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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Exeter to Crediton Cyclepath
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.
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Hills Road - roadworks chaos
General chaos in this area due to the roadworks. How can this be better managed to make cycle access as easy as possible?
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Local area cycling and walking statistics
This is a general issue aiming to collect together details of cycling and walking statistics in Cambridge as the years progress.
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Addenbrookes Trumpington Cycleway
Surfacing issues for this path.
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Removal of Jesus Lane traffic lights
There are two sets of traffic lights on Jesus Lane which are not really needed any more and just cause delays.
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Dangerous Junction
This junction is a problem. It has four exits and no one indicates their intent. We got the billboards removed a couple of years ago, but there are still accidents here.
It's a 20mph zone and most drivers ignore it.
The Magdalene place junction needs to be blocked off. -
Chilmington Green development
The Chilmington Green planning application proposes approximately 5750 dwellings, four primary schools, a secondary school, local shops, community facilities, and a Park & Ride facility.
NCR18 runs through the heart of the proposed development.
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Folkestone Harbour development
Planning application Y12/0897/SH proposes the redevelopment of a significant portion Folkestone Harbour and surrounding land. The proposals include up to 1000 dwellings and up to 10000sqm of commercial landuse. NCR2 runs through the development area.
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Cycle parking needed for Faversham town centre
Faversham town centre currently only has a small amount of cycle parking provision of not particularly high quantity. Cycle parking should be provided to enable more people to choose to cycle instead of drive to the town centre.
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Cycle path needed to The Abbey School
A cycle path is needed to serve The Abbey School in Faversham. The busy A2 at the front of the school currently provides a barrier to pupils and staff choosing to cycle to the school. A cycle path will reduce the number of pupils being dropped off at the school by car and the number of staff that drive in, thus reducing the burden on the highway network.
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Cycle parking needed for Blean shops
Cycle parking is needed to serve the parade of shops at Tyler Hill Road in Blean. This will encourage people to choose to cycle to these shops instead of driving.
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Cycle parking needed for parade of shops in Hunter Avenue
Cycle parking is needed to serve the parade of shops in Hunter Avenue to encourage people to choose to cycle to these shops instead of driving.
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Replace "wheelbender" cycle parking with Sheffield stands
The "wheelbender" cycle parking serving the shop on the corner of The Terrance and Tenterden Drive should be replaced with Sheffield stands to encourage it to be better used and to prevent against damage to cycles.
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Cycle parking needed for corner shop at Miller Avenue, Canterbury
Cycle parking is needed for the corner shop at the Miller Avenue, Knight Avenue junction to encourage people to choose to cycle to the shop instead of driving.
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Cycle parking needed for shops on Sussex Avenue, Canterbury
Cycle parking is needed to serve the parade of shops on Sussex Avenue, Canterbury at its junction with Kent Avenue to encourage people to choose to cycle to these shops instead of driving.
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No Entry at Westgate end of Canterbury High Street
It is unclear whether the No Entry sign at the Westgate end of Canterbury's high street applies to cyclists since there is also a sign nearby detailing the cycle restriction times for the pedestrianised area. If cyclists are legally allowed to ignore the No Entry sign then an "Except Cycles" sign should also be attached beneath the No Entry sign.
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Beaney cycle parking hidden
The new cycle parking for the Beaney is not visible from the road and is not signposted. Therefore it is hard to find and suffers from poor passive surveillance / security.
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Cycle parking at Marlowe Theatre hard to find
The cycle parking at the Marlowe Theatre is hard to find. Whilst it is signposted this is not obvious. A more obvious sign towards the cycle parking should be installed.
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Poor cycle parking at B&Q, Canterbury
Canterbury's B&Q store has poor "wheelbender" style cycle parking which is hidden away from view. High quality cycle parking (e.g. Sheffield stands) needs to be installed in a more visible location, ideally close to the store entrance, in order to encourage more customers to choose to cycle instead of drive to the store.
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Cycle parking needed at Ten Perch Road retail units
The retail units at the end of Ten Perch Road (Pets at Home and Staples) are well served by cycle routes, but they don't have any cycle parking available for customers. Cycle parking should be provided to encourage people to choose to cycle instead of drive to these shops.
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Better cycle parking needed at Kingsmead Leisure Centre
The current wheelbender cycle parking at Kingsmead Leisure Centre is poor. It needs to be replaced with higher quality cycle parking (e.g. Sheffield stands) in order to be more widely used.
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Cycle parking needed at Sainsburys, St. Dunstan's
Cycle parking is needed for customers using the new Sainsbury's store in St. Dunstan's.
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Cycle parking needed at Sainsburys, Old Dover Road
Cycle parking is needed for customers at the new Sainsburys store at Old Dover Road.
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Cycle parking needed at Kent County Cricket Club
Cycle parking is needed at Kent County Cricket Club to allow spectators to choose to cycle to the club. This will reduce motor journeys to the club.
This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:
The most popular issues, based on the number of votes:
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New route next to railway track: Dumfries - Greenlea
Create an off-road route along the railway line out to the east, which could ultimately form a route out to Collin.
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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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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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Dangerous cycle lanes in Ipswich Town Centre
In Museum Street and Upper Brook Street/Northgate Street it is very dangerous to cycle. Both roads are very narrow, have lots of buses pass through and there are contraflow cycle paths. On those you are very close to the buses (both directions) even if you wait on the pavements to let them through because you are worried about accidents. Can cyclepaths go through Elm Street, Tower Street or Tower Rampart instead?
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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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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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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. -
No Entry except Cycles?
This is a good location for "No Entry except Cycles".
The existing Traffic Order allows cycling past the No Entry sign.
The existing "cycle bypass" over the footway, which was rarely used, has been obstructed and largely destroyed by the adjacent building site.
The simplest solution is to add a supplementary plate "Except Cycles" under the No Entry sign. -
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. -
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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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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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 -
Merging of cycle lane with The Ride
Where the quite good segregated cycle lane joins The Ride, DfT advice was certainly NOT followed. As per DfT advice, when cycle lanes are merged with the carriageway, it should be done via a length of dropped kerb that is flush with the carriageway and the cycle lane shouldn't be joined at a 90 degree angle to the road.
Here, the cycle lane runs parallel to the road for a short distance before it loops around a large boulder specifically placed to force cyclists around and then finally joins the road at a 90 degree angle.
The kerb, though dropped, is far from flush and creates a risk for cyclists joining the track from the road.
This junction between the road and the track should be scrapped and redone according to DfT guidelines.
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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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Northstowe Planning Application
Major planning application here - c. 10,000 homes
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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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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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Twickenham Bridge to Thames Path
The cycleways along the Thames Path and along Ducks Walk are not connected with the south/east side cycleway across Twickenham Bridge and only to the north/west side cycleway via a long detour through Old Deer Park or along The Avenue.
A ramped way down from the bridge would create a useful route for people into and out of Richmond town center that is currently only possible by using two flights of steps.
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Cycle track priority over A14 slip roads
It would be much safer to have cyclist priority on the slip roads here as is done in The Netherlands http://www.flickr.com/photos/smsm1/10046288016/ , or even the following example from Britain: http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/photos/good-cycling-facility-of-the-week/good-cycling-facility-of-the-week-14th-november-2013-0
The slip roads also need to be narrowed to slow motor vehicle speeds as does the turning radii of the roundabout.
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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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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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Link from Kingston Bridge - Bushy Park
The route from Kingston Bridge into Church Road and up to Bushy Park traverses busy traffic routes with little protection for people cycling. Making this short section easier and safer for cycling would provide an important link to join up the quiet routes from Hampton through Bushy Park to Kingston town centre.
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Access to Minster Quarter (Townscape Heritage Initiative)
There was a Heritage Lottery Fund stage 1 project hoping to progress to stage 2 and work for 5 years from June 2014 to regenerate the "old town" around the Saturday Market Place. The initial draft contains no cycle measures but does mention cycle access policy, so may be persuaded to reinstate lost public cycle parking in places like opposite the old Post Office and might even be a way to fill in the missing link in National Cycle Network Route 1. The consultation papers are online at http://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=26919 and open until 16 December.
The key cycling problem in this area is the difficulty of accessing Saturday Market Place without passing through the poor junction at its east end and the lack of signs telling cyclists to use Priory Lane to reach SMP.
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cars parked in cycle lane
Out side the royal orthopaedic hospital up top 30 cars are parked in the cycle lane every day. Cyclists are forced out into the traffic lane of the A38 over a distance of about 1/4 mile.
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Herbert St - bollards after roadworks
The bollards at the bottom of Herbert St haven't been replaced after the electricity cable was laid last week.
Rather than directly replacing the bollard slalom that existed beforehand, the bollard specialists might have suggestions on what the layout should be here which camcycle can suggest as for the replacement...