Safer cycling routes

My suggestion would be to make a significant number of side roads cycling only at certain times of the day to promote safe cycle routes across the city at peak times. e.g. Brynland Avenue could be car free between 7.30am and 9.15 am and 3.30 - 6.30pm? (and maybe 10mph for residents wishing to leave or return for work at that time?). This would mean that main roads would be free for buses and car users who would be at liberty to sit in a traffic jam if they wished and cyclists would be able to get to and from work much more safely. Would require city wide plan to make sure it was structured properly and that safe cycle routes were linked in. This may give space, for example, for a "Cycle to school" route which children could join in with their friends at specific times of day.........

An alterntive may be to make the main roads one way at peak times and leave one lane for cyclists/buses and the other lanes for motorists?

Why the contribution is important

The idea is important because cycling in the city is currently dangerous and there are very few opportunities for proper cycle lanes such as those in Holland with the current infrastructure.

by user920253 on December 19, 2013 at 10:22AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.1
Based on: 16 votes

Comments

  • Posted by user412750 December 20, 2013 at 13:26

    This is going to make motorists angry as it will add to the congestion on main roads.

    But residents of the car-free roads will probably welcome their roads not being used as rat runs.

    And it would make life better for cyclists by providing more low traffic routes, increase safety, and perhaps encourage more people to cycle. And, having been so foolish as to allow our cities to develop around the car in the post-war period, rather than following the model many European cities adopted, we are now saddled with the legacy of congestion and problems that are really difficult to solve, especially without really cheesing off one sub-group or another of the community. But we have to make a start on improving things.
    So I think this is a good suggestion to consider, especially if it's piloted first in a few areas. It certainly needs community consultation, not imposition from above, as that would certainly cheese people off.

  • Posted by user251846 December 31, 2013 at 14:32

    No! The City devotes far too much time to a minority of cyclists as it is. We've already given the free run of the pavements (ostensibly illegal) and enough cycle lanes to take them to the moon and back, to do the same with our roads would be an act of sheer folly.

  • Posted by user261867 January 03, 2014 at 21:52

    I am unconvinced of the idea as I do not think that the traffic-free roads would join up to provide sensible through routes.
    Also the roads could not really be traffic-free as you would have to allow residents out of their roads to get on to main roads so I am unsure how it could be enforced.
    Closing roads used as local rat-runs on the other hand would be beneficial (if controversial)

  • Posted by user551526 January 05, 2014 at 16:39

    Great idea! See ArtCycles ™ idea too.

  • Posted by user411811 January 14, 2014 at 10:40

    re: Palmerstonian. I'm going to assume you're a car driver. Apologies if I'm wrong with this. Why would you object to cycle lanes? Do you want people who cycle (who don't drive and therefore cause less congestion) to be in the flow of traffic, exposing them to more risk?
    Do you feel personally threatened by them? Are you afraid you may collide with one and therefore be liable for prosecution/ feelings of remorse?
    Do you think the money provided for people using bikes should be put to building more roads? where would these roads go?
    Have you been insulted/ harmed by someone using two wheeled transport? Do you envy someone's ability to pedal to the moon from Queen's Square?
    I'm sorry if these questions seem antagonistic, but I'm curious why any driver would be so opposed to two wheel transport. Whether it's because of personal affront from someone on a bike, or envy of their ability to circumvent congestion?
    This measure simply aims to make the burgeoning road network more efficient for everyone. It's a free country and if you choose to drive, that's your business. However, as Britains 2nd worst congested city, new measures need to be taken to alleviate that, and promoting the use of more bikes has been proven to do just that.
    Regarding this proposal, I think it could work quite well, especially if it's geared towards to school run, which is a huge cause of traffic snarl ups in the rush hour
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