Hills Road North Sixth Form College
Not much information yet, but Hills Road Sixth Form College are hoping to create a second base to the north/east.
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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Planning application : 23/00872/REM Plaza adjacent to proposed primary school
Plaza adjacent to proposed primary school on key phase 1
Waterbeach Barracks Key Phase 1 Primary School Plaza Denny End Road Waterbeach Cambridgeshire CB25 9PA
South Cambridgeshire
Application reference : 23/00872/REM
I haven't spotted whatever it is that is supposed to provide "access for picking up and dropping off pupils". There seems to be a 5-Sheffield toastrack ("exact product TBC") on what looks like the 'drive' (next to 'He' which means heritage surface coarse asphalt). I do not see anything that would encourage use of Bakfiets etc.
Image is a crop from LANDSCAPE GENERAL ARRANGEMENT PLAN
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Social Media Hostility
I have noticed that especially since the congestion charge there has been a lot of aggression towards Camcycle in social media comments. Notably on Facebook, Nextdoor, etc. I am aware that angry aggressive people have always been on the internet but I do feel the level has increased since congestion charge notoriety, with many people's opinions degenerating into conspiracy theories about Camcycle and the council.
I do worry about the effect this can have on increasing "us vs them" mentality and increasing aggressive behaviour towards cyclists on the road.
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22/05018/REM - land to the west of Cherry Hinton Road/ Airport Way
We might need to look at the road layout proposed here.
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Blockage on Horningsea Greenway in Fen Ditton
Works on the Greenway on east side of the Horningsea Road. No provision for cyclists to pass safely. Only option is to cross at previous pedestrian crossings, though there is no signage to indicate this.
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Lincoln's lane car park crossing
Improvements required for safe crossing of walkers, cyclists and horseriders using the main path through the forest.
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New proposed speed cushions at Birdwood Rd
The County Council is proposing some of those cheap and nasty speed cushions at Birdwood Rd. Link: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/traffic-regulation-orders/permanent-traffic-regulation-orders#proposed-tro--reference-number-pr--------proposed-speed-cushions-in-birdwood-road--cambridge--9-0
Closing date for comment is 17 March 2023. Email to: policyandregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
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Stall bike events 2023
This is a container issue for event threads.
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Putting residents & communities at the heart of the conversation - consultation
Cambridge City Council have launched this new consultation as part of the Our Cambridge programme which aims to shape the council of the future. This may be relevant to our work because it includes thinking about how the council works with its stakeholders.
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23/00629/FUL - 3 apartments 627-631 Newmarket Rd
A previous application was refused in part because of the cycle parking provision. What's the new one like?
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Survival Skills for Cyclists course - 25/3/23
Are you confident at what to do if something goes wrong with your bike when you're miles from home? Could you repair a puncture by the side of the road? Yes? Great! No need to read on.
No? You may be interested in the following Saturday workshop I am running again. This will be a repeat of the popular workshop held last year where attendees gave feedback such as:
"Excellent - would recommend it to all inexperienced riders."
"Following the course I really feel I understand the workings of my cycle."
"It was very clearly explained and covered very useful topics."
"Thoroughly informative workshop. To be highly recommended."
David Green
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Survival Skills for Cyclists
Venue: Coleridge Community College, Radegund Road, Cambridge CB1 3RJ
Date: Sat 25 March 2023, 10am to 4 pm
Description: A one day bike maintenance course for local cyclists. Bring your bike and get confident you can cope with common roadside cycling breakdowns. Women members especially encouraged to sign up! Places are limited to ensure you learn in a small friendly group and get all the assistance you need. Topics will include: checks before you set off, tools to take along, fixing punctures, handling chain problems, gear and brake adjustments.
Equipment: Your own bike to work on, pump, puncture repair kit, and any tools you normally ride with.
Refreshments: hot and cold drinks provided, but please bring your own lunch!
Fee: £20 (CTC and CamCycle members) £50 (non-members). Subsidy available for those on a low income - please don't be put off by the price. Primarily funded and supported by CTC Cambridge.
Enrolment: To book a place, email da...@guertler-green.co.uk with subject 'Survival Skills for Cyclists 25 March 2023'. -
Traffic calming proposal
There's a proposal to use speed cushions to slow traffic down on Shelly Row and Albion Row.
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Watercress Park Motorcycle Inhibitor
Consultation:
London Borough of Sutton is considering installing a motorcycle barrier on the Spencer Road Entrance at Watercress Park to help prevent unlawful use by motorbikes and we are interested in hearing your views. The barriers are designed to allow pedestrians and those using mobility scooters and wheelchairs to enter but to stop motorcycles from gaining access.
We are aware that motorbikes regularly access the site via the Spencer Road entrance which can cause anti-social behaviour and safety issues. As part of the Council's commitment to improving the situation for local residents we propose to install an inhibitor gate.
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Stafford Road Parallel crossing and surrounding area
- Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee
- 2023/24 and indicative 2024/25 programmes
(Last item on sheet)
Convert zebra crossing to a parallel crossing (one that allows cyclists to use it) near Mellows Park which would provide a continuous safe facility for cyclists. This would provide links to an existing contra flow cycle lane in Redford Avenue and a large residential area in Mellows Park, and a borough cycle route into Wallington district centre
Stafford Road Parallel crossing
- Borough Cycling
- Medium priority
- 23/24 Funding staff £14k project £30k
- 24/25 Funding staff £0 project £0
These currently being negotiated by LBS with TfL - hopefully funding confirmed mid March 2023.
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North Street Parallel crossing
- Route ends
- No Wayfinding - unclear junction movements
- potential conflict with pedestrians and cyclists on 7m shared use path, only 2m wide
- Cycling prohibited sections
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Capital Park CB21
The new owners of Capital Park, Fulbourn, CB21 would like to meet and discuss any cycling issues relevant to the site.
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Stow cum Quy: chicanes
On-road section of Greenway which is unpleasant and dangerous, and certainly not suitable for riders of all ages and levels of confidence, as it should be.
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Cleveland Street Cycleway
This is a joint Camden and Westminster consultation of the design of a short route of part of the longer Fitzrovia to Pimlico cycle route. https://westminstercycleways.co.uk/cleveland-street-cycleway.html
Westminster Council is leading on this project. Consultation closes 3 March. There will also be a drop-in community event about the plans from 3pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 7 February 2023 at Fitzrovia Community Centre, 2 Foley Street, London W1W 6DL. -
Greenshaw High School regeneration project
The current layout and building stock at Greenshaw are inefficient and energy intensive.
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St John's Innovation Centre - Vitrum building
22/05108/SCRE | EIA screening opinion under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 for the proposed development to provide up to 12,442 sqm of employment floorspace in a building up to 34 metres in height with associated car parking, cycle parking and landscaping. | Vitrum Building St Johns Innovation Park Cowley Road Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB4 0WS
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Plough Lane
The Council is proposing to introduce a traffic management scheme in Plough Lane junction with Collyer Avenue and Queenswood Avenue. We are proposing these measures in response to concerns raised by local residents in the area, ward councillors about traffic speed, noise, pollution, cut through traffic and road safety at the above mentioned junctions.
What is proposed?
The following measures are proposed:
- No entry points at the junctions with Collyer Avenue and Queenswood Avenue preventing access from Plough Lane. These measures also include mandatory cycle lanes at Collyer Avenue & Queenswood Avenue junction with Plough Lane
- New waiting restrictions in Collyer Avenue and Queenswood Avenue junction with Plough Lane.
What is the aim of the measures?
These measures aim to
- Reduce risk of personal injury accidents and provide a safer environment for all road users.
- Reduce traffic conflicts, improve traffic flow, safety and congestion at junctions
- To discourage of obstructive parking
- To encourage active travel
- Provision of cycle facilities
- To enhance inclusiveness particularly for the vulnerable users
From the 2023/24 and indicative 2024/25 programmes: (A) / Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee
Appendix 7 b) - this is getting (£ ,000's )
- 23/24 Funding Staff 12 Project 28 Total 40
- 24/25 Funding Staff 10 Project 20 Total 30
Perceived safety issues raised that vehicles are not stopping at the
existing zebra because vehicles are rat running to avoid Croydon
Road/A232 (red route). The zebra is located on a link between the two
roads being used for rat running so drivers are looking for the next road
entrance rather than at the zebra. The proposal is considering measures
to address through traffic issues - initial locations being investigated are
the junctions of Queenswood Avenue/Plough Lane and Collyer
Ave/Plough Lane (subject to consultation).
The proposal also includes consideration of a parallel low traffic cycle
route along Queenswood & Collyers Road as an alternative to the A232
Croydon Road which currently has no cycle facilities along the parallel
stretch. Cyclists using this quiet alternative link will be able to re-join the
A232 Croydon Road via Aldwick Rd which connects to the existing
Croydon Rd cycle facility. This element of the scheme could be moved to
the Cycle Network Development/Borough Cycling Fund.
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Traffic calming controls don’t leave room for cargo trikes in cycle lanes
Grange Road has extremely narrow cycle lanes for most of its length, which include traffic calming bollards forcing traffic down to a single lane. While this design does slow traffic, the narrow space for the cycle lane means that trikes have to slow almost to a stop to pass safely -- or in some cases may not fit at all. This forces trikes out into the single centre lane, where cars may not properly give way, and also are the sites of speed bumps and significant potholes. If the lanes were about 20-30cm wider, then trikes could pass without a problem. This issue affects all of the bollards on both sides of Grange Road for its full length, but I’ve highlighted a particularly problematic one since I had to pick a spot.
(In general, the cycle lanes on Grange Road are too narrow for cargo trikes forcing them out into traffic lanes anyway, but it’s the brick bases to the bollards that cause a particular problem.)
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Cycle path at junction of Trumpington and Brooklands problematic for trikes
On the northeast side of the Trumpington Road and Brooklands Ave junction, there’s a combined cycle and foot path around the corner that suffers two problems that make trike use problematic in peak times:
- The path is quite narrow, and in one place there is a sign post. This path is quite narrow for use with a cargo trike even if no one else is on the path -- but if there are cyclists (especially cargo bikes/trikes) going in the other direction, the path is simply too narrow. Most of the time cyclists or pedestrians wait for one another, but this doesn’t always happen.
- The camber on the path is extremely steep, especially where there is a cut to allow cycles up off of Brooklands going east. Trikes are at substantial risk of tipping, especially if there isn’t a child or cargo in the trike and the centre of gravity is high.
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Bollards on Storeys Way too close, making cargo trike passage difficult
Bollards close Storeys Way to through traffic while allowing cycles through. However, the bollard spacing makes it difficult to get cargo trikes through -- e.g., Nohila and Winther products.
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East Road wands too narrow at first
Where the new wands on East road begin if heading from the Newmarket road underpass into East road is a layby outside Mackays. The placement of the wands initially mean there is insufficient room to cycle on the road, but the layby is potholed, making it difficult to ride through. After the layby the spacing is wider and they are much better.
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
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Kew Road - no cycling provision, pavement cycling
Southern stretch of Kew road is a busy road, wide enough for cycling provision, but none is provided - southbound has protection of a bus lane for a stretch but north bound has no protection for cyclists at all. This frequently leads to pavement cycling as per the photo.
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A14 very hostile for cycling
The A14 is a very hostile, dangerous road for cycling.
Improvements to it, as well as broader changes to the national framework for cyclist crossings of major roads, are needed.
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Prince St Bridge - Quick Fix
Prince St bridge is an anarchic pigs ear. I like pigs and fond of a bit of anarchy but it's getting beyond a joke. Of course it will all be sorted out properly in due course but we could live with this for years. Here's a quick fix:
SOUTH
1. Move south vehicle stop line back 10m behind tramlines
2. Remove all bollards unless one or two kept in line with centre of bridge with arrows right for cars
3. Widen cycle lane from bridge to Festival way turn so suitable for 2-way cycling.
4. Put in Give Way painted line at an angle running from enlarged cycle lane to centre line so southbound cyclists alerted to need to filter across traffic.NORTH
1. Remove all bollards
2. Widen cycle lane for 2 way cycling all the way up to the traffic lights with The Grove.
3. Remove 5 bollards on each side of north bound traffic light along with the two set back
4. Paint cycle lane passing behind light and then back onto carriageway making it nice and clear that it's an option for cyclists when lights red or they can carry on (as most will, no worse than now but at least it will be clear that they can treat these as 'give way')
5. There will need to be 'give way' paint to make clear that pedestrians have right of way on the by-pass.Yes it's muddled but less so than now and makes the desire lines easier. It's also a cheap paint based fix pending the proper job.
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Park Road Contraflow
This contraflow infrastructure is hazardous for several reasons: the path is very narrow - realistically around 0.5m wide, the cyclists is riding in the gutter, at risk of being doored and catching wing mirrors. What caught me out was a vehicle travelling North and turned right to access an entrance. Our sight lines were blocked by parked vehicles in parking bays to the right of the cycle path. Until this situation is addressed cyclists will continue to be vulnerable along this section of the road.
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Castle Street Cycle Lane - Taxi parking
Castle Street cycle lane is a contraflow cycle lane on a one way street in Sheffield. It has been here since March 1997 and allows cyclists enter the city centre from the network of cycle paths on the East, avoiding some big arterial routes with no cycling provision.
For the past 15 years this cycle lane has been plagued by Hackney Carriage drivers parking illegally on this cycle lane, blocking cyclists access and forcing them into oncoming traffic. This has been the case for over a decade.
There is a taxi rank on the pavement side of the cycle lane, taxis often fill up this rank and overflow, parking in the cycle lane, blocking the way for cyclists.
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Bar Hill to Cambridge Cycleway
There is a campaign for a cycle route between Bar Hill and Cambridge, also connecting Dry Drayton, Madingley and Coton to North-West Cambridge.
Currently cycle provision for these villages is poor. Bar Hill has lower rates of cycling than other villages that are closer to Cambridge.
The campaign site is: http://www.bhddmadcycle.com/
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A41 Divides Guilden Sutton from Chester - better crossing needed
The A41 ring road cuts across a useful quiet route north-west out of Chester, which is an alternative to the traffic-free Greenway (which is unlit, and slippery in icy conditions). Crossing the A41 during busy periods - e.g. when commuting at rush-hour - can be a slow and potentially very dangerous process, especially after dark. A better crossing for cyclists and pedestrians, or a lower speed limit on the A41 (or both), would be very helpful here.
[Original version of map was wrong; I've now updated it.] -
Reach Fair Ride
The Reach Fair ride takes place on the early Bank Holiday Monday (May Day) in May.
The web page for it is:
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/rides/The planning overview is summarised:
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/rides/timeline.htmlI've created this issue to help plan this event.
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High motor traffic area of Sustrans Route 4
Sustrans route 4 coming from the canal path on its main route into Bath city centre has a high level of traffic conflict and the need to filter between two tight lanes of traffic with a large proportion of LGVs coming down the A36 Beckford Road.
The right turn from Sydney Place southbound into Great Pulteney Street is signposted as no right turn as well as being route 4, and has no refuge to turn from.
It should be possible to route the path through Sydney Gardens as the Darlington Place/Sydney Place westbound/Great Pulteney Street junction has been improved to increase pedestrian flows.
Some non-cycling residents are also concerned about cyclists using the pavement in this area too.
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pinch points Southwood Road
There are several pedestrian refuges along the road particularly at the western end of the road. The refuges cause a pinch point for cyclists. The road marking confuse priorities between those using the on road cycle path and other traffic.
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Flagship NCN1 crossing Clerk Street
Is this really the best that Edinburgh can do for the flagship national cycle network route 1 to get it to cross Clerk Street? You have to go through a pile of bins, on to the pavement to get round a barrier and then try and judge it right to cross the road, or use the nearby pedestrian crossing.
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Brook Hill Roundabout
Brook Hill roundabout is a major barrier for cyclists in West Sheffield. The traffic is fast and as it is a three-lane spiral roundabout with the exit roads (except Bolsover St) having two lanes there is a lot of lane-switching by motorists. This makes the risk of a collision very high, and for less experienced cyclists it is simply a no-go area.
Many of the buildings adjacent to the roundabout belong to the University, and have been built up to the curtilage, so there is no space to expand the pavements and make them shared use.
One alternative for cyclists coming from the Walkley/Crookes area via Bolsover St is to use Tower Court, but this area can be very congested when the University is in session, with several thousand students using the Arts Tower and Library.
The council has signed an alternative route via Weston St and the Netherthorpe Rd tram subway, but this involves a drop in height of about 100 metres and subsequent climb up again, plus the negotiation of access barriers in the subway, so is not really sensible.
Meanwhile on Upper Hanover Way, a cycle crossing was severed when the tramway was installed, although cyclists still use the crossing. A proposed alternative crossing is stalled as it is too expensive.
What can be done about this knotty problem?
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Kings Avenue/Milner Street rat run.
Motorised vehicles currently use the rat run through Milner Street to avoid the fraffic lights at Grove Lane/ St Helens St.
This is part of NCN 41 , any extra traffic passing through here detracts from the cycling experience and is negative for residents.
Cyclist comments are needed now ! -
Ommision of lights creates danger on cyclepath
The cycle path crosses the soutbound exit from the M53 at Cheshire Oaks. The exit is light controlled for traffic as they enter the roundabout. This provides a safe time for cyclists to ride across the sliproad. However the lights are not visible to cyclist on the path and there is no light provided to advise cyclists when they can cross.
This makes it very difficult and dangerous for cyclists to know when they can safely cross. This would require no physical change to the road layout simply a new light to show cyclists when to cross.
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Evil posts on busway cycleway
There are some evil short grey posts on the busway cycleway that are really hard to see in the dark. I have heard of a number of people hitting them with disastrous consequences
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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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Restrictive Permeability between Bristol and South Gloucestshire on Wordsworth Road
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.
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Landbeach to Cambridge Cycleway
The Landbeach Parish Council would like the bridgeway from Landbeach to Cambridge to be upgraded to a cycleway.
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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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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.
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Upper Maudlin Street: Cycle Lane Too Close To Parking
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.
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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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Narrow Approach To Clifton Suspension Bridge With Unsuitable Cycle Lane
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.
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No cycle bypass on The Hollow upper pinch point
There is a pair of traffic-calming chicanes/pinch points on The Hollow. The one lower down the hill (where drivers must give way to downhill traffic) has a cycle bypass; the one further up the hill (where ascending traffic has priority) does not.
When I cycle up The Hollow I am probably managing about 5mph; this pinch point brings me into conflict with much faster motorised traffic going up the hill, to the extent that I usually avoid the road completely and take a different route (Southdown Road) that has no traffic islands/pinchpoints.
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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.