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Meanwhile in Poole

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    Poole Council is getting the Daily Mail treatment for daring to make life easier/safer for cyclists.

    The new bike lane width might be slightly over the top BUT the idea is that there is room for fast cyclists to pass slower ones within the lane and allow cars to pass too.

    Of course what the Daily Mail doesn't bother to show is what the road used to look like. For this we have to thank the marvel of Google Street View.

    SO, previously the Council (as is common) thought it necessary to protect motorists from each other by separating them with a wide hatching zone. People on bicycles probably felt excluded, or scared.

    In Edinburgh it would be nice if the vast expanse of hatching on the delightful Braid Hills Road was removed and a really wide cycle lane added. Of course to improve 'road safety' it might be necessary to reduce the speed limit too...

    Posted 14 years ago #

  2. Kim
    Member

    Good for Poole Council for doing something, shame the cyclist in the picture is gutter hugging, she had been riding in a proper secondary the Daily Wail would truly have had a fit!

    As for the Braid Hills, it is interesting that the CEC along with most councils take the approach that "road safety" is only for drivers, other road user can only be made safe by keeping them off the roads.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    The point of the wide cycle lane is to allow faster cyclists to pass, so being in the middle of it would not be helpful.

    Looks like the road has been resurfaced too, so being near the gutter won't be a problem (unlike most roads in Edinburgh!)

    Posted 14 years ago #

  4. Kim
    Member

    According to a Poole Council spokesperson on the radio this morning, the purpose of the wide cycle lane is to get drivers to give cyclist room, which is to be commended.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  5. Kim
    Member

    And according to the Daily Telegraph "AA, raised safety fears over it". Who's safety?

    Posted 14 years ago #

  6. Smudge
    Member

    Has to be said though that on the top photo the car lane appears to be narrower than a fairly average car, rathre self defeating if that is the case!
    It (the photo) may however be deceptive in which case good stuff!

    Posted 14 years ago #

  7. cb
    Member

    The B7062 heading east out of Peebles is a bit like this.

    Streetview

    The paint's a bit faded so the effect isn't quite so obvious, but the 'space' for cars in each direction isn't wide enough for cars.
    However in this case the squeeze is caused by the road being quite narrow, rather than by extra wide cycle lanes.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  8. Kim
    Member

    The point which the AA and most drivers seem to miss is that HC Rule 163 clearly states "Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so" and

    The real problem here is that this is only advice and while ignoring it could be describe as driving without due care and attention, it rarely is. If we had a law of Strict Liability then it would be a lot clear to drivers where they responsibility lies.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  9. wee folding bike
    Member

    The road from Eaglesham to the A77 has cycle lanes on both sides and passing places for the cars because the space between the cycle lanes is so narrow. I think it's because there are cycle tracks in the Whiteless Windfarm so they expect lots of bikes to use it.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  10. LaidBack
    Member

    Poole is quite a busy place and technically a good port to use for France as it did have a direct train from Edinburgh.

    The LB Family has been through it twice on bikes on way to St Malo. This was in 2004 and we noticed a few good things and some not so good.

    • Nearest railway is effectively Bournemouth. We stayed in a budget Travel Lodge which had a locked area in the underground car park for bikes (and broken chairs. tables!) So far so good.

    • Heading on the 6 mile journey to ferry port at Poole you may feel it best to take the promenade. Wrong!! This has a bike ban after 10am - and it's enforced by the Beach Patrol on bikes (!) Owners of beach huts that park their car at their private beach hut campaigned to remove the risk of being run over by a bike. Remember... this is the town that had radar traps for bikes going over 12mph!

    • The roads are narrow and quickly block up. We saw few cyclists. We also noticed that more pedestrian crossings were needed.

    Good on them for starting somewhere, though I suspect the Top Gear fraternity will ignore a painted line when traffic is busy.

    Closer to Poole NCN?(can't remember), does give cyclists break from the busy roads.

    Posted 14 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    "What's wrong with a bike lane that cyclists can use safely?"

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/apr/25/cycle-lane-press-criticism

    Posted 14 years ago #

  12. Kim
    Member

    Finally someone in the News media writing something sensible! Maybe we should run a campaign to get all the daily papers to give away a free copy of the Highway Code with each paper sold for a week. That way people might realise what it actually says, and that it is different from what they think it is.

    Posted 14 years ago #

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