Despite strongly-worded concerns from local riders and an MSP, the local council has pronounced an Inverness cycle lane safe.
A stretch of a 'flagship' cycle route between Inverness and a new business and research campus at Beechwood consists of just painted lanes.
Local rider John Clark told The Inverness Courier's Ellie House he would ride on the pavement and risk being fined rather than use the lanes on King Duncan's Road.
Because the road has not been widened, drivers encroach on the lanes in order to pass each other.
“It is absolutely ridiculous to see just how little space there is for cyclists and pedestrians on a road that is already dangerous, particularly in winter,” Mr Clark said. “The lanes for traffic are only slightly bigger than the lanes for cycling.
“I tried to use the cycle route once and it was just too dangerous. You won’t catch me using that lane, it is suicidal.”
But after a safety audit carried out last week a council spokesman said: "There were no major findings which will change the operation of the cycleway/footpath."
MSP John Finnie is not impressed.
"I am absolutely astonished that nothing was identified through this safety audit and I will continue to see if anything can be done about this," he said.
But the local cycling campaign appears to be happy.
The council said: "A representative from the Highland Cycling Campaign attended and was satisfied with the process."
In a comment on the story, zenbikermaniac writes: "I was that representative and can confirm that I was indeed satisfied with the process.
"King Duncan's Road previously made no special provision for cyclists. Now there is a painted lane on both sides. This is far from ideal but it does clearly and repeatedly notify drivers to expect cyclists on the road.
"Motor vehicles are legally allowed to take up all or part of the cycling lane if they need to. But they must always be sure to leave plenty space for any cyclists.
"To allow a minimum 1.5 metre gap during overtaking, a car would have to be well over to the other side of the road. Any driver should be able to judge when this is safe or choose to hang back."
21 thoughts on “Inverness council says “suicidal” cycle lane is safe”
“the cycle lanes on King
“the cycle lanes on King Duncan Road, which vehicles travelling in opposite directions must enter in order to pass each other”
You have to wonder when even cycle campaigners dont understand how cycle markings work.
The photo in the local paper
The photo in the local paper makes it quite clear why the cycle lane is utterly useless and unfit for purpose. It reduces safety for cyclists The road is too narrow so motor vehicles have to encroach into the cycle lane. It would be safer if the cycle lane were removed altogether and cyclists encouraged to ‘take the lane’ so that motor vehicles cannot pass until there is sufficient space. The only other alternative would be to make the pavement mixed use cycle/pedestrian lane at the pinch point.
For the council to claim the cycle lane is safe shows clearly that those making the decisions do not cycle and don’t understand the safety issues.
How wide is that cycle lane?
How wide is that cycle lane? 2.0 m is the national standard. It is allowed to be 1.5 m where there isn’t space. If I was cycling that road without the lane being painted, I wouldn’t cycle as close to the kerb as the outside of the painted lane!
How about two 2.0 m advisory lanes, and no centre line in the road?
cat1commuter wrote:How about
While aware I may incur the wrath of David Hembrow for over simplification/misrepresentation, that is a treatment that the Dutch employ on some roads.
Whether this road is suitable for that treatment or not is a different matter.
Quote:Any driver should be
But is it any cyclist’s experience, that all drivers have good enough judgement, and are patient enough, to wait until it’s safe to overtake?
No, obviously not. That’s why cycling infrastructure is needed – but no crap infrastructure.
I believe Jon Snow is
I believe Jon Snow is appropriate “paint on the road, does not make a cycling facility”.
“Motor vehicles are legally
“Motor vehicles are legally allowed to take up all or part of the cycling lane if they need to. But they must always be sure to leave plenty space for any cyclists.”
So that’s basically the same as not having the lane at all then? Except worse, because drivers will be pissed off if you stray outside the “cycle lane”.
Traffic lane is sub standard
Traffic lane is sub standard to begin with. 7-seater is roughly 2 metres wide, so scaling from that the cycle lane is less than 1 metre (substandard) and the traffic lane probably well under 3 metres.
3.5m is generally accepted as standard traffic lane as most HGV/buses have body width of 2.55 – 2.6m and around 2.8m over mirrors. 3.5m allows for the dynamic envelope required for a non-guided transport system (where space required increases substantially as speed climbs – rail (a guided system) can work to closer limits as the driver cannot let the vehicle wander through failure to control the steering ..
The immediate visual impact is one which TSRGD (road signs manual) deprecates – far too much signage and clutter – because the narrow cycle lanes squeezed in with a centre line on narrow traffic lanes, plus the double yellow lines (why those are needed beggars belief – any vehicle stopped on that section of road would immediately be causing an obstruction and thus subject to removal/fines under s.129.2 Roads Scotland Act 1984 (I think max is same as s.137 HA 1980 (England & Wales) – £1000)
There’s a similar arrangement
There’s a similar arrangement just outside Ambleside in the Lake District, it’s a narrow bit of road just after a set of traffic lights. It’s been there for years, and it’s useless. It’s a token effort to claim that they are putting in infrastructure so they can claim some extra money from Europe.
I get the feeling that the handing out of cash is based around countries that know how to build workable cycling facilities, and can be trusted to do that, whereas in the UK the local councils don’t know what they are doing as far as cycling infrastructure is concerned. They look at a road that is bad to cycle on and think that a bit of green paint will make it all ok.
Just assemble the councillors
Just assemble the councillors at rush hour (when cycle use would be highest) and make them ride down the road
There’s a similar sounding
There’s a similar sounding cycle lane near my commute home – I take occasionally to vary the rest of my route.
It’s not a long road and there is a sign at each end stating “CYCLISTS PRIORITY ROUTE” and other sides stating cars can ‘enter cycle lane when clear’. The road is just wide enough for two cars to pass and they have painted a cycle path 1.5m wide (at a guess) down each sides.
During rush hour it’s lethal. You get completely ignored, the cars just don’t wait and completely ignore what they are being told so if I’m in the lane or not they carry on squeezing past me and cars coming the other way.
It’s OK though because those signs are keeping me safe!
A flagship route indeed. Pic
A flagship route indeed. Pic is of a river.
Either a road is too narrow
Either a road is too narrow for cycle lanes, or a road is wide enough – in which case there is really no point. Why bother? And how does a cycle route end up costing £733000 anyway? Spend the money educating drivers.
“140
Cycle lanes. These are
“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”
is it unavoidable?
@Paul_C but are these lanes
@Paul_C but are these lanes marked by solid lines or dotted lines? The former, cars should never be in them and the police… should be enforcing them. dotted well they are a waste of time.
And lots of dotted lanes are
And lots of dotted lanes are on single yellow lines. If you told anyone that they could only park on those single yellows IF UNAVOIDABLE they’d be surprised. And so would the traffic wardens. Out of single yellow hours, the reality is that they become on-street parking areas. If this isn’t the law, then drivers need to have signs to say so.
but hereabouts a double
but hereabouts a double yellow line just means ‘vehicles parked here should have two wheels on the pavement’.
Issues & potential solution
Issues & potential solution were flagged up on Ranty Highwayman’s blog in Nov 2013:
http://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/king-duncans-road-slippery-slope-or.html
I think zenbikermaniac needs
I think zenbikermaniac needs to have a think about inclusive cycling, not just for the brave and fast.
Looking at it on Google Maps,
Looking at it on Google Maps, I can’t quite see why they didn’t just widen the existing pavement by building further out, and putting an entirely new 2-way cycle path alongside the pavement. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to create a new surface designed to take a couple of hundred pounds here and there.
Peowpeowpeowlasers
which if not done properly puts pedestrians and cyclists in conflict rather than motorists and cyclists.