass for horse riding.
Funding comes largely from a Paths For Communities grant with other contributions from local sources.
Created by MB // 0 threads
Roehampton Lane is unsafe for cyclists with two or 3 lanes of fast, heavy traffic. Drivers jostle for position, change lanes, brake for the few meters of speed camera markings, undertake right turning vehicles & manoeuvre to accommodate or block (yes, block) buses. Cyclists present yet another hazard to motorists. It would be safer for both if cyclists were not on the road.
Many cyclists use the pavement here, despite the signs specifically indicating that it is not allowed & I don't blame them. The road is simply too unsafe and is an ideal candidate for a common sense approach to allowing cycling on the pavement or, in an ideal world, a segregated cycle path.
Created by mike1727 // 0 threads
St Peter's street roundabout is to be redesigned. STACC needs to engage to attempt to influence the design and ensure it is done properly.
Created by mike1727 // 1 thread
The King Harry lane end of the Causeway route is currently a no cycling area, making the route less effective and dangerous since many people will cycle this part of the route regardless.
Action is required by HCC/SADC to plan and install a bridge and change the route to allow the full length to be used.
The route through Verulamium Park towards the museum was built to substandard width. There is a considerable risk that this will cause conflict between walkers and cyclists.
Route widening is not due until the Green Ring is built in 2015.
STACC will campaign for widening of the route to begin as as soon as possible since we see no need to delay waiting for the Green Ring.
Resurfacing of the Alban Way begins in September 2013- this project draws upon Green Ring funding so why can't Green Ring funding be deployed now to widen the Ver Park route?
The link is scheduled to be closed for water main installation for six weeks from 30 September.
Nearest alternative ways to cross the railway line are Sandpit Lane (busy road with splitter islands!) or bridge link to York Road (nice and quiet but steps to bridge)
The roadworks at the King William Junction seem to have been complete.
We should asses them and produce a report on what they are like to ride. It would be useful to produce an on bike video whowing what they look like from a cyclists' point of view in traffic, especially contrasting the Marshalswick lane experience with the Sadridge road experience.
There are ASLs on the Sandridge Road arms with feeder lanes but nothing on the Marshalswick Lane arms.
Created by WilliamNB // 1 thread
Charles Cross roundabout is dangerous to cyclists. When approaching from Royal Parade side, intending to continue east along Exeter Street, there are 3 lanes, of which the left-most is a left-turn-only bus lane.
Cyclists typically go into the middle lane when approaching the roundabout.
On the roundabout itself. there are 3 lanes heading uphill, 1 of which is the bus lane. Cyclists typically tend to take the middle lane and follow it around.
The trouble is, many vehicles in the right-hand lane on the roundabout leave the roundabout from that lane, to go straight up Charles Street, often cutting cyclists up in the process.
Vehicles coming down Charles Street often don't yield to cyclists on the roundabout, and the same happens with vehicles joining from Hampton/Ebrington Street. Those vehicles often try to cut across two lanes to get to the innermost lane of the roundabout.
There is a cycle lane along the southern edge of the roundabout, though that really is only of use for cyclists riding west along Exeter Street, towards Royal Parade. Cyclists wishing to exit the roundabout at either Charles Street or Hampton/Ebrington Street must leave the cycle lane.
Vehicles entering or leaving the parking in front of Staples often do not yield to cyclists.
Crossing Charles Cross from Exeter Street, while riding in a westerly direction has the benefit of using the bus lane, which allows cyclists to set off without having to compete with other traffic for road space.
Created by Adrian Taylor // 0 threads
Fulbourn School's travel policy leaflet this year suggests that kids should cycle to school along Pierce Lane. This is also what is suggested in the documentation for the Ida Darwin planning application.
I don't particularly fancy taking my kids to school along such a busy road each day.
Wouldn't it be more sensible to recommend a nearly traffic-free route through the village making use of the path connecting Dunmowe Way and Swifts Corner. This connects straight into the school, and using Caraway Road and Cherry Orchard is low-traffic almost all the way to the new Ida Darwin redevelopment.
No changes are required; the route is already good enough. However, removal of the bollards between Cherry Orchard and Caraway Road would allow cycle trailers through, and a few more dropped kerbs would help here and there.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 2 threads
Ham Gate Avenue: As you cycle past parked vehicles which narrow the road by almost half you are trapped in a long tunnel. Impatient motorists who want to enter from the other end do so and simply drive at you forcing you practically into the gutter or off the road completely. Would it be ever possible to ban parking on this avenue and limit the speed to 20mph as it is in the park?
Note - there is a shared use segregated track alongside the road here (part of NCN 4) but it is frequently too narrow to cope with the volumes of cyclists and pedestrians; it is overhung with low tree branches and the surface is poor.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 1 thread
Dear RCC - I have written because of a junction which is a frequent danger spot to cycle through. It is the junction where Dukes Avenue and Tudor Drive intersect with the A307 Upper Ham Road and Richmond Road.
1. The painted arrows in the middle of the junction suggest that turning traffic should pass on each other's left. This creates a serious blind spot for oncoming traffic and for the cyclist turning. Traffic code 181 suggests vehicles can pass either way but highlight that left to left is the more dangerous for this reason. 90% of the time motorists pass according to how the arrows are painted leaving a cyclist who is turning blind to oncoming traffic. The 10% of the time when a vehicle decides to turn right to right this puts them head on with a vehicle who may have decided to pass left to left. Very dangerous for a cyclist in either situation, there does't seem to be a safe way to tackle this junction as what ever you do.
https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/road-junctions-170-to-183
2. Recently I was waiting to turn right on this junction (left to left position) when a motorist behind me undertook me to place himself to my left blocking oncoming traffic to pass on my left and therefor forcing them to drive at me and pass on my right. Simply because he didn't want to wait behind me until the coast was clear that I could turn.
3. Needless to say the ASL's at this junction are almost completely ignored.
I hate cycling past and turning at this junction. Is there any way it can be improved to become safer for cyclists? A short head start (green light for cyclists) would be ideal but I doubt this will ever happen.
Google Streetview shows the problem nicely: http://goo.gl/maps/8gdo2
Created by t1mmyb // 0 threads
Cycling south from Victoria Bridge Road to Brougham Hayes either involves a multi-stage walk across the pedestrian crossings at the junction, or, more riskily, cycling across the junction between traffic light phases on the other arms of the junction.
The exit from Victoria Bridge Road could have its own traffic light phase instead.
Created by Phil Lee // 1 thread
Are members aware that this bill would prevent us from virtually any activity at all during the 12 months before each and every election in the UK?
Details can be found at various sources online, but there is a summary on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDtFoPWBoLc
If this bill isn't defeated (or amended beyond all recognition) it will effectively stop us - and any similar group - from functioning at all.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
The County Council are proposing to move to a model where both the car parking and the bus element of park and ride are charged for. Effectively this is presumably aimed at stopping park and cycle, which seems counter-productive in transport strategy terms.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 4 threads
The cycle lanes here are a mish-mash of narrow legacy infrastructure, and are often awkward to use.
Created by David Earl // 5 threads
Greater Anglia has just issued a consultation on cycles at stations and on trains
Created by Al Storer // 4 threads
A citywide (and indeed beyond) problem is poor consideration given to the needs of cyclists and pedestrians during road works- eg "cylist dismount" sign use
Created by JonC // 0 threads
Our club (South Herts CTC) had to cross the A505 to get back into Hertfordshire on Sunday and we took a route between Litlington and Therfield which involved 500 m along the A505 and a right turn at the roundabout west of Royston.
I was quite surprised there was no cycle route to help cyclists here. It was a Sunday so at least there were fewer heavy vehicles than normal, but the speed of some cars coming up behind made it tricky to change lanes on a bike when turning right at the roundabout.
Since then I have studied other ways of crossing the A505 (using Google Streetview) and can't find any easy crossing points near Royston. I see it is the boundary between Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, which complicates matters (although it looks like the A505 road is in Herts).
To the east, I've used the B1368 crossing at Flint Cross, which is also a nightmare. To the west the crossing at Slip End does at least have a central refuge. It seems little or no thought was given to cyclists when the A505 was constructed.
Created by aSemy // 0 threads
https://www.citizenspace.com/bristol/city-development/baldwin-street-cycle-safety-fund-scheme
Overview
The purpose of this scheme is to address the large number of crashes involving cycles on Baldwin St, at the junction with Queen Charlotte Street.
We propose extending the existing cycle track at Welsh Back and take it across the junction via a humped crossing. We have introduced a ‘floating bus stop’ to separate buses and cyclists. There will be a formal crossing point for pedestrians to access the stop from the footway.
A small number of parking places would be removed but loading, bus and taxi facilities are retained, although altered.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
The legal pavement cycling is suddenly not allowed 3 car lengths before a cycle shop near this junction which has toucan crossings and cycle paths on all other sides of it. Why can't it be continued to the bike shop for a safe cycle route to/from the junction away from traffic?
Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
The cycle cut through between Appold St and Worship St is often blocked by pedestrians or Taxis dropping off passengers. It's also too narrow, thus can only be used one way, and isn't suitable for higher levels of two way cycling.
Created by Jean Dollimore // 5 threads
Camden Council proposes major improvements to Cobden junction – the junction of Camden High Street with Crowndale Road and Hampstead Road at its southern end.
They propose the following measures:
- eliminate the unnecessary northbound road on the east side of the island
- gain extra footway space on the east side of the road (uses to include cycle parking, trees, seating)
- widen the footway outside Mornington Crescent Station
- safer, quicker and simpler pedestrian crossings
- improved link for cyclists to the Mornington Crescent quiet route (from Arlington Road).
- new ASL boxes with lead-in lanes on the approach to the junction from Eversholt Street, Crowndale Road and Hampstead Road.
- re-site the statue of Richard Cobden and the war memorial
Proposal for contraflow cycling on Crowndale Road:
A few months ago, we were shown designs for a contraflow on Crowndale Road between Hampstead Road and Bayham Street with some junction changes at the latter to accommodate it. Unfortunately, this was rejected by TfL on the grounds that it would delay buses. This consultation notes that the layout has been designed to accommodate the contraflow at a future date.
This consultation also says that in addition, alternative options for providing a west to east link are being explored at both Delancey Street / Pratt Street and Oakley Square. We need to encourage Camden to pursue these essential links. In the case of the latter, there is an urgent need to allow cyclists to make right turn right into Hampstead road from the southern end of Mornington Crescent.
See consultation on Camden Council website:
https://consultations.wearecamden.org/culture-environment/cobdenjunction
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Created by Tammy Hervey // 0 threads
There is a bike rack outside Leopold Square. But it was full when I arrived there at 3pm on Thursday 6 Sept 2012. So I locked my bike to the railings outside the Aagrah Restaurant on Leopold Square. When I came back to it (after a lovely afternoon tea in the Leopold Hotel) someone had locked another bike to it. After frantic asking around everyone I could see in the square (embarrassing!), I found that the manager of Aagrah had done it. He was most unpleasant about it, saying (I believe correctly) that it is private property and that I could not park a bike there. There was no notice anywhere requesting bike users not to do so.
I gather that the issue has been taken up with the management - so if whomever did this on my behalf would like to comment, I'd be grateful.
Created by t1mmyb // 0 threads
This shortcut is technically pedestrians-only, but forms a useful link from the environs of Bath Spa station (Widcombe) to Holloway, a dead-end for motor vehicles and therefore a quiet, if steep, climb to Bear Flat, Wellsway and beyond.
Dropped kerbs, barrier/chicane removal etc. would make this route usable by parents with cycle trailers, people on cargobikes and the like.
It was slated as a piece of work to be done by Bath & NE Somerset, but there's been no news lately.
Created by James Avery // 1 thread
The UHCW NHS Trust has applied for planning permission for a new access roads and multistorey car parks, under a plan drawn up by leading global engineering firm Arup.
Please ask them to go back to the drawing board and come up with something better.
The planning application details are here:
http://planning.coventry.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=744613
Please state that you OBJECT to the current proposals as they don't give any consideration to encouraging more cycling (or walking).
The trust are open to discussion via twitter (@NHSUHCW), but the council need to be asked to bring this matter to the committee (currently it is just classed as deferred, which means officers decide themselves).
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
This section of the flagship National Cycle Network Route 1 on entering Ipswich is of particularly poor quality. There are nettles, brambles and other bushes overgrowning the very rough and narrow path. Is this really the quality of cycling that we want to show to Dutch cyclists coming over from the Netherlands who would have expected there to be a tarmaced cycle path that's a couple of metres wide. There is space to here to place a good surface.
Created by James Avery // 0 threads
As freeholders of the site, Tesco have applied for planning permission for two new restaurants between the roundabout shown and the railway tracks / A444 (above the dual carriageway).
Two core issues:
1) This is an extremely dangerous, uncontrolled crossing - traffic leaves the A444 at 50mph, and is still 30 as it reaches the roundabout. As the map shows, there are Belisha crossings both north and south of this roundabout, so why not to the west, where traffic is still fast and undivided?
2) Cycle parking on the rest of the site is still grossly inadequate. 18 cycle parking spaces are proposed with the restaurant - the same number as the rest of the site combined - although these are actually all in one place at the south of the site.
Created by Andy Allan // 0 threads
There's no bike parking outside of the parade of shops at the top end of Leigham Vale. The only options are the railings on the railway side of the road, or the handrail outside the post office.
There's plenty of space outside the front of the shops, and it would be good to have some near the garden centre.
Created by Richard Alderson // 0 threads
Near Cob Kiln Lane commuter route to Urmston Rail Station Cyclists and pedestrians are supposed to use this kissing gate. The dwell space is far too small and very muddy. There is a horse stile as well which is equally muddy - this is a major access route to the Trans-Pennine Trail
The busway cycleway is sometimes flooded in this section.
The County Council need to address this.
Created by cobweb // 1 thread
The installation of one stand in the boundary of M&S facing Market Hill Square.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 0 threads
The Virgin Gym trade entrance is being used by drivers as a shortcut.
Other than two sheffield stands in the train station there is no secure cycle parking available in Buxton. This is discouraging people from travelling to this tourist hotspot by bike.
Created by Jim Chisholm // 1 thread
Proposals are coming forward for the redevelopment of part of the Cambridge University Pres Site as a single location for Cambridge Assessment. Some public engagement will apparently start in November
Created by mike1727 // 0 threads
The Stonecross/Avenue road junction is to be redesigned. It is rounoured there may be a ban on bikes turning right from Stonecross onto Avenue road, which makes bike journeys W-E using Avenue road difficult. It would be better to redesign the junction to allow bikes through since many people will continue to ride/use the pavement as this is a desire line route.
Bermondsey St is being used as a rat run not just along its length but also across at Tanner St. Through traffic should use the A100, Tooley St or Borough High St.
Could be a good mode filter project
Created by mike1727 // 1 thread
Traffic on the redbourn road is often fast and uncomfortable for novice/nervouse riders. The footpath running along Redbourn road sees few walkers and appears suitable for a conversion to a bike route. This is being progresses through the Herts Cycle Forum
Footpath 32 is to be converted to be a bridleway. The footpath runs at the edge of a field parallel to the Wheathampstead road from the Hertswood Forest car park entrance to Nomansland. It will have a garpack surface for cycling/walking and a larger strip of grass for horse riding.
Funding comes largely from a Paths For Communities grant with other contributions from local sources.
Created by mike1727 // 1 thread
The King Harry lane end of the Causeway route is currently a no cycling area, making the route less effective and dangerous since many people will cycle this part of the route regardless.
Action is required by HCC/SADC to plan and install a bridge and change the route to allow the full length to be used.
The route through Verulamium Park towards the museum was built to substandard width. There is a considerable risk that this will cause conflict between walkers and cyclists.
Route widening is not due until the Green Ring is built in 2015.
STACC will campaign for widening of the route to begin as as soon as possible since we see no need to delay waiting for the Green Ring.
Resurfacing of the Alban Way begins in September 2013- this project draws upon Green Ring funding so why can't Green Ring funding be deployed now to widen the Ver Park route?
Created by Chris Peck // 1 thread
Upgrading the narrow footpath into a wider route usable by cyclists has been a long term priority for the Godalming Cycle Campaign. This route is a key link for pedestrians and cyclists between Farncombe/Binscombe and Godalming.
This year the Waverley Local Committee has dedicated funds to construct the path, which will run over land currently owned by Jewsons.
Created by David Earl // 2 threads
11 flats replacing existing building
Created by Jose Ferraro // 0 threads
Coombe Lane West heading towards Raynes Park: There is a long downhill slope which has new potholes appearing frequently which after a long while are filled with blobs of tarmac creating equally dangerous lumps. Grit fallen from HGVs and parked cars narrowing the lane make this a very risky road to cycle along at speed. A cyclist needs to slow down to be prepared to manoeuvre these hazards which puts them into conflict with motorised traffic behind them who wish to pass but lack the room. This is especially true when cycling uphill over the flyover (in either direction).
There is a short piece of cycle lane only at the base of the hill which does not continue over the flyover and leaves slower cyclists to mix in with the much faster flow of motorised traffic.
The result is frequent close passes unless you cycle in a primary position which invites further conflict (tailgating and intimidation) from impatient motorists.
Created by Robin Heydon // 3 threads
There is a need for a link between the A14 Histon interchange with Ring Fort Path in Orchard Park.
Created by Jon Warbrick // 1 thread
The link from Barton Road to the Lammas Land car park (and the car park itself) have been closed to all use by the County Council for some development work. This is a buisy cycle route, and no effort has been put into providing a diversion. Currently most people are cycling across the grass behind the hedge beside the road (though how long this will remain possible if it rains is unclear); an alternative is to use other paths across Lammas Land, but they are narrow, not actually marked for cycling, and it's further.
According to a notice at the junction with Barton Road this work will continue to the start of December. There was and is no warning when approaching from east of the river.
Created by David Earl // 1 thread
It is intimidating to use this roundabout because of the high shrubbery in the middle. It is supposed to slow traffic down but my subjective feeling is that it doesn't
The link is scheduled to be closed for water main installation for six weeks from 30 September.
Nearest alternative ways to cross the railway line are Sandpit Lane (busy road with splitter islands!) or bridge link to York Road (nice and quiet but steps to bridge)