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#1 ·
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This Parliamentary report is published today.


'The Times' has a summary sheet:



https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/327022731809939458/photo/1

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There is a HM Government epetition:
https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49196

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This blog has a report, starting with this:
Join The Times and thousands of others telling David Cameron to start a cycling revolution today

Today sees the publication of the much anticipated Get Britain Cycling inquiry report. Over the past four months hundreds of hours of evidence have been submitted, pages of statistics compiled, all pointing to the same clear message: Britain's political leaders must act decisively to truly bring about a cycling revolution, with pressure today building on David Cameron himself.

The report opens with a bold and concise message that pulls no punches: "Too many people in the UK feel they have no choice but to travel in ways that are dangerous, unhealthy, polluting and costly, not just to their own wallets but also to the public purse. Urgent action is required to address Britain’s chronic levels of obesity, heart disease, air pollution and congestion...

There is an alternative. When more people cycle or walk, public health improves, obesity reduces and roads become safer. By changing how people travel, we can create places where people want to live, work, shop and do business. We can make people healthier, happier and wealthier. We can save huge costs to our NHS.

To realise the full potential of this vision will require a fundamental cultural shift in the way we think about the way we travel. Cycling needs to be not just a personal option, when we decide how to travel for work, school or leisure, but as a core issue when planning our streets, roads, buildings and communities."




http://ibikelondon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/join-times-and-thousands-of-others.html


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#213 ·



First look at artist's £600m plan for an eight mile floating cycle path on the River Thames


This is the first picture of an ambitious £600 million floating cyclepath on the Thames.

The Thames Deckway would run for eight miles alongside the south bank between Battersea and Canary Wharf. It was designed by artist Anna Hill and architect David Nixon of River Cycleway Consortium.

A spokesman for the consortium said London needed to “think outside the box” to solve its traffic and pollution problems.

Cyclists would be charged a flat rate of £1.50 to use the pathway, with ramps situated at intervals to access streets, along with a series of stopping points and refreshment kiosks.

The consortium is seeking funding for a detailed feasibility study but believes that, if agreed, it could be built within two years.

The cost would be more than 12 times the £47 million predicted bill for two cycle superhighways proposed by Transport for London last month.

These routes run from Tower Hill to Westbourne Terrace, and from King’s Cross to Elephant and Castle, and should create an 18-mile continuous cycle highway.​


(Evening Standard)


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#215 ·
NCE:

The River Cycleway Consortium, which also includes Hugh Broughton Architects, was founded by architect David Nixon and social entrepreneur Anna Hill, who are driving the scheme.

The construction cost of the cycleway – called the Thames Deckway – is estimated at £600M. It would be funded privately, with investors recouping their outlay through a flat-rate single ticket price of £1.50.

A statement from the consortium said: “The river Thames, London’s main transportation thoroughfare from Roman times up to the 19th century, is overlooked today as a major travel artery except for a handful of passenger boats. The Thames offers vast, untapped potential to ease and improve London’s infrastructure problems.

“Proposed as the first step in reinvigorating the river’s historical role as a major movement corridor is a unique concept for a floating pathway called the Thames Deckway. It complements Transport for London’s plan for a new east-west cycling route through central London on the river’s north side by running a similar route on the south side along the river itself.

Designed for cyclists and pedestrians, the Deckway would stretch for 12 kilometres along the river from Battersea to Canary Wharf. It would run close to the river’s edge, away from the main navigation channel, and rise and fall with the Thames’ tidal cycle. There would be embankment ramps at strategic intervals and stopping points. Traffic density, traffic flow, river motion, river wave and any hazardous traffic or weather conditions would be monitored by satellites, weather stations and on-board sensors that relay information directly to the Thames Deckway’s users.

The River Cycleway Consortium is now seeking funding for a study of the project’s environmental, operational, constructional and financial feasibility. It said that once finance is in place, the Deckway could be operational within two years.​

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#217 ·
You have a choice between:

  • sections of the cycleway trying to follow the swell created by passing boats (leading to cycles taking off from the surface, if going at just the right speed), or
  • damping down the vertical movement, and allowing the swell to smash against the side, with vertical cascades of water splashing everyone unless screens were added to that side.

What fun. An extra tourist attraction either way!

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#218 ·
And in the background of the picture there's the Thames Path, which I and many hundreds of cyclists use daily. The Thames Path extends all the way to the Thames Barrier and there's another one, not quite so continuous, on the north bank.

A bit of investment to ensure pedestrians and cyclists can live together happily and, whoopee, you can have two cycle paths along the river without any of that floating nonsense.
 
#219 ·
For all these pie-in-the-sky (or water) schemes seem to want to do is create an 'alternative', where we can all be moved to, when, all we want is *fair* reallocation of *existing* roadspace.

Bringing us back to reality:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...s-about-boris-johson-cycle-superhighway-plans

Dave Hill said:
The City sets out concerns about Boris Johnson cycle superhighway plans

The City of London Corporation has long expressed support for Boris Johnson’s two most eye-catching cycle superhighway plans in principle, but has also voiced reservations about the designs proposed. Those reservations have now been set out in some detail in an initial report by senior Square Mile planning officers. It includes the striking view that the proposals as they stand would have “a significant adverse impact on the City” and reminds the Corporation’s members that, should they wish, they can “delay or stop” the flagship routes’ introduction.

The report, prepared for the City’s planning and transportation committee, expresses significant concerns about “negative impacts” from both the ambitious east-west superhighway and the shorter north-south one on pedestrians, air quality, access for other road users to local streets and the area’s environment in general. It argues that the proposals are not in keeping with Johnson’s declared wish to “create better places for everyone”.

Where pedestrians are concerned, the report welcomes most of the ten new, signalised pedestrian crossings proposed for the two superhighway routes, but is unhappy that some of them are “staggered”, meaning people have to cross roads in two stages rather than one. Noting that pedestrian waiting times at crossings have lengthened in the past decade to benefit motor vehicles, the report says the superhighways will make these waits even longer - nearly two minutes in some cases - and “unreasonably excessive” when what is really required is a reduction.

The report acknowledges that the plans offer more space for pedestrians overall, but says this isn’t always in the places where it’s most needed. It also argues that the east-west route as presently configured would prevent advantage being taken of an opportunity presented by the Thames Tideway, “super-sewer” project to greatly improve pedestrian access to the City along Puddle Dock.

These objections chime with the report’s general take that the superhighway plans are “heavily biased towards cycling” at potentially unacceptable cost to everyone else. It raises concerns about the possible effects of banning some motor traffic movements, such as bringing in no left turn or no right turn rules. These are intended to lessen conflict with cyclists at junctions, but the City report worries about the effects on alternative routes, perhaps through narrow streets, being unacceptable in some cases.

There are questions raised too about possible increased road congestion and resulting air pollution and wider road safety improvement. Transport for London (TfL) is asked to consider a list of suggestions relating to the above and also “alternative design measures” to help the road network cope with road works, and a process for managing traffic flows. A wish is expressed for TfL and the City to work together to “achieve an acceptable outcome” which may entail further impact modelling and another extension to the present consultation deadline of November 9.

This might all sound like rather bad news for Johnson, the “cycling mayor”. But he’s already said the plans are not “set in stone”. And the report ends by insisting that the possible changes the City thinks should be explored:

Are not expected to detract from the mayor’s plans for the segregated cycle routes. They should provide a much more balanced and better outcome for the City and for London.

Read the report for yourself here. Your considered comments are, as ever, entirely welcome.
 
#220 ·
From: http://www.mkweb.co.uk/Milton-Keynes-Council-light-redways-bid/story-23056081-detail/story.html

MK NEWS said:

Milton Keynes Council to light up redways in bid to get more pedestrians using them




Milton Keynes Council is replacing old lighting along redways with new energy efficient LED lights - in a bid to get them more used by pedestrians.

This is the latest round of improvements after the underpass lights were upgraded two years ago. All redway lights will in time be replaced with the energy efficient LED lights in a borough-wide programme.

Vegetation will be cut back to make the entrances to underpasses and along the redways more accessible and visible to make pedestrians and cyclists feel safer.

600 new lamp post columns were installed last year and a further 500 are planned for this financial year with the low energy lanterns.

Upgrades have already been carried out along sections of the V8 Marlborough Street, Railway Walk and the V6 Grafton Street.

The energy-saving lights will reduce carbon dioxide by up to 300 tonnes annually which is the equivalent of 100 households’ energy consumption per year.

This will save the council at least 3 per cent on its overall energy bill, which can be diverted into other projects for the community.

The upgrade is part of the council’s £50m highway investment programme that also includes resurfacing stretches of grid roads, redways and roundabouts and new signage.

Cllr Mick Legg, cabinet member for the public realm, said: “There are three key reasons why we are making these upgrades, firstly to improve visibility on the redways and to reduce our carbon footprint and save the council money which can be better spent elsewhere.”

“We want to encourage people to use the redway network more which is sadly underused – the redways can take you across the borough without the need for going on the grid roads which is safer for cyclists and pedestrians”.
Surely it should be "more pedestrians and cyclists"? Perhaps the council are happy with (low) modal share as it is?
 
#222 · (Edited)



Second phase of London cycling 'Quietways' announced

Phase two of London's cycle "Quietways" scheme has been announced, extending segregated cycle lanes and junction changes to all 32 boroughs.

Phase one comprises seven routes in 15 boroughs, the first of which are due to open in spring 2015.

Phase two will re-shape roads and junctions in Ealing and Twickenham town centres and other major thoroughfares.

A "significant number" of the new projects should be under way by 2016, the mayor's office said.​


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-29712820


(from a week ago.)


PLUS:



Quietways and the long road to change for cyclists


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28008213

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#224 ·
The Peckham Coal Line - part of a new greenway for south london

Dear London Cyclists,

Please support the Peckham Coal Line community park project - this is an initiative to connect Peckham’s neighbourhoods by creating a new linear link park between Queens Road Peckham & Rye Lane along the disused Rickett coal sidings.

This, highline for south London if you like, also has much wider network potential; by linking two parts of the national cycle network it could be possible to create a fairly continuous green route stretching from Brixton to Rotherhithe by linking presently disjointed parks & greenways.

Any support, advice, ideas and spreading the word about this project would be great - be a part of this new (useful) park for London from the beginning and help make it happen. To follow our progress - please 'like' the facebook page. Thanks for your support.

f: https://www.facebook.com/peckhamcoalline

w: http://peckhamcoalline.strikingly.com

t: @peckhamcoalline



 
#226 · (Edited)
Could someone sumarize to me what routes are the issue of overcrowding and how many different lanes those streets/crossings have?

Using A map in your post makes it A bit more comprehensable to me.

Since I'm from Amsterdam and did cycle for most of my 33 year long life, I might have a few good suggestions.

I did read the thread, though I do have some memory issues which makes it harder for me to remember all the things mentioned.
I did remember one thing though:
It is indeed A good idea is not to copy one on one, what has been done in Holland/The Netherlands, Denmark or Germany.

In my opinion the more crowded sections need customised solution(s) to the square inch tailored to specific needs.

"Reasonably" calm sections in city & region will probably sufice with either A seperate path or different colored part of road and/or A simple speed reduction.

Bit off-topic:
My memory issues are rather complex in nature & also suffer from other health issues, if my spelling or grammar is not up to the usual British standard, I do appologize up front.


Thank you kindly.
 
#228 ·
An interesting overview of the process the Netherlands went through to increase their cycling use after decades of decline:

How Amsterdam became the bicycle capital of the world



Anyone who has ever tried to make their way through the centre of Amsterdam in a car knows it: the city is owned by cyclists. They hurry in swarms through the streets, unbothered by traffic rules, taking precedence whenever they want, rendering motorists powerless by their sheer numbers.

Cyclists rule in Amsterdam and great pains have been taken to accommodate them: the city is equipped with an elaborate network of cycle-paths and lanes, so safe and comfortable that even toddlers and elderly people use bikes as the easiest mode of transport. It’s not only Amsterdam which boasts a network of cycle-paths, of course; you’ll find them in all Dutch cities.

The Dutch take this for granted; they even tend to believe these cycle-paths have existed since the beginning of time. But that is certainly not the case. There was a time, in the 1950s and 60s, when cyclists were under severe threat of being expelled from Dutch cities by the growing number of cars. Only thanks to fierce activism and a number of decisive events would Amsterdam succeed in becoming what it is, unquestionably, now: the bicycle capital of the world.



The share of trips made by bicycle in Amsterdam plunged from 80% to 20% between the 1950s and 70s. Source: Bruheze and Veraart

At the start of the 20th century, bikes far outnumbered cars in Dutch cities and the bicycle was considered a respectable mode of transport for men and women. But when the Dutch economy began to boom in the post-war era, more and more people were able to afford cars, and urban policymakers came to view the car as the travel mode of the future. Entire Amsterdam neighbourhoods were destroyed to make way for motorised traffic. The use of bikes decreased by 6% every year, and the general idea was that bicycles would eventually disappear altogether.

All that growing traffic took its toll. The number of traffic casualties rose to a peak of 3,300 deaths in 1971. More than 400 children were killed in traffic accidents that year.

This staggering loss led to protests by different action groups, the most memorable of which was Stop de Kindermoord (“stop the child murder”). Its first president was the Dutch former MEP, Maartje van Putten.

“I was a young mother living in Amsterdam and I witnessed several traffic accidents in my neighbourhood were children got hurt,” van Putten, 63, recalls. “I saw how parts of the city were torn down to make way for roads. I was very worried by the changes that took place in society – it affected our lives. The streets no longer belonged to the people who lived there, but to huge traffic flows. That made me very angry.







Continued here
 
#229 ·
Norwich Pedaleway fiasco

A year or so back Norwich won a grant - known as the "Cycle City Ambitions grant" from the Dept of Transport to improve cycling infrastructure in the city. What happened is little short of a scandal.

Chunks of the grant - indeed huge chunks - have been siphoned off into cosmetic street works unrelated to cycling. In the city this has resulted in what is probably the country's most expensive but short section of almost useless cycle track, but more about that later.

For now take a look at this from the Norwich Cycle Campaign (FB page) about the horrendous situation on The Avenues.

The Avenues is the busiest cycling street in the city and region, feeding as it does the local university UEA, hospital, large school and Science Park. The council decided it didn't have enough money to build proper cycle tracks and so painted lines on the road. The layout we have now is fine for streets with low volumes of traffic but The Avenues isn't like that, it's a major commuter route with large buses running. Traffic is two way.

The present situation is stupidly dangerous. But the council has found money - from the cycle grant - to provide parking spaces for private cars along the road. That development has happened since the video below was made.

It is really an unbelievable situation which hopefully will develop into something of an issue locally. Here's a video to explain the problems



Derek
 
#231 · (Edited)



Setting the first walking and cycling
investment strategy


I am today (17 December 2015) publishing the government’s timetable for the development of the first cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS).

In February 2015, the government introduced a duty through the Infrastructure Act 2015 for the Secretary of State for Transport to bring forward a cycling and walking investment strategy in England. In July, part 2 of the Infrastructure Act (Cycling and Walking Investment Strategies) was enacted.

The document, Setting the first cycling and walking investment strategy, sets a long term vision for walking and cycling to 2040 through a series of consecutive 5 year strategies. Our starting principle for the development of the investment strategy is a desire for cycling and walking to become the norm for short journeys or as part of a longer journey in places that are designed first and foremost for people on foot or bicycle.

The document also sets out the elements that will form the first investment strategy, which will be a step towards delivering our manifesto commitment to double cycling - an ambition document and statement of funds available, governance structures, a performance monitoring framework, and a national walking and cycling infrastructure plan study. I plan to undertake public consultation on the draft first CWIS next spring with publication following in the summer.

I will be placing a copy of this statement and the document ‘Setting the first cycling and walking investment strategy’ in the libraries of both Houses. [Which unlike many other libraries, are not being closed.]

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#233 ·
It's not an (M) any more, hasn't been since 2000 or so.

To be honest this is the most pointless cycle track I've ever seen, there's no way to get on to it apart from way back on the A40 or from Marylebone Road at the other end - something like 5 miles or so.

All those little streets full of houses below are completely inaccessible from the road.

Derek
 
#235 ·
Well, there aren't any plans to build extra ramps for a start, but more importantly it's a very high flyover. Having a ramp to get up would be very long indeed, and another to get down. Cyclists just wouldn't use a route like that.

And I do wonder what's planned for the Shepherds Bush interchange with the old M41? Presumably the cycle track will have to go along the slips and round the roundabout rather than over the top?

No, it looks good on drawings, but it won't fly, it's a stupid idea.

Cycle tracks are needed at ground level where people actually live and where traffic needs restricting anyway.

That's the thing about cycle traffic, it has no use for bypasses or flyovers - or traffic lights come to that. Bikes need to go more or less wherever walkers can go, although hopefully in separate tracks.

Derek
 
#239 ·
Horses for courses I guess. Looks like there isn't much room on the A40 for a safe cycle track. No, I live in Nottingham so don't know the area at all. I'm just dead keen for faster biking routes through cities. Because it's such a let down when a new route turns out to be no quicker than an old one.
 
#240 ·
Westway is 5.6Km long, which means a 5.6Km cycle track with no way on or off. That seems excessive to me.

It's also elevated, so totally exposed to the elements in a way London streets just aren't.

I suppose some hard core MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In Lycra) will use it, but it's hardly going to promote utility cycling.

Derek
 
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