Roads that give cyclists priority.

[Ken Cooper]

Cycle streets work on quiet roads. On main roads, they are just paint and a sign. Drivers ignore them.

The 2.4 million price tag is the real problem. That money should have gone into protected bike lanes, not a sign telling drivers to be nice.

 

[securespark]

Removing all road markings and delineation between pavement and road is what works, apparently.

It slows drivers down and makes them more cautious.

 

[fixitflav]

As you've brought up the topic of "what it was meant to be", much of our road network "was meant to be" for the use of pedestrians, horses and later, for bicycles.

No doubt, and without studying the history of it, I assume road tax for cars, HGVs etc has increased to reflect their road usage. Irrelevant anyway, as we've all agreed it goes into the general taxation pot.
I was just commenting on nosey's post about Amazon not paying enough (non-road) tax. That has nothing to do with the content of the thread.

 

[fixitflav]

Truly - best reason to avoid Norfolk and Suffolk: too flat for comfort.
Endless roads with unchanging landscape. The real challenge is to stay awake.

I've talked to Dutch cyclists who say although the country is nice and flat the wind is a problem. I doubt it's much windier in the Netherlands than UK, but here I have more trouble with hills than wind.

 

[wobs]

Removing all road markings and delineation between pavement and road is what works, apparently.

It slows drivers down and makes them more cautious.

Poynton is a famous example of this, although there was some controversy when a blind person was knocked down by a car in this area.

Here is the obituary of the designer:

Ben Hamilton-Baillie obituary

Influential architect and leading voice in the promotion of ‘shared space’ on the roads of cities, towns and villages

www.theguardian.com

"He said: “I have my severe doubts of the wisdom of giving drivers a green light in the city centre,” believing it gives an inappropriate sense of priority. To demonstrate his schemes were safe, he would often lie down in the middle of the road."

 

[securespark]

I was going to say...we live a few miles from Poynton and shop at the Aldi there.

In general, the shared space works well, but the roundabouts are a nightmare because they are treated as a free for all by impatient idiots, mostly in Chelsea tractors.

What doesn't help is that the two roundabouts are bang next door to each other. There has been a bypass built recently to relieve traffic going through Poynton village which seems to have helped. In the 80s, I had a job in Macc, and drove the road (which used to be the A523, and is now downgraded to the B5092) from top to bottom on the screenshot. At peak hours, the area was always jam packed.

 

[Odds]

I've talked to Dutch cyclists who say although the country is nice and flat the wind is a problem. I doubt it's much windier in the Netherlands than UK, but here I have more trouble with hills than wind.

The wind doth blow where 'ere ye go, but i found cycling round the Netherlands a dream compared to N.folk - your v. own little roundabouts: perfectly paved cycle lanes and motorists well disposed to everyone on two wheels.

Compared to the daily hate on British roads, it was a real eye-opener. The state of British roads hasn't improved much either, but the wind didn't usually phase me as much as the rain. Dratted stuff, soaking through where it could find the smallest gap.

The prevailing wind comes from the West so if you're in Ireland, going from Waterford to Killarney, be prepared to put your head down for a day or two.

 

[motorbiking]

Removing all road markings and delineation between pavement and road is what works, apparently.

It slows drivers down and makes them more cautious.

until they get used to it. Then behaviour reverts

 

[IT Minion]

No doubt, and without studying the history of it, I assume road tax for cars, HGVs etc has increased to reflect their road usage

It hasn't. VED is tiny while the costs are huge. Which is fine, the road network is vital for modern life. But VED is a token amount.

 

[fixitflav]

It hasn't. VED is tiny while the costs are huge. Which is fine, the road network is vital for modern life. But VED is a token amount.

It doesn't feel that way, but I'll take your word for it. Nothing to do with the subject of this thread.

 

[motorbiking]

motoring taxes drastically exceed government spending on roads. UK drivers generate roughly £35 billion a year through fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), but only about one-fifth of this (£7 billion to £12 billion) goes back into maintaining and building roads. The rest funds general government services.

 

[wobs]

Cycle streets work on quiet roads. On main roads, they are just paint and a sign. Drivers ignore them.

The 2.4 million price tag is the real problem. That money should have gone into protected bike lanes, not a sign telling drivers to be nice.

£2.4m is peanuts compared to what is spent on car infrastructure.
A project that a certain member here might be working on cost about £85m:

About the scheme

Overview of the A164 and Jock’s Lodge junction improvement scheme near Beverley, outlining road widening, new link roads, safety and congestion improvements, enhanced walking and cycling routes, and project funding details.

www.a164jockslodge.co.uk

And all it will do is encourage more induced demand. They keep building more homes on the outskirts of towns and cities, and the traffic gets worse, so they spend more on roads.

The only way to cut down on car congestion is to give people alternatives to driving. This includes safe cycle paths (especially to avoid points of conflict such as junctions), and better public transport. Its worked in so many places, I really don't know why people aren't screaming for this rather than the pyramid scheme of what they are doing.

You're right that painted cycle gutters are not the answer, but the street in question in the OP is a busy cycle route but doesn't look a main road, so it looks appropriate.

 

[fixitflav]

motoring taxes drastically exceed government spending on roads. UK drivers generate roughly £35 billion a year through fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), but only about one-fifth of this (£7 billion to £12 billion) goes back into maintaining and building roads. The rest funds general government services.

That's what I always understood, going back decades. Though in the 1970s or 80s there was an anti-HGV campaign, run by the Sunday Times IIRC, which claimed the opposite. I didn't believe it then.

 

[noseall]

motoring taxes.....£35 billion a year through fuel duty

So cyclists pay their way after all.

Glad we cleared that up.

 

[motorbiking]

So cyclists pay their way after all.

Glad we cleared that up.

you may want to explain your thinking? or were you assuming these cyclists also own and drive cars?