Better cycle parking provision needed at Whitefriars
The cycle parking provision at Whitefriars is minimal and at the periphery. Well surveilled provision is needed close to the shops that it will serve.
Issues
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:
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Lack of cycle parking in St. George's Street
The streetscape has recently been repaved in St. George's Street, but it lacks cycle parking.
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Poor Faversham Pools cycle parking
The cycle parking outside Faversham Pools doesn't support bicycles properly and is poor because it doesn't encourage the frame of the bicycle to be locked.
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overhanging overgrown vegetation
Starter; instructions for who to report overhanging or overgrown vegetation which is obstructing a cycle or footpath. Place for people to discuss specific examples as they seem to currently be spread out all over Cyclescape so hard to find.
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C&W bottom approach to Dukes Meadow is narrow and blind
The section of the Crab & Winkle Way / NCR1 linking Westgate Court Avenue to Duke's Meadow is narrow, has sharp corners, and has poor visibility. This means that it can be difficult for cyclists and pedestrians to pass and see one another.
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Eastbound route sign missing at The Boundary / Cotton Road
The eastbound cycle / pedestrian route sign at the junction between The Boundary and Cotton Road has gone missing. Thus the route directions aren't complete.
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Westbound cycle sign at Cow Lane / Cotton Road is not bifacial
The westbound sign at the Cow Lane / Cotton Road junction is not bifacial, thus only benefits people already cycling along Cotton Road, not those approaching along Cow Lane from the south.
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Vegetation needs cutting back around Duke's Meadow
The vegetation beside NCR1 around the bottom edge of Duke's Meadow is encroaching upon the path. This is making it noticeably narrower and gives blind corners for cyclists and pedestrians approaching one another.
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Small sign pointing wrong way at Westgate Court Avenue / Fisher Road junction
The small cycle sign at the Westgate Court Avenue / Fisher Road junction, part of the cycle route between Archbishop's School and Canterbury Academy, is facing the wrong direction. Thus cyclists may get lost. It should be facing south into Fisher Road for cyclists approaching along Westgate Court Avenue from past the cemetery.
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Cycle barrier outside Victoria Hotel
A cycle barrier on the path beside the Victoria Hotel makes access more difficult for trailers and tandems.
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Path cracking on Crab & Winkle Way
Large cracks are forming on the path near the top of the hill. These may cause people to slip or trip. If they widen further then bicycle wheels may become caught.
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Stream Walk / Old Bridge Road sign visibility
When emerging from Stream Walk onto Old Bridge Road the NE-bound sign isn't visible. The sign is hidden behind a large hedge. Thus cyclists not familiar with the route may need to stop to find the sign in order to avoid getting lost.
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Width of NCR1 Invicta Way to Thanet Way
Vegetation is reducing the width of NCR1 between Invicta Way and Thanet Way. This makes it difficult for cyclists and pedestrians to pass one another.
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Tannery Field shared cycle path no longer signed
The signage for the Tannery Field (aka Bull Field) shared cycle / foot path has gone missing. Therefore it's not clear to all users that it's a shared cycle path.
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Wheeling strip over railway is awkward
The wheeling strip on the steps at each end of the bridge over the Canterbury East railway line can be difficult to use because it is narrow and the handrail can get in the way of handlebars.
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Cycle barrier on Lansdown Road path
The Lansdown Road path has a cycle barrier which makes access for people on tandems or with trailers more difficult.
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Link between Sturry Road and Forrester Close
Public footpath CC22 would provide a good shared cycle path link between Sturry Road and Forrester Close and Brymore Road. Its location is particularly suited if the adjacent Territorial Army barracks should ever come up for redevelopment.
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Better cycle parking provision needed at Stour Crescent retail park
The retail park at Stour Crescent has some front wheel cycle parking outside of Matalan and a couple of stands located adjacent to staff car parking spaces at McDonalds. These are all situated near the far end of the retail park and aren't particularly well surveilled. Stands nearer to the shop entrances would improve the provision here.
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No cycle parking serving Canterbury Retail Park
There is no cycle parking at Canterbury Retail Park.
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Cars blocking Bird Cage Walk
Cars parking across the end of Bird Cage Walk at school leaving time make the path less accessible and more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.
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Complete Hales Place cycle connection
The Bird Cage Walk cycle path stops short of properly serving Hales Place. Cycling through the Farleigh Road underpass isn't indicated at permitted, nor is cycling to the road at Hever Place. There is prospect that a better cycle connection for Hales Place could be developed, keeping cyclists away from motor vehicles.
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No cycle parking at St. Stephen's Community Centre
There isn't any cycle parking at St. Stephen's Community Centre.
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No cycle parking serving Hales Place shop
There isn't any cycle parking beside the Hales Place shop to encourage people to choose to cycle.
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Hackington Place barriers
Several barriers across the path at Hackington Place, where cyclists need to dismount for a short section, make access for tandems and cycles with trailers difficult.
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Steps limit cycle access from The Old Tannery
This pair of steps limit access between Canterbury's cycle network and The Old Tannery.
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
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Cycle path with give ways
The service entrance to the motorway services now has priority over the shared use path which runs parallel to the main road.
I have contacted both Hampshire County Council and Test Valley Borough Council about this change in priorities, but neither has responded beyond a cursory "we have received your email".
This is yet another example of through traffic being de-prioritised simply because it is on a cycle (or shared) path, rather than on a road. -
Ham Gate Ave - parking narrows road causing conflict
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.
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Crossing roundabouts on A167
The route on the east side of the A167 past Crossgate Moor and Framwellgate Moor crosses a number of roundabouts. The cycle-path leads you across the roads very close to the roundabout, via the central refuge in the middle of the road. Some of these roads have two lane entry to the roundabout. Crossing both lanes at once is tricky as you have to have an eye on whether the traffic is about to move out onto the roundabout. If you have a longer vehicle, such as a bus, waiting, then the route to the refuge is blocked. There are no road markings to warn motorists that cyclists might be expected.
The route is probably going to be improved as part of the Great North Cycleway. If these roundabouts are to be made safe enough for children to use, major alterations will be required. (The route goes past Durham Johnston School so should be available to children.) The route should cross further from the mouth of the roundabout, preferably on a different-coloured surface, maybe raised.
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Upgrade footway on Wherestead Road over A14 to allow cycling and sign
Improving the connectivity from Bourne Hill over the A14 to Wherestead with dropped kerbs, allowing cycling and signing as a cycle route would be a step in the process to improving cycle access south from Ipswich to various places including Jimmy's Farm (a family leisure venue, which should be cycleable to by a family with young children), Shotley Peninsula, and the land route to Harwich International ferry port for cycling to The Netherlands.
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Various improvements between Ipswich and Harwich International
Many cyclists won't cycle to Harwich International from the Ipswich direction due to the roads. There really should be a high quality cycle route for this to continue the cycle journey from The Netherlands, where you can ride of the ferry and on to quality cycle infrastructure. The fact people choose the train is not a good sign.
This issue is the overall goal, and needs to be broken down into smaller sub issues of smaller more specific projects or improvements that can work towards this goal.
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Railway Route between Cambridge and Cherry Hinton
The railway line from Cambridge to Newmarket turns out across Coldham's Common and right through the middle of Cherry Hinton, and then carries on passing to the north of Fulbourn.
There are currently (2013) two main routes from the east of Cambridge to Cherry Hinton - the Tins and Snakey Path. However both have long very narrow sections involving pedestrian conflict.
The railway line is single track - but satellite images show the bridges crossing Barnwell Road and Coldham's Lane were both built for dual track. So this means there should easily be enough room to accommodate a cycleway alongside the railway.
This route could then connect up with the Chisholm Trail and provide a direct fast cycle route to and from the city and the Science Park area.
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Petersham Road
There is a fairly good cycle lanes from Kingston towards Richmond up until you reach the Richmond Council border where Richmond Road (A307) turns into the Upper Ham Road (A307) and eventually Petersham Road (A307). At traffic lights along this route there are reserved areas for cyclists but along the roads there is nothing to remind drivers that cyclists share the road especially when the road narrows after Sandy Lane through Petersham. The road surface here is terrible and the speed bumps are pointless because some driver sprint between the bumps.
The best solution would be to remove the cyclists from this route altogether by upgrading the Thames Path to create a proper cycle path along the River Thames towards Richmond that currently stops at Teddington Lock. If a cycle/foot bridge linking Ham with Twickenham was built over Eel Pie along this route it would create an obvious link for those want to reach Twickenham.
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Proper cycle provision on Cherry Hinton Road needed
Cherry Hinton Road is currently mainly typical 'blue sign on a pavement' provision, despite having the edge-to-edge width in places for proper cycle provision. A longer-term objective should be to upgrade this.
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Cycle lane forces cyclists to yield priority
When cycling north-bound along Tavistock Road, there is a cycle lane in places. Once out from under the Crownhill Road bridge the lane turns sharply left, forcing cyclists to yield to traffic joining Tavistock Road from the left.
The Highway Code states you should yield to traffic from the right and this junction is very dangerous to cyclists. It would be far better to simply continue the cycle lane straight ahead and erect yield signs to traffic joining Tavistock Road -
Turn Dock Street entrance into continuous pavement/cycle track
The entrance to Dock Street should be turned into a continuous footway with pedestrian and cyclist priority over turning vehicles akin to this Danish junction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcnmLU1ClTo
This would improve sight lines for pedestrians too as the dropped kerbs are away from the junction, and it would also go with the pedestrian desire line as many tend to cross closer to the junction than the dropped kerbs. It would also slow down the vehicles entering the narrow street.
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Manor Circus
West side the cycleway terminates at the Manor Rd zebra crossing.
East side it vanishes 20 meters from the junction at the Lower Richmond Rd zebra crossing.
Path between is not shared use and is very narrow due to excessive road width on roundabout due to dedicated turning lane and large roundabout center.
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Calton Gardens / Holloway
A dropped kerb at this point would improve the route that people can take to cycle between Bear Flat and the city centre - making it easier to use Calton Gardens to avoid the section of footpath on the alternative via Holloway and St Marks Church.
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The 'Milton Road Effect'
Vehicles are continually abusing cyclists who use the road here because the bus lane on the other side forces the carriageway to be narrow.
Although there is the cycleway, it has the usual problems of loss of priority at sideroads, bins in the way, people going in and out of driveways, etc.
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Link Meadlands Drive to Ham Avenues - surfacing
Providing a cycle-friendly surface on the path from Meadlands Drive to the road serving the German School and the Polo Club would improve cycling access to Strathmore and Russell Schools and help provide a better quiet route from Meadlands Drive area towards Richmond - providing more/better options for avoiding the busy Petersham Road.
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Cycle lane infringement on Pembroke Street and Downing Street
Because of queuing for the Grand Arcade car park, amongst other things, the mandatory cycle lane on Pembroke Street and Downing Street is routinely abused by motor vehicles – one every 66 seconds on a Saturday afternoon http://www.cyclestreets.net/galleries/221/.
The corner at Free School Lane is a particular concern because vehicles traveling east can't see oncoming cycles.
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Lower Mortlake Road side roads
All the sideroads between Richmond Circus and Manor Circus are a danger to cyclists on the cycleway.
There is no warning to motorists that there will be crossing cyclists and the building angles make it hard to see if anything is coming.
Turning traffic from the A316 can have an obscured view of the cycleway due to foliage.
Decrease corner radii.
Make road hump more pronounced.
Make cycle surface colour continuous across roadway.
Add markings across roadway.
Add warning signage.
Move give way lines back to before cycleway or add additional give way lines. -
Mortlake Station footbridge
Footbridges at Mortlake railway station should be fitted with troughs to enable cyclists to easily wheel bicycles to the other platform. Cyclists frequently carry bicycles over the footbridge, as per the photo - one going in each direction!
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Bridge across King's Cross station
There is a campaign to get Google (who are currently building their new HQ in the King's Cross development) to provide this much-need bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. See http://googlebridge.kccp.org.uk/ .
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Poor surface and old rail tracks on NCN51 St Peter's Dock
St Peter's Dock on the National Cycle Route 51 just north of Stoke Bridge has a really poor surface which collects water, also the old rails that are no longer used and no longer connect to the rest of the rail network are a hazard for cyclists and ideally should be removed.
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Link from SPCC route to Ipswich town centre
The Shotley Peninsula Cycle Campaign have plans for a dedicated cycle path from the edge of Ipswich to Shotley. http://www.spcc.info/News%20and%20Projects.html
Upgrades are needed from Ipswich town centre to the new cycle track.
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Upper Richmond Rd West / Sheen Rd cycle lanes
Westbound cycle lane is painted about 2m out from the kerb for no reason; child cyclists tend to follow paint rather than the common sense option which is to cycle next to the kerb.
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Sheendale Rd / St Marys Grove railway bridge
Railway footbridge should have a ramp/trough added to make it easier for cyclists to cross the railway. This would then create a quiet north/south route to Marshgate school as an alternative to Manor Road.
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Cyclists dismount on NCN route
If you follow NCN 7/14/70 through Durham from west to east, then after crossing Pennyferry bridge and proceeding south towards Fleshergate you find a no entry sign which adds "Cyclists dismount". There ought to be a contraflow cycle lane on this one way street. Round the corner just further on there is a contraflow lane!
Update, 3rd May 2016.
The road layout has been changed in conjunction with the new office blocks at Freeman's Reach. The road was previously wide enough to be two-way, apart from the problem of the bays for coaches to offload tourists. Now the pavement has been extended to enclose the bays, and the main carriageway is much narrower. What had been ordinary footway further along is now a ramp up to the office doors, with the footway now taking the place of part of the previous carriageway. There is a shared-use sign on the pavement, if you are travelling north, but "cyclists give way to pedestrians" has been added, as though they are aware that the space is not really wide enough. On the reverse of the sign is a "cyclists dismount" sign again, so there is still no means of turning south round the corner to join the short contraflow lane.By the end of Pennyferry Bridge there is now a little shared use sign indicating that it is permissible to cycle on the new walkway round the river side of the office blocks. Mixing bikes and pedestrians along this route will probably be unpopular.
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Missing "except cyclists" sign
When heading west along Leigham Court Road towards Streatham Hill Station, there is a sign saying no right turn into Mount Nod Road. However, there is a "cycle plug" there, so the no right turn sign should have an "except for cyclists" underneath.
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Sheen Road - Pinch Point
Pinch point outside Courtlands on Sheen Road. Despite resurfacing, pinch point has not been addressed. Because of the poor road layout vehicles frequently encroach into the cycle lane. At off peak times the wide road encourages speeding - vehicles often approach this pinch point at 40mph.