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Signs alongside Ringway in Preston (taken from Google Streetview).jpgPreston signposts raised so cyclists don't bash their heads
Lancashire County Council (LCC) has raised three signs in Preston City Centre to prevent cyclists from hitting their heads. The work was carried out on a new shared-use path between Marsh Lane and Corporation Street alongside a busy dual carriageway.
Although billed by the Lancashire Evening Post as ‘council’s £5k bill to raise signs by four inches’ the work also involves markings for a new shared space path, hedge cutting and new fencing.
An LCC spokesman added that a pole that currently obstructs the path will also be moved to ensure there is adequate space for cyclists – although other poles will remain.
Peter Ward, co-founder of Preston’s Guild Wheel, said: “We do have some signs with vertical poles in the middle of our shared spaces but we have tried to put fluorescent strips around them so that people have plenty of warning approaching them.”
John Gatheral, highway design manager for Lancashire County Council, said:
“Work is currently taking place to provide a safe off-road shared-use section along Ringway from Marsh Lane to Corporation Street.
“This has involved raising several signs along the route to provide the minimum required height clearance for cyclists.
“Markings and other signs have been put in place to make people aware of this new shared use section.”
Bill Nickson, the owner of Bill Nickson Cycles in Towngate, Leyland, said he felt that on the whole shared spaces were a good thing – “anything that gets you out of the traffic and away from the shocking state of the roads.”
He did however say that the markings employed could be clearer.
“We are light years behind lots of places in Europe that have had them for years and people have become well used to them and they work. They do need splitting up though, marked half and half, rather than just lobbing everyone in together.”
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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9 comments
Right, we'll let cyclists use the pavement. But we'll say we're providing cycling infrastructure and then we'll look really good and modern and green and... stuff. OK?!
I do feel you need a verity of cycle facilities depending on who may use them, so just because they make a shared facility does not make it right!!!
So I would disagree with Bill Nickson to a point.
Unfortunately LCC are incapable of making a cycle track period.
They only do shared facility’s no mater its location or users as can be seen by the new shared facility going into Preston on the A6. Completely the wrong facility for the user and has ever fault going. I did exchange emails with the cycle coordinator about this and was fobbed of with bull s**t , every 40 to 100 yards you have obstacles/ hazards/give way etc. they even have people’s front doors and shop opening straight on to them. When asked if they said the plans were approved by local cycle groups they were but they will not tell you who they are as they are private people?
As a note the guild wheel is not too bad, just let down with a few bits of furniture, I’ve only done the full loop once but nipped on it here and there but it is shared all the way round.
It is indeed shared all the way round but some of the surfaces in places are frankly diabolical & certainly not suitable for a road bike.
As far as I can see there is little or no maintenance done on it & bits of the route are in desperate need of it.
Well there was this winter part of it got washed away.
Perhaps Peter Ward can now stop LCC cutting back bushes & trees on the Guild Wheel & leaving all the c**p on the shared space that are a magnet for punctures.
wonder when the cyclist road signs will be errected in the middle of the carriage way?
"An LCC spokesman added that a pole that currently obstructs the path will also be moved to ensure there is adequate space for cyclists – although other poles will remain."
Christ, the Daily Fail will be all over that...
More shite infrastucture designed to get bikes out of the way of cars being dressed up as 'for our safety'. Crap like this just empowers idiots in cars to have a go at cyclists choosing not to use the 'shared path'. Shared paths like this can be just as (if not more in some places) dangerous than the road we are supposed to be being protected from.
Unfortunately it seems seems like another 'half measure' approach. How long before a tall, 'outlier' of a cyclist hits the sign, or the fluorescent strips fall/ get vandalised off the vertical poles in the path...