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 Robin Heydon // 2 threads
The Landbeach Parish Council would like the bridgeway from Landbeach to Cambridge to be upgraded to a cycleway.
Created by Simon Nuttall // 3 threads
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.
Created by Paul James // 0 threads
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.
Martin Lucas-Smith // 1 thread
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.
Created by Paul James // 0 threads
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.
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 kirbyjames // 2 threads
The primary route between Crediton and Exeter is the narrow and busy A377. It has been the site of at least one cycling fatality near Newton St Cyres.
An alternative route is possible using the lanes north of the A377 through Sweetham. However this route is compromised at both ends - at Exeter in the Cowley Bridge area and in Crediton by the approach along the A3072.
Development of a safe route is belived to be of high priority.
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.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
There is currently a bit of a conflict between pedestrians and cyclists around Stoke Bridge, between St Peter's Street and Dock Street, where there is the legalised pavement cycling.
To resolve this I would propose removing a lane of traffic (which is only needed for a very short time at peak times, and a small modal shift through improved infrastructure would resolve any congestion issues) and giving that lane to cyclists in a segregated fashion.
Created by Richenda // 1 thread
Apparently TfL commissioned "...to explore the opportunity of a pedestrian river crossing ....". They may not think bikes should also be included, but they should!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/4162/a-garden-bridge-across-the-thames.html
http://www.gardenbridgetrust.org/index.html
Starting a thread about this application here so we can continue on from the previous planning list discussion.
Created by Richard Jennings // 2 threads
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.
Created by Dylan // 1 thread
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.
Created by Mark A // 1 thread
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.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
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.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 4 threads
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.
Created by Sam Saunders // 2 threads
On the eastern approach to Clifton Suspension Bridge the narrow road curves past a pedestrian refuge next to a toilet block. The short cycle lane that had started as approximately 1.2 metres wide narrows to approximately 0.9 metres at the refuge. More than half of the cycle lane at that point is paved with uneven cobbles unsuitable for cycling, especially on a bend. The traffic lane (approx 3.2 metres) is too narrow for a car and a bicycle to pass together. The cycle lane, in effect, is encouraging inexperienced cyclists to adopt a vulnerable road position and to cycle on an unsuitable surface.
Created by Andrew Woodward // 1 thread
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!
Created by Robin Heydon // 1 thread
The Cottenham to Histon cycleway needs improvement.
Created by Sam Saunders // 1 thread
A northern stretch of Bristol's waymarked "Concorde Way" runs along a quiet residential street, Wordsworth Road. On the newest housing development as Bristol gives way to South Gloucestershire there is a barrier between the end of Wordsworth Road and the start of Eighth Avenue to prevent motor vehicles passing through. There is a raised curb, offset railings and large grey concrete bollards and only a narrow passage either side of one bollard for cyclists to ride through. Tricycles, cargo bikes, or trailers might be to be lifted over the raised curb. In dusk or darkness neither the bollards nor the curb are easy to see. There is a light on the traffic sign offering some help, but a less intimidating arrangements or reflective/high-visibility surfaces could be considered.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread
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.
Created by Sam Saunders // 1 thread
Heading south west on Upper Maudlin Street, cyclists approaching lights have a narrow cycle lane cum ASL lead-in immediately adjacent to parked vehicles. The risk of dooring is clear. The lane or the parking should be removed.
Created by Shaun McDonald // 0 threads
The traffic lights at Eagle Street were timed such that travelling eastbound you would always get caught at the second set unless you were extremely fast setting off. After discussions with the council and it brought up at the Sustainability Forum by Cllr Smart, it was fixed to increase the length of time that those lights were green, and was great as you always knew you could get through the second set of lights without having to wait unless you just went through the earlier ones just before they went red.
However over the past few days the signal timing has changed back to the older timing where the probability of getting through the second set is virtually nil. In an ideal world they would be phased such that the first set would go green, then the second set would go green several seconds later at the point where you would be arriving at them, rather than having them change to green almost at the same time.
Created by velocipedus@gmail.com // 12 threads
Project Orange is an attempt develop our general strategy during the year 2013.
It involves
1) Should Cambridge Go Dutch (or Copenhagenize)
2) A more assertive stance in our interactions with agencies: Demanding of them to make feasible what seems infeasible
3) focus on a regional area 10 miles (15 km) around Cambridge and a dartboard network structure to connect villages,
4) the development of a Bicycle Infrastructure Assessment Tool (BIAC) which will allow us to grade and praise provision
5) Priority over sideroads as part of a Dutch-style approach
5) Development of Visualisation Tools for major projects (Chisholm Trail, Newnham to Newmarket Rd, Mitcham's Corner)
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.