Bollocks infra... South Tyneside style

Spot of Limbo dancing anyone? Same barrier from both directions.

South Tyneside has a problem with Tanks illegally using cycleways

If the sign wasn't there.... A dropped kerb would be nice though

There wasn't much in the budget for a lot of paint, so went for the minimalist approach

They go to real efforts to keep cyclists safe on the busy roundabouts

South Tyneside does have some "dutch style" infra, even to putting the Give Way lines on the wrong side for the UK.

And where we're going we don't need roads (tbf this was "borrowed" from Gmaps although it is real!)

Cyclists on pavements are the wrong target

With the recent statement from the "cycling" (junior transport really) minister, Robert Goodwill reaffirming the advice to police not to issue fixed penalties for people riding on the pavement in a sensible and responsible manner, a flurry of responses from organisations have raised objections.

Most of these organisations have completely missed the point and an important opportunity.

Most experienced cyclists like myself, would rather not ride on pavements.

They are often narrow, rougher and badly maintained compared to roads, full of street furniture, and often have no dropped kerbs at junctions.

Organisations such as Living Streets and others need to get behind the space4cycling campaign and change it into a space4people campaign.

Safe separated cycling facilities should be provided from road space which is often plentiful, NOT from narrow pavements. Most road space is wide enough to provide this space, but local authorities find it easier to slap down a bit of paint.

Below is an excellent example from my town. Wide grass verges either side of a wide road with central turning markings, and a bus stop layby. But the narrow pavement has been converted into a shared use facility between pedestrians and cyclists. Why? Because it's cheap and doesn't upset the motoring lobby

The shared pavement along Temple Park Road in  South Shields.  Only benefits  Motorists. Plenty of road space available. See below

View Larger Map

South Tyneside council like many other LAs makes lots of pavements like this as shared use making it legal for bicycles to use them, which reinforces the belief of some that all cyclists should be the pavements, and often causes confusion then the shared status ends without warning. The shared path along the John Reid road is a perfect example of this, the shared path ends at a Toucan crossing, but isn't shared use on the other side. This is on a route put in to link primary schools as well.

It should also be pointed out that cars on pavements present much more of an obstruction and risk to pedestrians. approx 60 (sixty) pedestrians are killed by cars on pavements every year compared with 1 by cyclists. Drivers are the real inconsiderate and dangerous ones on the pavements. Drivers are often very inconsiderate and dangerous towards cyclists on the roads scaring some onto the paths.

Motoring is the real enemy, not people on bicycles. All the pedestrian and cycling organisations need to recognise that fully and form a united front against the real enemy and danger.

Taking the lane...

The other day Jeremy Clarkson published this tweet

It's middle of the road point-makers like this who make car drivers so angry about cyclists. pic.twitter.com/4vCcK548t1
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) January 10, 2014

The story from the cyclists point of view has been posted here for all to read.

Even excluding the obvious fact that Jezza is using a handheld device whilst driving which is completely illegal whilst the cyclist is riding legally, there are a few reasons why Jezza is completely wrong regardless of any previous interaction with the cyclist, and why in the same environment I would be in a similar position on the road

If that was me cycling...

• I would take the lane that close to a junction with a give way, with only a few metres to go because:
• I would take the lane as the road is fairly narrow anyway, certainly not wide enough for a larger car to safely pass a cyclist.
• I would take the lane prevents the car from overtaking as anything could turn left into the road.
• I would take the lane prevents possibility of the car overtaking and then turning left cutting me up
• I would take the lane to give me space if I was going straight ahead or turning right

If I was in that position it is not because I am trying to "make a point" but keeping some safe space to myself.

If that cyclists had been in a car would Jezza have tried to squeeze past?

Of course not?

What's the difference? the guy on the bike is using less road space as he doesn't need to...

So Mr Clarkson, if you're in a supermarket queue with a large trolley with only one item in it, behind someone with a basket with the same item, would you...

1. Wait patiently behind them?
2. Force your way past them as your trolley needs more room than their basket?
3. Tweet a picture of them along with a idiotic rant about people shopping with baskets "making a point"?

I trust it would be 1 as that's the sane thing. If everyone took trolleys around supermarkets, the aisles would be impossible to navigate when the stores busy. That is also a sane thing to do.

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.