Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Solihull councillors agree to ride cycle route and discover it's rubbish

Poor signage, unsuitable shared space, parked cars, bollards, unnecessary crossings – all in under a mile

Two Solihull councillors will push to improve and extend a local cycle route after taking up a local resident’s challenge to ride the route.

The Solihull Observer reports that when a Shirley West resident emailed Green Party councillor Rosemary Sexton complaining about the A34 cycle route and challenging councillors to ride the route themselves, she thought it was a good idea.

After asking Ken Hawkins, the newly-appointed Conservative cabinet member for the environment and highways, to join her on a recce of the route between Union Road and Haslucks Green Road, the two discovered a host of failings that will be familiar to many a cyclist.

The two appear to have ridden in both directions, but the stretch in question is just under a mile in length.

“We agreed that the route was very badly signposted,” said Sexton. “Several times we weren’t even sure whether we were still on a cycle path, or whether it had mysteriously disappeared and become ordinary pavement.

“Where there was shared space with pedestrians, things were also very badly indicated. Sunday was quiet – but by all accounts during the week, dodging all the shoppers becomes quite a feat.

“In other places we had to watch out for parked cars in the lane and avoid bollards. Once or twice there was no obvious way to continue without getting off the bike and using a pedestrian crossing.”

Hawkins said: “I am a keen cyclist and I am keen to promote and develop more and better cycle routes because they are underused at the moment. If you have got the infrastructure there, more people will cycle.

“We want to make sure all our cycle routes are fit for purpose. Poor signage and things like that can lead to frustration.”

The two agreed that improving the cycle route – and hopefully extending it all the way down the A34 to the Blythe Valley Business Park – would have huge benefits and make it much more appealing for cyclists.

“It would encourage more people to feel comfortable leaving the car at home and taking the bike out, whether to visit the shops or the park, or as part of a route going somewhere else,” said Sexton.

Hawkins will take his concerns about the A34 path to the council and he is hopeful that Section 106 money, collected from the developers behind a number of nearby schemes, could help fund improvements.

He has also offered to go on a bike ride with any councillor concerned about a route in their ward to work out how it can be improved.

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.

Add new comment

12 comments

Avatar
burtthebike | 4 years ago
5 likes

We did the same many years ago in the centre of Bristol, and one councillor got off and refused to ride any more, and as a direct result, not much happened.  Perhaps Bristol will get fully behind cycling now that the council has declared a climate emergency.

I did the same about three years ago with the SGlos councillor responsible for roads, just a gentle couple of miles amble up and down the A38, and I showed him no less than 14 different areas where the council had put cyclists at risk and had ignored their own policies.  That too resulted in almost nothing happening.  SGlos have refused to declare a climate emergency, so absolutely no chance of them changing their approach of building big fast roads with a token bit of cycle facility.

Avatar
srchar replied to burtthebike | 4 years ago
3 likes

burtthebike wrote:

We did the same many years ago in the centre of Bristol, and one councillor got off and refused to ride any more

...because of concerns for their own safety or because of a hissy fit?

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
6 likes

I'd like to put forward this particular piece of cycle infrastructure stupidity. Heading to Rushden Lakes this morning and the last stretch along the side of the A45 just came to a stop with the options of cycling against 2 lanes of high speed traffic or going back the way you came.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
9 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

I'd like to put forward this particular piece of cycle infrastructure stupidity. Heading to Rushden Lakes this morning and the last stretch along the side of the A45 just came to a stop with the options of cycling against 2 lanes of high speed traffic or going back the way you came.

...and it's not even horizontal. No way I am riding that, round here we obey the law of gravity.

Avatar
Butty replied to Mungecrundle | 4 years ago
2 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

I'd like to put forward this particular piece of cycle infrastructure stupidity. Heading to Rushden Lakes this morning and the last stretch along the side of the A45 just came to a stop with the options of cycling against 2 lanes of high speed traffic or going back the way you came.

You turn right at that point, cyclocross over a barrier and rough track to a bridge. This links on to a gravel track to come in to the Lakes from the back - not that any signs would help you do this.....

Avatar
Mungecrundle replied to Butty | 4 years ago
2 likes
Butty wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

I'd like to put forward this particular piece of cycle infrastructure stupidity. Heading to Rushden Lakes this morning and the last stretch along the side of the A45 just came to a stop with the options of cycling against 2 lanes of high speed traffic or going back the way you came.

You turn right at that point, cyclocross over a barrier and rough track to a bridge. This links on to a gravel track to come in to the Lakes from the back - not that any signs would help you do this.....

No signs, very large locked gate and whatever path behind it not visible through the undergrowth. I'm not sure how I missed it!

Avatar
MonkeyPuzzle | 4 years ago
2 likes

Stupid repost 2

Avatar
MonkeyPuzzle | 4 years ago
3 likes

Stupid repost 1

Avatar
MonkeyPuzzle | 4 years ago
5 likes

"Keen cyclist" klaxon!

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
2 likes

I noticed that too fluffy, back in the 90s from stories I heard, that the stealing of windscreens was one of those things that was pretty common.

Avatar
FluffyKittenofT... | 4 years ago
3 likes

Was hoping there'd be helmet-cam footage to show what the concern is about.  Guess this is one of those rare Tories who actually cares about something other than money, fair play to him.

Also I got distracted by the sidebar story , which wasn't quite as interesting as the headline suggested (dissapointed to find cars in the Midlands are not actually eating each other)

https://solihullobserver.co.uk/news/solihull-resident-speaks-of-horror-a...

Avatar
brooksby | 4 years ago
18 likes

Well, at least they actually rode it rather than the usual press releases saying a route is absolutely fine but that cyclists aren't using it correctly... 

Latest Comments