Cycling is safer on the Streets

From Principles of cycle planning by John Franklin

A statement by the Austrian government makes the point: "Most bicycle accident victims are older people and children. They are put at risk by the complexity of cycle paths on the one hand and on the other hand by their over-confidence that their safety on cycle paths is substantially greater than on the road.

At the international Velo City conference in Munich this year, a Swiss delegate described how there has been a major shift in his country from accommodating cyclists separately to mixing cyclists with traffic, with changes to the road environment as necessary. This has led to big increases in cycling. The mayors of Munich, Brussels, Copenhagen and Paris each explicitly stated how they wanted cycling back on their streets. And even a speaker from the Netherlands defined 'cycle-friendly cities' as those with as few special facilities for cyclists as possible.

We don't need cycle facilities, we need streets which are safe for cycling.

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cycling, cycle lane, cycle path, cycle track

"East Croydon roadworks inflame cyclists"

Back in February I wrote an optimistic post titled Sign of Improvements..., regarding this sign.



Six months later the roadworks are still underway, and Jim has managed to get this sorry story of delay and incompetence into the Croydon Advertiser.

East Croydon roadworks inflame cyclists

07:00 - 16-August-2008



Cyclists have lashed out at "farcical" roadworks which started at the beginning of the year and have no end in sight.

"Cycle network improvement works" started in January at the junction of Addiscombe Road and Cherry Orchard Road.

They were meant to take only three months yet eight months on are still carrying on.

Satellite Image

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cycling, croydon

Crap New Road Markings

These road markings have appeared between Church Road and Mill Lane on a route I use from time to time both on a bike and in a car.



The markings make no sense. From a car they look more like a speed bump, the shiny green paint mostly obscures the white cycle symbol. From a bike they are just crazy.

Is this a very short mandatory cycle lane in the middle of the road?

It seems that this is another original piece of road artwork from Croydon Council.

A source from TfL has confirmed that

The cycle symbol and arrow are authorised (legal) signs and use like this is rexcommended, see LCDS Annex C S1 & S2.
Green can be used, no legal significance.
White line around outside is not legal and should not be used!

Which has sparked yet further debate about local road markings, since if the box around the cycle marking is not legal, what is the legal status of the white boxes the council have painted round local speed bumps?



Satellite Image

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cycling, croydon

The No Cycling Cycle Lane - Park Hill Road

This is a temporary art installation from November 2003.



It is one of the most outrageous pieces from the artist best known as the Croydon Council (Anti-)Cycling Department.



It was swiftly removed, following unfavorable publicity, and it was later claimed that this was the result of a contractor's error. However, it is a clear illustration of the lack of care taken by the council in these matters.

It might be funny, but for the fact that these no cycling signs were supposed to be placed along the Fairfield Path. Now, five years later this steep narrow twisting footpath is under threat from the Connect2 project. Croydon Council now want to turn this busy section of the footpath into a cycle route.

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cycling, cycle lane, cycle path, cycle track, croydon

Boris buggers up bus lanes for cyclists

Motorbikes to be allowed in bus lanes, says Boris

But Tom Bogdanowicz of the London Cycling Campaign said that TfL's first report was "wrong".

He told the Standard: "LCC advises against making any snap judgement on putting motorbikes in bus lanes based on what TfL has said. TfL says the data showed potential 'dis-benefits' to pedestrians and cyclists. Many cyclists find bus lanes a refuge from high-speed and unpredictable motor vehicles."

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cycling, bus lanes

Useless Cycle Lane Blocked by Bollard

You have to hand it to the traffic engineers of croydon, they really know how to make the laughable into the ludicrous. Remember "X" marks the spot - the useless cycle lanes by West Croydon Station?



Well, because many of Croydon's car drivers can't read road signs and obey them, Croydon Council have added two bollards to make it quite clear which way they should go.



Only they've put one of the bollards where it blocks the entry to one of the cycle lanes!

Not that any sane cyclist would ever use these cycle lanes, but the council could at least admit defeat and remove this useless cycle facility.


View Larger Map

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cycling, cycle lane, croydon

And again

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cycling, croydon

In the News Again

Croydon Advertiser 4th April



Shame there was no mention of the cycle lane problems I was trying to cover.

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cycling, croydon

Cycle Training doesn't increase cycling

There is a continual push from people who do not understand the issues towards measures like cycle buddies and adult cycle training.

I've seen this kind of thing come and go over the past 20 years and they have never made a significant difference to the level of cycling on our roads.

Training benefits a small number of individuals. For them it can be very effective, but the number of people who want cycle training is very small.

The major increases in the levels of cycling are all caused by external factors which make cycling more attractive than the car or bus or train. The major examples in London over the past few years are the congestion charge and the bus and tube bombs.

The best way of increasing the levels of cycling in Croydon would be to bring in a congestion charge for the major access routes and the A23.

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cycling, croydon

The London Programme ITV 21/3/08

"Death by Lorry" was a very good programme and well worth catching if it's repeated. Sadly I can't find a version of it online.

It featured 50 seconds of shots of crap cycle facilities in Croydon, including

Tamworth Road/Ruskin Road
[Edit: having taken a closer look whilst out shopping, it's clear that the lane does not go into a one way street as the programme stated, but is part of a plug no entry and signs show the road to be two way from the end of the cycle lane]

South End

High Street (clear shot of Leon House)

and the classic post in the cycle lane at Reeves Corner

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cycling, croydon