Some real radical ideas for cycling

The esteemed BBC published a list of several ideas to protect cycling here which it described as radical. Some of which were reasonable, some just plain silly and wrong.
They've now produced a second list of ideas from readers which is here, with no indication of popularity, so just seems like a cyclists-kicking exercise for the most part.

Here's my own list which may or may not be so radical.

Convert one lane of urban dual carriageways to mandatory bus and cycle lanes.

This has been a pet thought of mine for a good while. Yes, DCs are busy to capacity for maybe 2 hours a day max. Most of the time they are largely empty space. Turn that space to cycles and busses, and you have instant direct strategic routes which people are familiar with. Yes it will cause a little congestion at first, but as people migrate from cars it will reduce. We all know that more lanes = more congestion. So lets try fewer. Turns out Brighton has tried it and it really works

Allow pupil transport to schools by permit only

Too many schools insist on "contracts" and permits for cycling to school. Turn that on it's head and insist that children can only be transported by car with prior approval for sound reasons. This should reduce car levels to near what they are in school holidays which will also cut congestion for everyone else. Fewer cars = lower risk. A passive/aggressive approach to cycling safety with many many other benefits as well

Introduce Strict or Presumed liability

Presumed liability puts the liability and a strict duty of care automatically onto the larger party. So if a vehicle collides with a cyclist it is assumed to be the drivers liability unless investigations prove otherwise. This is already law across virtually all of Europe, and is standard in criminal and health and safety cases. It also protects pedestrians on the odd occasion cyclists run into them.

Enforce and strengthen road traffic law and penalties

Lets face it, on the roads you can just about get away with murder, and they have become a lawless mess. Anti social road use annoys a lot and affects a lot more. Get the police to crackdown on it. Accept unedited videos and photos as evidence, and toughen up the penalties. Most speeders and mobile users know that what they are doing is wrong and dangerous, but know the chance of being caught is very slim and the penalties are a joke. Stronger enforcement with instant bans and vehicle seizure, not just impounding, but total confiscation. Also illegal parking should be a points offence, not just a few quid which can be cheaper in some cases than the penalty. Make civil parking charges by licenced enforcers like council wardens legally binding to stop the daft evadement where drivers ignore them or argue legality.
Target cyclists for no lights and obvious traffic violations, but not to give dubious safety advice, and daft stuff like pedal reflectors

Give cycle lanes/paths proper priority

Most cycle lanes parallel to main roads often give way to everything, driveways, car parks, minor roads etc. It is about time these were reversed and the cycle path given the same priority as the major road at the same junction. Where visibility is limited then this should be a stop line, not just give way

Make most one-ways protected cycle contraflows

Many one way systems are put in place just to control or restrict the flow and direction of vehicles. Often the obstructed route would be shorter and safer for the cyclists.
These should be legal for contraflow cycling unless specifically banned for safety reasons. Where possible provide protected seperated space. Same applies to bus only lanes as well.

How do we get people out of cars and onto bikes?, asks Mary Creagh

This was the question posed by the Parliamentary all party cycling group on Twitter attributed to Mary Creagh, the shadow transport Minister

How do we get people out of cars and onto bikes?, asks @marycreagh_mp
— APPCG (@allpartycycling) November 27, 2013

Well Mary, cycling needs to be seen as safe and attractive before people will give up their cars. Above all it needs to be seen as a viable transport choice, and all too often currently it is not even on the radar.

Even though the Labour party is not in power nationally, there is lots that can be done by local authorities and Labour do control a lot of them. The Govt seem to be pushing responsibility to LAs saying it's a local issue, so Labour could make some real headway quickly.

here are some suggestions

• On roads with a speed limit above 20 mph, which should be all residential areas, start building cycling paths which are physically separated from motor vehicles.

• Where possible, residential roads should be closed to prevent though traffic. This will prevent "rat running" and ensure that only traffic that needs to be there is there. Ensure closures have permeability for pedestrians and cycles.

• Shops, leisure facilities  and workplaces need to provide much more bicycle parking than they currently do, and parking needs to be visible, covered and secure.

• Provide cycle training at all primary and secondary schools & offer widespread subsided cycle training etc to encourage everyone to cycle, especially as exercise based health strategies for prevention & treatment of diseases such as T2 diabetes & obesity.

• Some schools insist on "contracts" like this one (googled). This NEEDS to be turned upon it's head and all schools should only allow pupils to be driven to school by special permission and permit. Cycling and walking must be made the default. Enforce no permit/no parking zones at school times.

• Cycling must be promoted as a safe everyday transport choice. "Safety" schemes which advise helmet/hi-viz use must be ended. There is little if any evidence that it makes cycling safer. All it does is blame victims and spreads the belief that cycling is a dangerous fringe activity only to be practiced by the fit and brave.

• Local authorities to deliver cycle-friendly improvements across their existing networks, including small improvements, segregated routes, and road reallocation. All LAs to adopt a "suggestion box" scheme for local cycling improvements & investigate & act appropriately. 
• LAs need to conduct a cycle network audit, then develop and publish 5 year plans to build a comprehensive safe high quality cycle network across all of their authority, with strategic and feeder routes.

Troll politics?

Cycling has seen a terrible few days in London with 5 deaths of people riding bicycles in London.

We should not forget that there have been more across the country, and pedestrians as well.

There has been plenty of gnashing of teeth and hand wringing in the media, and especially social media like Twitter along with plenty of speculation and suggestions of what TfL and Boris Johnson should do.

Remarkably, Boris Johnson has come out and and said on LBC

"There's no question of blame or finger-pointing.

"That doesn't work in these circumstances," he added.

"But unless people obey the laws of the road and people actively take account of the signals that we put in, there's no amount of traffic engineering that we invest in that is going to save people's lives."

Cue lots of shouts about victim blaming, and Boris being a bumbling buffoon.

I buy none of this and I, possibly very cynically, suspect that Boris is playing a grim game here.

Boris knows full well that the only way to provide safe space to people riding bikes in London, and to pedestrians also is to control, tame, and to take space away from motor vehicles.

Boris also knows that taking space like that will not be a vote winner amongst the people who do drive.

By shifting the blame onto the bicycle riders and suggesting that them not  obeying the law, plays into the hands of the large numbers of people who do actually believe that cycling and cyclists are dangerous and a menace. Just listen to interviews with some of the London bus drivers here, or (god forbid) read the comments on the Daily Mail, or the Telegraph.

Media like the BBC assist in this victim blaming as intevitably virtually all debates end up being about cyclists not paying tax, running red lights, not wearing hi-viz or helmets.

Boris being the remarkably astute polititian he is (he is no buffoon or fool) knows that by playing that card all the ignorant cyclist haters will not turn against him. Also by promising improvements to the cycling infrastructure, which seem to take forever, then he hopes that the bicycling public will also buy his spiel.

But Boris knows that creating safe space for bikes costs more than money, it will cost him votes and "love" from the driving public, many more than he thinks he'll get from the cycling public, and his ambition prevents him from making that bargain.

Cyclists and pedestrians need to put aside their minor petty differences, and start squaring up as a united front against the vehicle lobby and the polititians who prioritise vehicles over people.

Suggestions for strategic additions to South Tyneside cycle network

Once you start looking South Tyneside like many places has a half decent network of routes available for cycling. There are some large gaps though, and a lot of the routes are incomplete and unsigned. Also several of the advisory routes are unsealed and of poor quality.

The suggestions summarized below are not just a personal wish list or a complete list of all ideas, but based on where I see people riding bikes in the area and where I think strategic links could work
between areas and enable cycling across the borough. I may tackle some of these individually in more detail in future posts.

Separated cycle route along the A194 from Whitemare pool to Tyne Dock

The A194 is one of the main and direct routes out of South Tyneside, and is currently a busy 70mph busy urban dual carriageway with virtually no cycling provision along it's length. This is a popular route for commuters in and out of the borough travelling to and from the industrial estates of South Shields, south Hebburn and Felling, and passes several large housing estates such as Fellgate and Lukes Lane as well which currently have little provision for anything other than motor vehicles. Implementing a quality seperated route along this road would open up and enable cycling along this corridor, and encourage people living and working along this transport corridor to use bicycles more.

"Quietway" from Brockley Whins Metro to Tyne Dock

This would connect from the Metro station at Brockley Whins with the NCN14 route from Tyne Dock into the town centre and also the Westway cycle route. At Brockley Whins it could also connect to routes to the shopping and leisure complex, residential and industrial areas at Boldon Colliery. 

This route exists on the ground but is a mishmash of roads and some footpaths which are often narrow. Sign it up, improve some of road closures, the footpath links and, and you have a route.

Protected cycleways along Dean Road and Stanhope Road

Adding protected cycle lanes along Dean road from Tyne Dock up to Westoe and along Stanhope road would act as main cycling corridors for the dense terraced residential areas both sides of these roads, and would link up to other existing and proposed routes.

Cycle route from Tyne Tunnel along A19 to Brockley Whins Metro

There is a need for a quality north south link along the A19 corridor.

The current advisory cycling route following the A19 from the southern tunnel interchange involves a flight of steps, and a footbridge where cycling is prohibited. There is an alternative route along bumpy narrow shared paths though Primrose following the River Don. This route could again link though the 20mph Brockley Whins estate or along Hedworth lane to Boldon Colliery. It could then link to the segregated route along Abingdon way and then the off-road cycling link from the A184 to the A1290 junction and on to Sunderland and Nissan.

Direct east/west route from coast to Shields ferry

Currently the cycle routes between the river and the coast avoid the Town centre like the plague. A direct east west route along Ocean road, and though the town centre would provide a short flat link. It would also have the bonus of guiding people on bikes though and past the main shopping area and the numerous restaurants etc along Ocean road. I appreciate that there is some potential for conflict concern in the main pedestrianised area. The route could link along Keppel street and Church way, although that is heavily dedicated to busses currently.

2 way cycle route beside shops at the Nook

The Nook is a popular and busy row of local shops along Prince Edward Road, but has busy free car parking both opposite and alongside the shops, along with one way systems designed for car use. I would like to see the parallel parking spaces alongside the shops replaced with a 2 way protected cycle lane. Place cycle parking stands at frequent intervals along the row, and this would foster and encourage the idea of using cycling for shopping from the nearby dense residential areas. Cycle lanes (especially protected) along the feeder roads (Sunderland road, Centenary avenue and Prince Edward road) would help immensely as well.

John Reid Road Cycleway

The John Reid road is a typical 60's (built 1963) urban dual carriageway in South Shields linking the A194 in the west of the town to the A1018 Sunderland road. It's a popular route to the coast, and forms part of the Great north Run. 

Although it has housing  estates along each side, it used to be a 70 mph limit, but has steadily been reduced to 50, then to the now 40 mph limit. That hasn't made it any safer to cycle along. So the schemes to include cycle facilities along the road was welcomed as it is the direct link up to shopping area at the Nook, and to Marsden and the coast.

The last part of the scheme was completed about 9 months ago, which was the section between Perth Avenue in the west to Galsworthy road. This is a shared facility for people on foot and bikes along the eastbound carriageway. Even though the DC then runs for about another 1/2 mile the cycleway ends at the crossing over the bus only exit at Perth Avenue. It should be noted that the light controlled crossing across the DC at this point is pedestrian only and cyclist are expected to dismount. Also cycles are not permitted though the bus only exit at the lights.

Looking North from the end of the cycleway.

The way is largely resurfaced footway with plenty of street furniture

Approaching the Galsworthy rd junction where you
need to use a Toucan to cross as the cycleway crosses
carriageways to continue 

polite sign asking cyclists to give
pedestrians priority on the  rail bridge

Once across, the cycleway continues along the
westbound carriageway

I've clipped the shot above from Gmaps. The JR cycleway runs along the westbound (bottom carriageway). The West Harton cycleway which runs from Boldon lane shops to New Road in Boldon Colliery can be seen running under the old rail bridge. It's a shame that ramps have not been installed to directly connect the 2 cycleways. Connections are left largely to informal desire lines.

The cycleway does dip down to join the separate underpass under the John Reid, but this does not link up to anywhere once north of the DC, and does not formally link to the Harton route either.

Once across Boldon lane, either via the refuge adajcent to the roundabout, or the toucan crossing a few metres down, there is a barriered entry on to the shared path across Temple Park. I really personally detest barriers like these. The LA has not bothered to fence either side, so illegal motorcycles are not prevented from getting onto the path. In my opinion all that is needed is one or two posts which are ideally lockable/removable to allow for maintenance access.  

one of the signed junctions on the
Temple Park section

The barriers at the Temple park path junction
with Boldon lane

The path is quite wide, well lit for night use, and has signed links to the Hospital, Fire station, Leisure centre, and to the housing estates and schools to the south of the park.

Once past the fire station the path starts to run along the side of the road again, where there is a toucan crossing over to the hospital etc. All links are helpfully signed.

Rejoining the path along the road.
More unnecessary barriers though

Roadside path crosses access road into
Temple Park Centre. 

There is another toucan crossing over the road to link to the Westway shared path (pavement) route to Tyne Dock, and also to the on road cycle lanes up King George road to Westoe and onto the Town Centre.

For cycling east to the coast, the route just ends at the large roundabout, so you will need to be able to mix it with traffic from that point.

It is a very useful link from the housing estates in west Shields across to the popular local shopping area at the Nook, and also for people travelling to the schools linked by it, and workplaces such as the Hospital.

Overall it is a good route, but It could be improved by

• Completion down to and cross the A194 to Low Simonside.
• Installation of a Toucan crossing at Perth avenue, and allow cycles though the bus exit.
• Make both sides of the road shared use to eliminate unnecessary crossing of the road
• Proper formal links to the West Harton cycleway
• Remove the unnecessary barriers (replace with bollards if desired)

8 reasons to be grateful to cyclists

In my last post I asked 7 questions why britain as a whole often seems to hate cyclists and cycling.

Here are 8 reasons then why Britain should be grateful and thank people who ride bikes...

1. People riding bikes reduces traffic congestion

Every person who rides a bike is using a lot less road space than a person in a car, so the traffic jam you  sit in every day is shorter by a few metres for every cyclist that passes you.

2. People riding bikes saves car parking spaces

When you drive to work or the shops, and moan about the struggle to park, look at the bicycles and remember that each one is not using a valuable car parking space

3. People riding bikes saves everyone taxes

Bicycles don't wear out the roads like cars do, or break signs by crashing into them, so roads cost less of your taxes to maintain. New cycle facilities are a lot cheaper to build than new roads as well.

4. People riding bikes reduces the burden on the NHS

People who ride bikes are generally healthier and fitter, so need fewer visits to the Doctors and Hospitals. This saves a lot of money, and frees up time and resources for the people that really need healthcare.

5. People riding bikes reduces air pollution

Bicycles don't emit pollution, so by riding a bike instead of driving, every cyclist makes the world a little less polluted. This in turn reduces climate change, and saves the planet.

5. People riding bikes conserves petrol so you can drive more

Petrol and diesel are both fossil fuels and are finite. By riding bikes people cycling are saving fuel so the people who want to drive will be able to for longer.

6. People riding bikes saves space

Bikes take up a lot less space than cars to park and ride, so save valuable space for people to enjoy

7. People riding bikes are mostly better, calmer people

Most people who ride bikes are better and calmer. On the road they are more observant and careful as they do not have airbags and crumple zones to protect them. this also makes the ones that also drive better drivers. Cycling is also stress relieving, unlike driving which is often stress inducing.

8. People riding bikes keep local shops and businesses going

People riding bikes to shops etc generally shop more locally and thus keep local businesses trading, rather than make one trip to the large out of town shed. Cyclists also make more trips, and cos they spend less on motoring have more money to spend at these shops.

Dear Britain -Why do you hate people when they ride bikes?

• Why is giving room when passing so a person riding a bike has a safe amount of room so hated? 
• Why is holding back so that a person riding a bike doesn't feel bullied so hated?
• Why is a person wearing sport specific clothing so hated?
• Why is a person who can spend a few thousand on sports equipment so hated?
• Why is a person who rides a bike as a hobby or interest to get and stay fit so hated?
• Why is a person who rides a bike instead of driving a car as transport so hated? 
• Why does Britain hate people when they ride bikes?