I didn't realise that we had any mandatory cycle lanes in Edinburgh, but just saw ref to one on twitter - [edit] Queensferry Road. The Canaan lane contraflow is also a solid line.
Any others? Anyone know why these are mandatory and others aren't?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Mandatory cycle lanes
(31 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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The new Meadows cycle lane is mandated by an unbroken white line, the other side is a pavement.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Can you define Mandatory please? Are these something cyclists are prohibited from cycling outside, or something motorvehicles are prohibited from driving/parking within?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Can you define Mandatory please? Are these something cyclists are prohibited from cycling outside, or something motorvehicles are prohibited from driving/parking within?
Both.
{EDIT yes, take that back, the latter!]
Posted 10 years ago # -
@davec - the latter. the broken lined ones are 'advisory'. that's why cars can park on them, drive on them, queue on them etc.
i don't have any illusions that mandatory cycle lanes would be enforced, but I thought we didn't have any. so curious to know if there are more around. and why.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Also off road, the solid line only means you can't ride on the pedestrian side. It doesn't mean you have to ride on the bike side, since it's legal to ride on the grass.
I too didn't think we had any mandatory cycle lanes, since that might create a situation which resulted in fewer drivers obstructing them.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Isn't the Canonmills contraflow lane also mandatory? I cycled along it the other day, and pretty sure it had an unbroken white line.
EDIT: no, maybe not. However part of it is fully segregated...
Posted 10 years ago # -
more info here http://ukcyclerules.com/2011/03/10/do-cycle-lanes-have-any-legal-significance/
and here from the Highway code
140
Cycle lanes. These are shown by road markings and signs. You MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation. Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable. You MUST NOT park in any cycle lane whilst waiting restrictions apply.
Law RTRA sects 5 & 8@baldcyclist - pretty sure that cyclists are not required to stay inside mandatory lane
Posted 10 years ago # -
Aye, realised my mistook, and did an edit. Just like a bus lane, buses are allowed outside, but no-one else inside...
Posted 10 years ago # -
SRD - The advice to roads authorities is that cycle contraflow lanes should be mandatory (although they don't have to be) for cyclist safety reasons.
I've never seen a mandatory cycle lane on Queensferry Road, there is a bus lane long part of it I suppose. However, I'm not down that way very often and may have missed it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
From SRD's link -
"
So mandatory cycle lanes should generally keep motorists out, and if a motorist drives into the lane in normal traffic conditions, they’ve probably committed an offence. But this may depend on the details of local legislation.
"
Mmm, get really expect anyone to know if last bit is true!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Here's the pic of mandatory lane that @snowcycleuk posted
Posted 10 years ago # -
"The advice to roads authorities is that cycle contraflow lanes should be mandatory (although they don't have to be) for cyclist safety reasons."
Although on Canaan lane I have seen the occasional car driving down the cycle lane (not always by mistake) and have also seen a cyclist cycling the wrong way down the lane.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"on Canaan lane I have seen the occasional car driving down the cycle lane"
The road is do narrow that that is inevitable in places when cars are parked (legally).
But it works and shows there could be plenty more contra-flow cycle lanes if CEC could be bothered.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I meant, driving in the wrong direction (i.e. in the direction of the contraflow)!
Posted 10 years ago # -
Ah!
Yes that is an occasional hazard.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Is that a mandatory cycle lane? I'm not sure it is, as the photo shows it isn't part of the carriageway (i.e. road). It looks more like a cycle track. The legal discrepancy that it is an offence to drive on a footway but not to park on it also applies to cycle tracks. I could be wrong though, as I haven't seen this in real life and only have one photo to go on.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@morningsider - you may be right. i don't know that road at all.
The contra-flow that leads to MMW - the one with bollards down the side - is also a solid line.
so, is it now established that only mandatory lanes are the contrflow ones?
Posted 10 years ago # -
@ Morningsider and @ SRD,
The photo is indeed "off-road". The cycle lane on-road approaches the roundabout at Queensferry Terrace and then allows/encourages you to bypass the roundabout queue by joining the pavement.
StreetView link, looking westwards (i.e. leaving the city) from the roundabout.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Keep forgetting to mention this actual solid-lined mandatory lane on Newcraighall road where it goes beneath the A1. There's another little bit approaching the same junction from the other direction too.
Posted 10 years ago # -
CEC are planning to make the cycle lane on the W. Approach Rd mandatory.
I have no idea why. Perhaps so they can say they have a mandatory lane somewhere in the city, without upsetting the chipwrapper commenteers?
Posted 10 years ago # -
There's a cycle lane on the W. Approach?
Posted 10 years ago # -
I think there's a bit of one coming back the way now too.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I've never gone so far as classing that as a "cycle lane".
Posted 10 years ago # -
Why not?
Apart from the fact that it goes into a hotel car park. Who thought that it would be useful to have a cycle lane to a hotel car park?Posted 10 years ago # -
Why not?
My personal opinion is that it takes more than a bit of paint on a 5-lane bit of otherwise vehicle-only road to magically turn it into an acceptable cycling facility.Posted 10 years ago # -
Does it not come out the other end of the car park?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Don't know, but might try it one lunchtime.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@kaputnik fair enough. I thought you had an issue with that particular cycle lane!
(I think that the lane is probably resulting in more people cycling on the Western Approach Road. People see the lane and so start down there, and when it vanishes off the the left they think "that can't be right" and so go straight on. Cycle "infrastructure" that randomly appears and disappears is hardly unusual, after all.)
Posted 10 years ago # -
I think the WAR cycle lane is only there because in true UK-useless-cycle-infra-style the bike parking is in the semi-underground car park!
So, instead of putting the bike parking directly outside the shops/businesses/places you want to go, they've hidden it somewhere to avoid cluttering up the place with 'ugly' bikes
Posted 10 years ago #
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