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Sustrans announce funding injection to improve and "reduce conflict" on most heavily-used section of the Bristol and Path Railway path

The charity who maintain the National Cycle Network are deciding how to utilise new DfT funding to improve the busiest section of the path, and have hinted at the possibility of widening it at pinch points

Sustrans have acquired funding from the Department for Transport to improve the busiest part of the popular Bristol and Bath railway off-road path, with the aim to prevent conflicts from arising between cyclists and pedestrians at the busiest times of day. 

A 1.7 mile stretch between Trinity Street (the beginning of the path) and Clay Bottom has been identified as the section marked for improvement, and described as a "victim of its own success" due to the number of people using it during peak times, which can be up to 1,800 an hour.

James Cleeton of Sustrans says although they've been encouraging path users to 'share, respect and enjoy' with their One Path initiative, he admits physical changes would help to solve some of the issues: "We’ve spoken to over 250 people, either out on the Path, in community meetings, online or in specific user groups, to learn from them about what they need. This has included conversations with school communities, disability groups, older people groups, local community organisations, and walking and cycling campaign groups.

"We’ve heard that the excessive speed and close-passing of a handful of the people cycling on the path really does put others off using it. Some parents have even chosen to drive their children to school, instead of using the Path for that reason."

Cleeton says a number of suggestions have been put forward, including widening stretches of the path to enable segregation between cyclists and walkers and encouraging cyclists to find alternative routes of the busier sections; however the majority weren't calling for segregation, and as the Path represents "a much-valued traffic-free space", banning cyclists from some sections has been ruled out. 

Cleeton added: "In the next couple of days, we’re holding more workshops with the community to talk to them about the ideas that have been coming out. We’re going to work with them to refine those design ideas so that we can start to develop some firmer designs. Should we ask people to adopt certain thinking while using the path, for example, everybody keep to the left? Maybe we ask people to ring their bells if they want to overtake.

"We will also invite scrutiny of designs from various people who have technical or ‘lived experience’ wisdom to offer. This will help us to further develop the designs for a path that will become ever more inclusive while remaining loved and cherished by the local community."

Do you use this section of the Bristol to Bath path, and if so what do you think should be done to improve it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments... 

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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15 comments

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FluffyKittenofT... | 5 years ago
1 like

Can they not build an elevated fly-over sort-of-thing? Would also keep rain off the pedestrians below.

Something like this, running above the whole 1.7miles

https://www.toposmagazine.com/copenhagen-cykelslangen/

Bet they'd raise some pettifogging objection about 'budgets' or something, though. In which case, maybe this would be the low-budget version

https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kolelinia-bicycle-path

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hawkinspeter replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 5 years ago
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FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

Can they not build an elevated fly-over sort-of-thing? Would also keep rain off the pedestrians below. Something like this, running above the whole 1.7miles https://www.toposmagazine.com/copenhagen-cykelslangen/ Bet they'd raise some pettifogging objection about 'budgets' or something, though. In which case, maybe this would be the low-budget version https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kolelinia-bicycle-path

That budget one would be fun if you met someone coming the other way.

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Rick_Rude | 5 years ago
4 likes

Get off the roads there's a cycle path...

Get off the path were are using it as a dog toilet and meandering area!

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jollygoodvelo | 5 years ago
4 likes

Let's all remember that these are all nice problems to have!  If there was a similar route between every decent sized town in the country, how great would it be?

When cars became common on roads, it was necessary to start painting lines down the middle, and to start training their operators.  I'm not suggesting a licence to use the path, but a few signs along it at joining points and before pinch points reinforcing some key messages e.g. "the path is for everyone", "please keep your dog on a short lead", "pass young people safely" etc might just dial down the conflict a little.

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Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
0 likes

Keep left makes sense and most cyclists do. I think it makes sense for runners to keep left too, as it's easy enough to adjust to running speed on a bike and soft pedal behind a runner going in your direction till it's clear to overtake. But for walkers, I'm not at all sure; probably easier for riders and runners to approach them head on and overtake, and for the walkers themselves it's more sociable to walk side by side. 

A lot depends on time of day; what's fine on a Sunday afternoon (for instance strolling along side by side) is not good at 8a.m. on a weekday. 

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Bikeylikey | 5 years ago
2 likes

I  helped to build this path as a volunteer and have used it a lot since it opened in 1979. The main problem, as mentioned in other comments, has always been groups of both cyclists and pedestrians taking up the entire width of the path, or wandering about without looking around. There are no signs to inform or remind people not to do this. Maybe a sign every quarter mile or so saying 'keep left' and/or even 'ride single file' would be useful. And maybe a central dividing line? Widening the path where possible would obviously help: there are quite a few sections where unused space is available to the side of the path.

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Redvee | 5 years ago
0 likes

I'm guilty of riding too fast along the B2B path, know my best time was less than an hour from Bath to Lawrence hill on my old MTB but that was the old path route, not the current one which was diverted for the ring road. Nowadays the path is a nice 50 minute ride with due care taken around peds, kids and dogs. On the way back into Bristol I'll reduce the effort before Clay Bottom bends and even more once over the B4469 bridge and effectively freewheel to Devon Road.

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paulrattew | 5 years ago
6 likes

I commute from Bath to the centre of Bristol along the railway path most days. I go reasonably quickly for most of the route, but it's a shared use path. If pedestrians are there then they have priority - i make sure I give them lots of space and slow down. A little bit of consideration (i.e. not being a total cockwomble) costs me nothing - even on a really busy day it still never takes me more than an hour door to door for my commute. Slowing down around pedestrians, being respectful, and giving space (to both walkers and other riders) really isn't complicated. 

Widening the path, especially at the narrower windier Bristol end, should hopefully make it an even nicer experience

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Shades | 5 years ago
6 likes

I use the B&B path and, when you've been 'barrelling along full tilt' for over half an hour it's a bit annoying having to reduce speed to a 'pootle' because of path congestion; but that's exactly what we should do.  Kind of nice really; a bike path needs widening because of volume of cycle traffic.  Maybe we're heading in the right direction after all?

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Liam Cahill | 5 years ago
2 likes

They really need to widen and resurface the section from The Locksbrook Inn through to Green Park. It's narrow, always covered in mud and there are tree roots breaking through.

Some riders tank through the pinch points with no regard for pedestrians or other riders. From my experience, I'd say that it doesn't matter what bike/kit they're on. Idiots are simply idiots.

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Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
1 like

Some sections could do with widening but more at particular pinch points, eg the bridge St Philips Causeway. Introducing segregated sides for cyclists and pedestrians will not work. It does not work anywhere! Pedestrians do not stick to their side; not surprising when their area is artificially narrowed (got to allow for kerb or at least a white line, so overall width is less than all-use) and the cycle side is usually smoother... It will be a disaster, with cyclists crammed into too narrow a space. See the Concorde Way near MoD for an example. 

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Eton Rifle replied to Bmblbzzz | 5 years ago
1 like

Bmblbzzz wrote:

Some sections could do with widening but more at particular pinch points, eg the bridge St Philips Causeway. Introducing segregated sides for cyclists and pedestrians will not work. It does not work anywhere! Pedestrians do not stick to their side; not surprising when their area is artificially narrowed (got to allow for kerb or at least a white line, so overall width is less than all-use) and the cycle side is usually smoother... It will be a disaster, with cyclists crammed into too narrow a space. See the Concorde Way near MoD for an example. 

I agree with you about the Concorde Way near Abbey Wood.  At school commuting hours, the cycle path is all but unusable due to kids wandering all over the place.  And don't get me started on the wanker drivers who ignore the give way markings at the entrance to South Gloucester College...

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fukawitribe | 5 years ago
4 likes

I use it little - generalised hand-waving irritating issues I found when I have are

* aimless wanderers - seemingly malice free but situationally unaware pedestrians generally milling across the width of the path. Generally surprised.

* I Am A Dog Walker - and you better not come anywhere near me or my hound - mainly through the residential Bristol end. Sometimes on the aggresive end of passive-aggressive.

* small groups of twats at speed, on decent bikes, decent kit, look the business, a few abrest who seem to take the attitude that they own the path and you better get out of the way mister because i'm not even condescending to look at you. Idiots. One of my brothers uses it much more than me, and I think it's this that seems to get him more riled than the other stuff as well. 

 

Apart from that it's not too bad - bit more room would seem like a good idea though.

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BIGWATTS replied to fukawitribe | 5 years ago
2 likes

fukawitribe wrote:

I use it little - generalised hand-waving irritating issues I found when I have are

* aimless wanderers - seemingly malice free but situationally unaware pedestrians generally milling across the width of the path. Generally surprised.

* I Am A Dog Walker - and you better not come anywhere near me or my hound - mainly through the residential Bristol end. Sometimes on the aggresive end of passive-aggressive.

* small groups of twats at speed, on decent bikes, decent kit, look the business, a few abrest who seem to take the attitude that they own the path and you better get out of the way mister because i'm not even condescending to look at you. Idiots. One of my brothers uses it much more than me, and I think it's this that seems to get him more riled than the other stuff as well. 

 

Apart from that it's not too bad - bit more room would seem like a good idea though.

 

This.

Basically people being selfish.  I find this all over the place, along that section, from Bath to Radstock on the Two Tunnels path, the Frome-Radstock railway path (although a lot friendlier in F-R).

Keep left would seem like the first thing to implement - it's a no-brainer, removing a massive element of unpredictability.

How do you get people to be more respectful to each other though?  I think removing oportunities to be an aimless fool (replace this term with other less polite term if desired) is essential, although often difficult or just expensive, on a Sustrans budget anyway.  A simple line down the middle seems like the first port of call - it would then appear more like a 'road' encouraging a keep-left attitude and perhaps more awareness from pedestrians.

But the problem of inconsiderate riding is a difficult problem.  Not slowing for passing pedestrians and even more so for dogs which (who?) can be much less predictable is a massive no-no for bikes.  If you can push 350 W for an hour on your commute, you can slow down for an old dog or a phone-zombie and get a little sprint training out of it.  

Respect and a friendly 'Hello' goes a very long way.

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
2 likes

I don't often use that section of the path, but I do know that it's far too narrow for the amount of traffic and has a few blind-ish corners. There's definitely a few cyclists who feel agrieved when the walkers go over onto the cycling side (I certainly used to be guilty of that) and don't even get started on the dog walkers that take up both sides.

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