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Pedestrian zone cyclist.JPGSustrans: Racers not welcome on shared use paths
Sustrans has told cyclists not to race on shared use paths, telling riders to slow down or even keep off traffic-free paths, which are also used by pedestrians and wheelchair users.
The sustainable transport charity has also called for apps like Strava, which allow cyclists to virtually race each other and their own best times, to highlight routes that are deemed inappropriate for riding fast on.
According to Sustrans themselves: "evidence shows that conflict between cyclists and pedestrians on walking and cycling routes is rare, but irresponsible behaviour by a small minority can be unsettling."
Malcolm Shepherd, Sustrans’ Chief Executive, said: “Traffic-free walking and cycling paths are not the place for reckless cycling speed demons; they cater to a variety of users by providing a safe, non-threatening environment to travel in.
“The anti-social behaviour of a very small number of cyclists is making everyone feel less safe – it would be great for the online community to take action by pointing the finger at people doing the wrong thing.
“As we continue to campaign for greater respect on our roads, its vital those of us using bikes give respect to everyone, and slow down on walking and cycling paths”
CTC spokeman Roger Geffen was in broad agreement with Sustrans, saying: “CTC strongly supports responsible behaviour by all road users, drivers and cyclists alike.
“Equally though, walkers can feel as intimated by fast cycling on shared-use paths as cyclists are by fast driving.
“In particular, people with physical or sensory disabilities have a right to enjoy the great outdoors without being startled, even if they aren’t actually endangered.
“As cyclists, we need to show them the same respect that we want drivers to show us on the roads.”
Sustrans has designed a cyclist's code of conduct, which you can read here.
The advice for cyclists is:
- Give way to pedestrians and wheelchair users;
- Take care around horse-riders, leaving them plenty of room, especially when approaching from behind;
- Be courteous and patient with pedestrians and other path users who are moving more slowly than you – shared paths are for sharing, not speeding;
- Cycle at a sensible speed and do not use the paths for recording times with challenge apps or for fitness training;
- Slow down when space is limited or if you cannot see clearly ahead;
- Be particularly careful at junctions, bends, entrances onto the path, or any other ‘blind spots’ where people (including children) could appear in front of you without warning;
- Keep to your side of any dividing line;
- Carry a bell and use it, or an audible greeting, to avoid surprising people or horses;
- However, don’t assume people can see or hear you – remember that many people are hard of hearing or visually impaired;
- In dull and dark weather make sure you have lights so you can be seen.
It's not the first time Sustrans has spoken out about shared use paths; in fact you could say it is something of a campaign.
Just last week we reported how in an opinion piece for bristol247.com, Jon Usher of Sustrans calls for some cyclists to slow down, lest we all be “perceived by pedestrians in the same way we perceive cars. We are becoming the menace that needs taming,” he writes - something we noted was based on opinon rather than evidence.
Usher, the Sustrans area manager for Bristol, Bath and South Glos, writes that he thinks the recent increase in popularity of fast road bikes is damaging the perception of bike riders.
“The sale of racing bikes [is] up across the board,” he says, as the success of British cyclists inspires people to take to two wheels and drop handlebars. “However, this surge in sporting goods for leisure is percolating rapidly through to the urban cycling for transport realms.
“This transition has meant a shift from a relatively slow, cumbersome machine in urban environments to something much faster.”
In February, the charity highlighted an incident involving a dog and a bike to make the case that all users of shared paths should take more care, and in December warned cyclists, and in particular those using Strava-like apps, that pedestrians had priority on shared use paths.
In May we reported that Sustrans had threatened that barriers would be placed on a popular cycling route to force cyclists to cut their speeds unless some of them start showing more consideration for walkers and children following a number of incidents in which people have reported feeling threatened by bike riders travelling riding at inappropriate speeds through Bristol's Ashton Court Estate.
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55 comments
In the Netherlands, the cycle routes are usually the direct way between two points, and the motor traffic is obliged to take the longer way.
In the UK, the direct routes are on road, and the Sustrans paths are anything but direct.
That doesn't excuse bad cycling on shared paths, of course. But it does explain a bit of the hostility towards Sustrans from people on here, who will tend to be cycling longer distances and want to get there more quickly.
That was short hand for 'as quick as it is possible for that individual to do so comfortably'
Im 30, have had a few driving lessons but provisional licence expired. I use bike 95% time, local trains and buses other time (bus is soooo slow!). My average at the moment for a commute is 13-14mph for 4.5mile.
I do use some shared paths (its actually a footpath with a shared sign down the side of a dual-carriage way, barely wide enough to pass a pedestrian even if they squeeze against the barrier) but if i took the full 'sustrans' route it would be 6mile, and have at least 3 sets of lights id have to wait at to cross the road i just ride down. It also has numerous other sections to slow you down, such as poor surface, puddles/mud, barriers to stop motorbikes etc. Plus, as discussed above, slowing for other users.
Often get dirty looks for daring to be on the road when there is a 'cyclepath' available and thats my issue, council/sustrans only making provision for people who dont want to be on the road means I get harassed for not using it!!!
There were a couple of Sustrans people with a big banner reading "Do You Want more paths like this?" at the end of the Cambridge Guided busway shared-use path at the railway stationrecently- they'd previously been down at the south end of the narrowe "Genome" path. This time I stopped to tell them that no, I'd rather have wider segregated paths, that the shared use is a nasty compromise and too narrow.
Trouble on my commute is that NOT using it means going further on hostile roads with, if I'm I'm lucky, a white line painted far too close to the kerb for comfort. Some Sustrans routes are conveniantly more direct- and thus attractive to long distance "racing" commuters.
I guess it was too much to expect for people to say that those guidelines are fair and sensible and should hardly be worth saying for anyone with a modicum of common sense.
The issue if dedicated v shared paths is another debate entirely.
I don't think we have a fundamental failure of shared paths, more a fundamental failure of some to recognise what they are for. : )
And many people who would like to cycle don't, exactly because cars and bikes _doesn't_ work.
It does mean of course that a section of the cycling population, ie those who want to go fast and direct are not well catered for - but that doesn't mean that Sustrans routes fail.
problem is that there are alot of people around who won't act according to common sense, to ask people to behave is going to fail. If you want people to behave then you are going to have to make them.
And lets not forget that there's a whole other category of cyclist - those who would like to but don't because sharing the road is too scary. Sustrans routes are a good place for them to start building confidence - not good if they have to share with much faster impatient people.
Which is?
Most paths i know are to be blunt crap, lots of side roads, walkers, tree roots etc.
If you want to use them fine, but the design is imo worse than the road running alongside. Infact the existance of a substandard path actually makes my life worse as car drivers then believe i am in the wrong for not using the path.
My route to work is achievable on a sustrans route, but my 17mile route would be around 25miles with a fair chunk on gravel road. As this is rural there are very few cyclists using it, and very very few who wouldn't be traveling fast, throw into the mix that there are very few walkers. The only sections that are surfaced are the urban sections where the greatest numbers of cyclists and pedestrians are!
It just doesn't make any sense.
(One section is an old railway line so totally away from cars. of course some idiot has decided to create a Strava segment and set a speed of c30mph.)
If I wrote that on a motoring forum saying it's ok to do 80mph in a 60 as long as conditions allow would you think that to be acceptable?
FWIW I'm a firm believer in riding and driving to the conditions and also my ability.
I think you'll find I did exactly that. The problem is that sustrans are confusing racing bikes with irresponsible riding and ignoring the serious problems on their paths This code will achieve little eexcept demonize riders of racing bikes.
Last time I checked there are no speed limits on shared paths. Just Sustran's code, which is common sense and doesn't forbid 20+mph (in appropriate circumstances).
This is different to doing 80mph in a 60mph limit because that entails breaking the law. So no, I do not think it's ok to break the law just because sometimes I do 20+mph on an empty shared use path.
Quote from the code of conduct:
"The tranquillity of these paths is something people value greatly, and all path users need to respect this."
"Cyclists tend to be the fastest movers on these paths, but the paths aren’t suitable for high speeds so it’s important to keep cycling speed under control. Remember that they are for sharing, not for speeding. If you wish to travel quickly, train for fitness or record personal best times, this is better done on quiet roads."
Yes big problem - lack of education of motorists, not sure what the solution is except brave it out.
I suppose it's a fact that faster cyclists just aren't catered for. But I think that's something to campaign to government about not Sustrans with their limited budget.
That's undoubtedly true but I think there's a discrepancy hiding in there between what a cyclist thinks is necessary to behave responsibly and what say a walker or slow unconfident cyclist believes. A fast confident rider knows how much braking distance they need but a walker hearing you coming up behind them may not understand that and may feel anxious or alarmed, which is what the code of conduct is trying to avoid.
You could say well it's up to the walkers to learn, but I personally think respecting other people means accepting that they may be alarmed by behaviour which you feel is not putting them at risk.
If you think £48 million/year (Sustrans spending year ending March 2013) is a limited budget then I want your income!
But of course you're right. It's better that bicycles on the roads that were built for them is left to a few volunteer-led groups instead of Sustrans's army of paid workers. Sustrans should just keep taking the bulk of cycling charity money (it dwarfs the CTC Charitable Trust's £4 million/year) and using it to portray fast cyclists as lycra louts.
Riding like an idiot on a shared use path is simply stupid but I have to say that the pedestrians who walk in cycle lanes are just as bad. Where I live in Southsea we have a cycle lane along the seafront which actually runs in parallel with a pedestrianised promenade. Even so you still get idiots who walk in the cycle lane.
Considering the vast amount of pedestrian use only areas, aka pavements and footpaths, it seems strange to try and remove cyclists from cycle useable infrastructure.
It is challenging to try and provide infrastructure for a wide range of users, I don't think the solution is to restrict usage.
And demonising cyclists really is un-acceptable. Its not a problem with people on road bikes, its a problem with people who have no courtesy or respect for others, they can be on a road bike, a 29er, a foldable bike. They might even be a pedestrian, a horse rider, a person with a scooter, a dog walker, a group of drunken people.
The fact that they have decided to brand an entire group of people as dangerous individuals is despicable and dishonest.
Above all it makes no sense, what is the point of their national cycle network, a long distance cycle network that covers the whole of the UK. When you can't cycle fast enough to get anywhere in a reasonable length of time?
Sustrans as a charity have really lost their way.
The biggest problem I find is where pedestrianized areas suddenly get a cycle lane added... You would not believe the amount of tutting, sucking of teeth you get in London in particular. I always ride carefully on shared use paths (a dad of 2 & dog owner) but I still get accused of being selfish & intimidating when I ride with zero risk of harm/shock to others (Wandsworth & Wimbledon are particularly bad
Bottom line is that there are just those unwilling to share. That said we can all do our bit politely informing wayward cyclists & shot nosed pedestrians. It does get better over time when everyone beds in...
There are few of these long distance shared use paths around that I can think of, but the biggest one around the South Gloucestershire area is route 4, which uses a reallocated railway bed for it's path, this path has been threatened to be returned to public transport use by the local authorities a number of times, given it's location and direct route, and it's often promoted as a fast and convenient way to travel from the suburbs of Bristol and the South Gloucestershire area into the Cities of Bristol and Bath. Taxpayers money is currently being spent to extend access to the cycle path out to Yate, with the view of providing a safe route (primarily for cyclists - bearing in mind pedestrians already have a wealth of safe routes, although I wouldn't deny them access to any route - people will go where they want to go, they won't go where they don't want to go)to and from East Bristol, Bristol and Bath using this route. Given the routes previous value as a railway bed, and potential value as a public transport route, it seems Local Authorities are providing this to be used by all cyclists, fast ones, slow ones, commuters, there are businesses appearing and taking advantage of the passing trade, cycle shops and cafés welcome cyclists using these routes. I can understand the concern about speed of cyclists on these routes, but telling people they're not welcome is the wrong message and certainly is not the message given out by the local authority.
Finally this: Owning and operating a bicycle is something of a luxury to many people, having somewhere to keep a bicyle is also a luxury, having a choice of bicycle is even more such a luxury, a lot of people may choose one bike and stick with it, be that a road bike, moutain bike, shopping bike, folding bike, e-bike or touring bike, demonising any of them is not the way forward.
Huh? How do you get to work? Thousands on rail passes if you're lucky enough for that to be possible, thousands on running and parking a car, hundreds on bus passes, or hours walking? A bicycle seems a logical use of a few score pounds a year.
I agree about the other bits, especially the non demonization.
I mean not everyone lives in a place where keeping a bicycle is easy, it's not necessarily about the cost of the bicycle, but limited space and landlords do quite a good job at making it hard to own a bicycle (I don't have this problem personally but I know people who have nowhere to keep a bicycle but in their main living space).
This issue isn't just about motorists / cyclists and cyclists / pedestrians. It's society in general. There are many people today who are oblivious to anyone around them. They're in their own little world, and focus only on themselves and what they want / need.
You see in behavior every day that there are people who do not care about anything outside their own little bubble. This then transfers to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians when they are making their journeys. It's by no means everyone - I do cycle past pedestrians & dog owners who will move over on the path for me, and drivers who will give me space on the road. The ones who don't do this are the ones who are not aware of the needs of anyone else they interact with as they are only concerned about themselves.
People need to learn to look out for each other again.
Sure, I agree having somewhere safe to keep a bicycle can be a luxury, but it's usually still cheaper to own and operate one than not. When I lived in a rented flat, I kept my bike locked up in racks outside. I do have a scary-looking lock, but I could have bought a second-hand bike every two months for less than the cost of parking a car anywhere near the flat for that time. Even in that situation, operating a bicycle is currently the cheapest way of getting around unless your time is so cheap that walking beats it.
That's far too sensible
Are you sure you're on the right forum?
Respect? Respect and a couple of quid will buy you a coffee!
"How precisely can I ride with 'respect'? I'm not showing disrespect when I use cycle lanes, nor by using the road where the cycle lane is outright dangerous. I'm not being disrespectful when I turn right or left at a junction or pick the lane I actually need to be in. In short, nothing I'm doing is demonstrating a lack of 'respect' for other road users." from http://cambridgecyclist.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/showing-respect-to-motori...
I put it down to too much mixed traffic on the paths which is ultimately down to over dense housing. One answer to over capacity is to contruct more paths.
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