Lighting Gough Way
A proposal to light the Gough Way cycle/footpath with solar- powered, directional cats eyes. The footbridge will be upgraded soon, so this is the next step. The route is well used.
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:
-
-
Cycle path on Lammas Land
A proposal to put in a new cycle path on the southern side of Lammas Land. The comment next to this in the report dismisses it because of the access road. They feel the loss of green space outweighs the need for it.
-
Landscaping at junction of Selwyn/Grantchester Road
This could be important given the traffic calming work that was approved for the section of road outside the rugby ground.
-
Mini roundabout for Newlands Park/Westbourne Road near Penge East station
Recently near Petts Wood station there has been a similar junction where the main flow of traffic is round the corner, whilst being a crossroads, which has been changed to a mini roundabout which slows the traffic more and makes it easier for cyclists. http://osm.org/go/0EEBtsaNj-?m
I'm wondering if the same can happen here.
-
Resurfacing footpath near Grantchester Meadows
From the West/Central Area Committee agenda, a proposal to resurface the track from South Green Road to the start of the Grantchester Meadows path. They will consider whether to adopt this on 1st March.
-
No Right turn from Newnham Croft
In the Environmental Improvements Programme for the West Area Committee, (1st March) they are considering whether to adopt the proposal to ban right turns from Newnham Croft Street.
-
Speed humps make cyclists choose a busier route?
A colleague asked if the gate from Downing to the Downing Site was open again, since he needed to go to Pathology. I said it wasn't, but why didn't he take the route I take, down Norwich St, Panton St, Tennis Court Road. Answer, "because I fell off my bike there, those speed humps are dangerous, and if you go slowly enough not to fall off, it's really slow".
Now I find that worrying. I go my way to avoid the awful traffic jams at the junction by the Catholic Church. I think most people would consider it a safer route. But if some cyclists are being put off going that way, and instead taking the zoo that is Regent St in preference, well, I don't think the traffic calming is doing the job intended.
Too late to fix this here, but we must make it a priority that any future traffic calming in the city or South Cambs doesn't inadvertently act as an anti-cyclist measure and force cyclists onto the much busier main roads which I'm sure everyone would prefer them not to use if there's a better a and quicker route. But if the traffic calming, that was presumably done, in part, to improve cycle safety, has failed, this is a waste of money. The speed humps on Bateman St, unless you do a slalom, you have to cycle over and the ones on Norwich St are viscious. I've just got good at taking them at speed as I've had plenty of practice.
-
Cambridge North railway station
New station that will serve the northern part of Cambridge, specifically the Science Park - but also by extension through the guided bus, villages to Northstowe.
This provides a good opportunity to construct another section of the Chisholm Trail (especially a link over the river and on to Newmarket Road). We must also ensure that any footbridge provides facilities for those with bikes AND that there is adequate cycle parking.
-
Times Campaign - Cambridge
The Times is running a campaign for cycle safety.
How can we best capitalise on this in Cambridge?
-
Proposed 30mph on Church Lane, Whitstable
Speed limit reduction from National Speed Limit to 30mph on this narrow section of road which forms part of National Cycle Route 1.
-
River Dour Greenway phase 2 (Ladywell to seafront)
Phase 2 of the River Dour Greenway will connect the existing portion of the River Dour Greenway cycle route with National Cycle Routes 1 and 2 on Dover's seafront. It'll also connect to Regional Cycle Route 17.
-
Oyster Bay Trail phase 2 (Swalecliffe to Whitstable)
The Oyster Bay Trail phase 2 will close a gap in the cycle network between the existing Oyster Bay Trail at Swalecliffe, Herne Bay and Reculver, the Viking Coastal Trail around Thanet, and the Crab & Winkle Way between Whitstable and Canterbury.
-
Great Stour Way link
This proposed cycle path will remove the need to climb a hill when following the Great Stour Way to reach Canterbury city centre. It'll also increase the proportion of traffic-free path used for the route and remove some areas of potential conflict with other road users due to parked cars.
-
St. Radigunds riverside cycle path
Completion of this section of the riverside cycle path will allow students to cycle virtually traffic free from the Parham Road Student Village into Canterbury city centre. Making this route cycleable will allow the existing and proposed developments at the Parham Road Student Village to fulfil their car-free objectives.
-
Ainsworth Street pedestrian crossing blocked by cars
The pedestrian crossing joining the pavements here are frequently blocked by parked cars.
-
Fairsford Place - lack of cycle parking
This development (a clear case of squeezing a quart into a pint-pot) has no cycle parking.
-
St Matthew's Gardens - parking proposals
This attractive, car-free development - heavily used as a cycling and walking route - has gradually turned into an ugly car park in recent months following the temporary removal of enforcement. The County Council are proposing partial re-regulation of parking.
-
Orchard Park, shops
An article in today's Cambridge News about the new shops in Orchard Park isn't encouraging reading.
Link to article is
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Build-us-some-more-shops-or-well-all-get-in-our-cars-17022012.htmThe headline says it all. They are proposing shops that will probably only act as "corner shops" so people will all drive along the A14 or Kings Hedges Road to Milton Tesco.
This seems on the face of it, to add to the general anti-cycling design that Orchard Park has had since the first bulldozers went into action. I don't know what others think, or what can be done about it. Presumably a too large supermarket isn't wanted there, as then it would become a magnet for people outside of Orchard Park to drive to, unless, but this is not a suggestion that is possible, it had virtually no car parking, just for the disabled, but lots of bike parking, and good smooth pedestrian paths to all the houses.
-
20mph limits in Cambridge
A 20mph limit in residential areas of Cambridge would vastly improve safety and enable more people to cycle. What extent should it cover and how can we achieve it?
-
High St, Trumpington/ change to toddler+baby nursery/ 12/0123/FUL
Planning application here which may be of interest.
-
Local Plan 2018 - creation and review
The Local Plan is being reviewed - which will be a big process over the coming two years. It's important that cyclists engage with this and ensure that deficiencies, such as lack of cycle parking, are fixed.
-
Sainsbury's St Andrew's Street - lorry deliveries
There was a Sainbury's lorry delivering to the front of the St Andrew's Street store today despite signs saying there is no loading at any time on posts nearby. Sadly I didn't have camera. So my question is 1) Are they allowed to do this? and 2) if not, should we make a fuss (assuming it's a regular occurrence?)
[Originally submitted by another user, just transferring this to be a full issue so it has a location]
-
Light the Busway
The busway is not lit at night, which is unsafe and hard to navigate.
-
Cambourne Secondary School
A new school at Cambourne is proposed here. Obviously we want to encourage children to cycle to it, but the conditions need to be right.
-
Rat-running in Canterbury Street
The City Council believes there are rat-running issues here.
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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!
-
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/ .
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.