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Orca lane divider (image via North East Motorcycle Action Group)Newcastle motorcyclists claim 'Orca' cycle lane separators could prove lethal
The North East Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) says that lane dividers installed along Great North Road in Gosforth could result in someone being killed. Newcastle City Council has installed the ‘Orcas’ to separate a cycle lane from the road.
On its website, the group describes the Orcas as “narrow humped back obstructions on the flat road surface that have not been passed for use by the Department of Transport.” The group suggests that any motorcyclist or scooter rider who hits one “will at best be thrown to the ground and at worst killed by forcing them into collision with another motor vehicle.”
Chronicle Live reports that MAG has called for a meeting with councillors to discuss the issue.
Katalina Ferguson, a spokeswoman for the group, said: “It’s mad. In order to try and protect cyclists from cars they have sacrificed the safety of motorcyclists and scooterists by reducing their available road space and then throwing obstacles in their way. In Manchester, where these were trialled, even the cyclists are against them.”
Mad Cycle Lanes of Manchester has documented many of the places in which similar lane dividers, known as 'Armadillos', have been employed in the city, and as you might have gathered from the blog’s title, it hasn’t been entirely complimentary. Criticisms include that they aren’t large enough to deter drivers while still being of sufficient size to be a hazard for cyclists; that they can be hard to see; and that they aren’t particularly durable.
A Newcastle City Council spokeswoman described the Orca separators as ‘light segregation’ and admitted that they are not approved by the Department for Transport (DfT).
“No segregation would mean that only the white line was provided, and this is only sufficient on quieter or lightly trafficked streets. On busier roads, this provides no physical protection to cyclists, and would not encourage increased usage of safer cycling infrastructure as is the aim of the safety fund that paid for these changes.
“While these orcas do not require DfT approval, there is a legal requirement for the cycle lane separator to be installed behind a continuous white line at the edge of the carriageway, which clearly indicates a mandatory cycle lane.
“The DfT’s view is that such items are considered as street furniture, in a similar way to bollards or guardrail, which could also be placed behind the edge of the carriageway without any approval required.”
The spokeswoman said that a risk assessment had been carried out for various different measures and that no evidence had been found to suggest that this form of lane divider should not be considered on the grounds of potential health and safety concerns.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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69 comments
As far as I can see, the orcas/armadillos will only present a problem when the motorcyclist tries to enter the cycles-only lane.
According to the newspaper item, there are two whole lanes for motorised traffic as well as the segregated section for bicycles. That should be more than ample for law-abiding motorcyclists and drivers (and as a former biker, I know that Critchio's comment about most bikers' inability to stick to speed limits is not unfair).
If using that route I would be more concerned that the orcas were not sufficient deterrent to drivers and motorcyclists entering the cycles-only lane; as we have seen, the orcas (and big plant boxes) are soon damaged by careless drivers.
Do these armadillos cost money?
Are they durable?
Do they actually protect cyclists from cars?
Basically councils don't have a lot of money, do why the f*** do they keep on wasting it!
Is it so hard to come up with a workable solution rather than just pissing money up the wall???
Yes
No
No
That's what councils do.
It would appear so.
All quite sad really.
segregated cycle lane, and where not to park!
more armadillos, now bolstered with paint line and additional street furniture
What's with the term 'Mandatory cycle lane'? That gives completely the wrong impression. Use of cycle lanes is not compulsory.
Highway code rule 63:
Cycle Lanes. These are marked by a white line (which may be broken) along the carriageway (see Rule 140). Keep within the lane when practicable. When leaving a cycle lane check before pulling out that it is safe to do so and signal your intention clearly to other road users. Use of cycle lanes is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer.
Highway Code rule 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
Whilst agreeing that these separators are currently useless in the UK, due to generally poor driving standards, the damaged examples shown above are due to drivers inability to miss hitting inanimate objects outside their lane, MAGs response seems to be due to the fact that they might hit the "orca's" whilst undertaking in traffic. Simple answer to this is don't undertake, it's illegal.
You were doing so well. I was nodding in agreement. But your last sentence is complete cobblers!
No it isn't, it is an offence under the Road Traffic Act for motorised vehicles to undertake each other, motorcycles can filter between lanes or on the outside of standing traffic but can not undertake ie use a cycle lane to pass standing traffic. Still having held a motorcycle license for nigh on 30 years what would I know.
Seem bonkers to me, imagine riding a stretch of those in the rain with traffic all around.
Why not reduce the speed limits, enforce them, prosecute then punish offenders?
No need for road junk of any sort.
@wycombewheeler
Those armadillos weren't solid black to start out. See those indentations? That was reflective materials of some sort. Got ripped away by the first car/lorry that drove over it...
Useless things...
I'm with the motorcyclists on this one. They are also a danger to fast filtering cyclists who don't know the road.
They aren't a standard road feature, they are small enough to be obscured easily, they effectively are in the road, they might not be expected and could cause an accident.
They argument about motorcyclists avoiding them like they avoid the curb doesn't hold up, you expect the curb to be there, you don't expect dodgy funny little immovable lumps to be stuck on the road.
And they don't protect cyclists from large vehicles.
And large vehicles will destroy them because they're too small, I've seen far bigger rubber road humps that have been wrecked by traffic, these won't last.
no but I do expect motorised traffic not to enter the cycle lane, and the only way they could come into conflict with these is by crossing the line.
If we say oh well they may move into the cycle lane, then what's the point?
If any cyclist thinks these are a good idea they are clearly very inexperienced. Cyclist or motorcyclist (I happen to be both) these present the most unbelievable hazard, especially in the wet.
Those things look like a slipping hazard to anything with two wheels - especially in the wet.
I'm with the motorcyclists on this - they look like infrastructure has been installed by people who don't ride - either bikes or motorbikes and therefore don't understand the hazard they could present
I get that motorcyclists are very vulnerable road users but don't have much respect for them - the only motorcyclist that sticks to speed limits, particularly red circle speed limits, are the ones under L plate supervision with an instructor behind them.
I am regularly passed when on my road bike by bikers that come by me at 50mph + when in a 30mph zone, it's like they're exempt from speed limits when on 2 wheels.
200 kilos of bike will slice through a person at the stupidly high speeds they travel at on busy main roads.
If this bit of rubber will keep them further away from me and maybe slow them down a bit then I'm for it. If they work of course. If you are also a biker then nothing personal, just sayin'.
I understand they're all bigots and prone to over generalising too.
Fixed it for you.
Camden council have been experimenting with armadillos in royal college street for some time and they are being phased out because they....don't work.
No deterrent to motorists, a danger to cyclists and they are often torn off their mounts and lie in the road or cycle path. Truly the product of an idiot!
looks more like the product of some pretty large creature. solid black armadillos seem like an exceptionally bad idea.
I am sure these are used in Barcelona without issue. I also thought a much cheaper way to achieve more wideranging infrastructure changes. The current changes in London cost a fortune and the very cost impacts on how extensive the changes will be.
Bobinski, These are used in Barcelona, but they do cause problems, even for cyclists as they can be quite hard to see at night.
I don't agree these are safe. My friend witnessed someone on a scooter being killed instantly by colliding into one of these in Rotterdam. He died instantly when his head struck the floor.
I do agree however, as per above photos, that when combined with street furniture they become pretty safe and serve their purpose.
Scooters in the Netherlands are often allowed in cycle lanes (dependant on size/power) and are not required to wear a motorcycle helmet, so while there are similarities there are also significant differences in use of these armadillos in the UK, especially those in question of this article.
"HEAD ONLY"
Simonsway, Wythenshawe, Manchester
(armadillos in cycle lane just beyond)
Head Only.png
Hmm since when have cycle lanes in the UK been mandatory?
The Highway code rule 63 states...
As we all know most cycle lanes are purely to tick a green mandate box in a council agenda and serve feck all practical use, in most case they are pointless and dangerous.
Mandatory cycle lane is the term for a cycle lane which it's mandatory for motor vehicles to stay out of. They're the ones with a solid white line. It's a confusing term.
One that confused me, to be honest. I ignore most of the "white paint of protection" on my route except the stretch across a junction of the M56 which is a solid line so I thought it was mandatory for cycles. Now the council have made it more lethal with armadillos, and I've learnt something new tonight, I shall be riding primary in lane one from now on.
the term 'mandatory cycle lane' denotes a cycle lane which a car must not use, it is denoted by a solid white line between the cycle lane and the motor traffic, as opposed to an advisory cycle lane which cars may enter, denoted by a dashed line.
NOT cycles must not be anywhere other than the cycle lane.
Agree with them on this. They're potentially lethal to cyclists too - have a batch of them installed on Wilsmlow Road in Manchester (probably referred to above), and ye gods, they're awful. Made a really bad road even worse. Not sure if designers are stupid or trying to get cyclists off the roads altogether.
Does anyone know if the lamp posts, rubbish bins, signs, telecom cabinets and trees which are routinely installed in bicycle lanes have been approved by the DfT?
Manchester council have just installed yet more of these idiotic things on a mandatory cycle lane on my route to work.
Reduces usable width of the lane and means you have to steer a course between them to exit lane to avoid obstructions (which is common as the local school kids use it as a footpath).
On the other hand, some other changes made now include a lane for drivers looking for a good time.... A kerb has been extended over some existing road markings so they now read HEAD ONLY
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