"Useful to this group" needs a little qualifying and quantifying as a justification/measure of success.
As you say, wingpig, the existing road network is useful to existing cyclists, and the thing to be done is to make it useful to all cyclists, including the Interested but Concerned (about 60% of the population). How?
This is from the chapter entitled 'Daring to redistribute space and means':
Some towns are short of space, even on the major routes. Taking a political decision to reduce the space allotted to cars (whether for traffic or for parking) in order to create facilities for cyclists requires a certain amount of skill, entails explanations for the population and has to be implemented gradually.
If a cycle network is established, and made to work, the next time a major road gets resurfaced, say, it can be put back differently.
I am guessing that you have already seen this blog from Mark Wagenbuur. If not, be sure to check out the video at the end.
And now let's assume the major road is not incorporated into the cycle network. What happens the next time it needs to be resurfaced? What can you say to convince people it would / should be put back differently?
It has been argued here that if the network is introduced to a minimum level of functioning, the next time a road needs to be resurfaced, the Council might say: "There are more cyclists using this road now, and cycling KSIs are much reduced; we don't need to put the road back differently."
However, I believe that the Council are sincere in their desire to enable more people to cycle. I believe that if they are shown the most effective way forward, they would be very receptive to a more holistic approach.
The more people can see and understand the bigger picture, the more supportive they will be. (Dave Horton)
I also believe they won't go anywhere near this proposal unless it is endorsed by the cycling community in Edinburgh.
Let us remind ourselves what Ricardo Marques Sillero had to say:
Sometimes politicians want to check first if the idea works, for instance making one or two isolated bike paths before making a stronger decision. But isolated cycle paths are almost useless if they’re not connected, making a network from the beginning. Therefore people don’t use them and the politician becomes disappointed.
So we need to give them the very strong message that bits and pieces here and there don't work. We need to say that we have a signing strategy which is much, much better than one colour per route. We need to say that the proposed network would provide the foundation from which to build upwards. We need them to understand that we are prepared to compromise in order to meet a long-term objective. We need them to understand by how much we need to compromise, as well. We need them to understand that the key is sustained investment, and that introducing the network is but one step, that's all.
@ edd1e_h
I'll get back to you.
@ IWRATS
I am not the chief executive. I have drawn some lines on a map. I have read a book which explains how to start. I have developed some software to enable the feasibility of a cycle network to be studied. I have said that I would be prepared to "give" this software to Spokes, for them to use. I am waiting to hear back from Spokes.
posts
