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Council urged to remove "shameful" barriers blocking disabled cyclists

"If you somehow don't fit their model of a fit, healthy 40-year-old man, you can't use their infrastructure"...

A mathematics professor who struggles to access York paths on his trike has urged the council to finally remove "shameful" barriers blocking disabled cyclists. Last year Dr Jamie Wood brought legal action against the city council for breaches of the Equality Act.

The council says the barriers were originally installed in response to safety issues so must be reviewed before removal, but Dr Wood says "It's really shameful, frankly, that this is still going on."

In response, the York Cycle Campaign found 30 places where barriers hinder or prevent people from using the city's paths. 

"Cycling provides freedom to so many people. But barriers like those at Hob Moor slice off entire sections of the city to people with limited mobility. Up and down the country these kinds of outdated barriers are being taken out, literally expanding people's horizons," a spokesperson said.

The mentioned barriers at Hob Moor were installed in 2004 to stop motorcyclists riding on the commons, barriers the York Cycle Campaign challenged at the time. Council director of transport James Gilchrist said changes were due in the new year and a £100,000 fund has been set up to review the barriers city-wide.

Dr Wood has multiple sclerosis and travels by trike, and despite taking the council to court, he says what he would rather see is the barriers scrapped for good.

"Over the last 20 years the council have constantly been putting in infrastructure which doesn't conform to any of the equality acts or any of the disability guidance," he told the York Press.

"They just put it in because they think most people can use it, because they think they're 'most people' – and then if you somehow don't fit their model of a fit, healthy 40-year-old man, you can't use their infrastructure.

"To try to go on a route I haven't been on before I have to do this extraordinary, in-depth research of getting photographs of every individual barrier and trying to work out whether I can get through it because every one is a unique design.

“It's almost like they’re trying to do modern art installations on cycle routes – it's really frustrating."

York Labour responded to the concerns by saying disabled residents are being "barred from town, and barred from country". Director of transport Mr Gilchrist said residents' concerns would be addressed.

"We are aware of locations in the city where current 'access control' points for cyclists/ pedestrians were installed many years ago, and which present an obstacle for some disabled users and riders of some types of modern adapted cycles to use," he said.

"Many of these were installed to address specific safety concerns at the time and require careful consideration before removal or adaptation. In regards to the review of these 'access control' points, an audit brief is currently being finalised.

"As part of the city wide programme of improvements we will be in consultation with organisations such as the York Cycle Campaign to review all similar locations and prioritise and implement appropriate improvements."

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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40 comments

Avatar
Chedders | 2 years ago
1 like

They've started removing the first one this week I believe. Determined people still managed to get their motorbikes on Hob Moor regardless so they were not any use anyway other than making a mess of your drive train when you weren't dead centre of the tiny gap.

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Dogless replied to Chedders | 2 years ago
2 likes

They're utterly pointless. When I had a cargo bike we bought a radar key off eBay to use the gates because it was impossible to get through. Anyone wanting to take a crosser on there could do exactly the same.
Eventually we realised it's too much faff and sold the bike and now use the car for the journeys we used to do by bike (if you know York then the roads we'd have to use with a fully loaded cargo bike made it unfeasible).
So glad these are getting taken out, 👏 to the YCC.

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Bobby B | 2 years ago
5 likes

SUSTRANS set up a meeting with Reading Council about five years ago and invited local cyclists with non-standard bikes along. We took our Hase Pino tandem to join other tandems, trikes, cargo bikes and kiddie trailers to demostrate how 'unfriendly' the barriers on local cycle routes were (including NCR4). Happy to say that Reading Council has worked hard to alter or remove the barries, ensuring access for all.

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ktache replied to Bobby B | 2 years ago
0 likes

Nice Bob, those look like some along the Kennet.

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mikecassie | 2 years ago
5 likes

I pointed out to Aberdeenshire Council that some barriers they have on the old railway line walk are not accessable by a lot of people, trikes would be an example.  Even a heavily laden touring bike would be a hassle if the rider couldn't lift it well off the deck.  

Their response was - "If anyone needs access they can come ask for the key" so you'd get to a barrier, realise you can't pass then I guess ride to the council office and ask for the key to the padlocks.  I would hope they are keyed alike padlocks...  A bloody joke!

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Captain Badger replied to mikecassie | 2 years ago
7 likes

mikecassie wrote:

.....

Their response was - "If anyone needs access they can come ask for the key" so you'd get to a barrier, realise you can't pass then I guess ride to the council office and ask for the key to the padlocks.  I would hope they are keyed alike padlocks...  A bloody joke!

Or carry your own key....

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chrisonabike replied to mikecassie | 2 years ago
2 likes

The techniques shown in the following videos might be useful in life. Or so I've heard. They're also non-destructive. Of course the community represented here have a strict moral code and certainly would not condone anything like this ("stay legal"). Also spoiler - these two have a high level of skill at what can be very tricky.  Unless you're faced with a Master Lock / most combination locks / cheapie off Amazon of course...

https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer/videos

https://www.youtube.com/c/bosnianbill/videos

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hawkinspeter replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
1 like

chrisonatrike wrote:

The techniques shown in the following videos might be useful in life. Or so I've heard. They're also non-destructive. Of course the community represented here have a strict moral code and certainly would not condone anything like this ("stay legal"). Also spoiler - these two have a high level of skill at what can be very tricky.  Unless you're faced with a Master Lock / most combination locks / cheapie off Amazon of course...

https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer/videos

https://www.youtube.com/c/bosnianbill/videos

You're specifically not supposed to use lock-picking skills on locks that you don't own or are in use (unless you have explicit permission from the owner). Sometimes lock-picking can be destructive if it goes a bit wrong (e.g. snapping a pick) and some locks can be made to completely jam if someone attempts picking them (not recommended to put on your front door unless you've got another way in).

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Captain Badger replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

.....

You're specifically not supposed to use lock-picking skills on locks that you don't own or are in use (unless you have explicit permission from the owner). Sometimes lock-picking can be destructive if it goes a bit wrong (e.g. snapping a pick) and some locks can be made to completely jam if someone attempts picking them (not recommended to put on your front door unless you've got another way in).

Quite right. My universal key is much better...

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chrisonabike replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
0 likes

Indeed - that's why I said this would not be condoned. And "non-destructive" compared to bolt cutters.

I'll go down the "I'm surprised that lockpickers were offended despite my humourous intent - it was just a joke" route now.

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hawkinspeter replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
1 like

chrisonatrike wrote:

Indeed - that's why I said this would not be condoned. And "non-destructive" compared to bolt cutters.

I'll go down the "I'm surprised that lockpickers were offended despite my humourous intent - it was just a joke" route now.

No offense taken, though I'm more of lock fumbler than a lock picker. I keep trying to single pin pick various broken locks that I got from EBay, but I tend to have more success with raking the locks instead (much quicker when it works).

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BigYin replied to mikecassie | 2 years ago
1 like

mikecassie wrote:

I pointed out to Aberdeenshire Council that some barriers they have on the old railway line walk are not accessable by a lot of people, trikes would be an example.  Even a heavily laden touring bike would be a hassle if the rider couldn't lift it well off the deck.  

Their response was - "If anyone needs access they can come ask for the key" so you'd get to a barrier, realise you can't pass then I guess ride to the council office and ask for the key to the padlocks.  I would hope they are keyed alike padlocks...  A bloody joke!

I'd hope that they've actually adopted the standard "Radar" key format that's used on the Disabled Toilets...    Of course, that would kind of rely on a bit of "joined up thinking".   If they HAVE of course, then a couple of quid will get a nice small, cycle pocket friendly version of the key.    Radar keys are also sort of a not-often-spoken-of trick that regular Audaxer's are aware of...    

 

 

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handcyclist | 2 years ago
12 likes

Cyclepaths have improved in the 20+ years I've been riding my handcycle but I still regularly meet (probably illegal) barriers that prevent me accessing a route I want to ride and it isn't possible for me to get off and climb through or over them.
The National Cycle Network is a case in point, Sustrans have clear guidelines on accessibility - "Any barriers should have a clear width of 1.5 metres." and they recently removed on-road sections from the NCN which were deemed not to meet their design criteria. However they didn't take this opportunity to remove those sections with barriers so I still can't guarantee to be able to ride any NCN route!
This is a barrier on NCN76 in Scotland - this must also contravene the Equality Act.
I do hope Dr Wood is successful in his legal action and we can remove all barriers on cyclepaths and allow legal access for all.

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chrisonabike replied to handcyclist | 2 years ago
1 like

Ah yes - Hopeton estate - "fun" going through with any kind of bike.  NCN76 has been improved again in the last few years but still an "adventure route".  (As indeed are many NCN routes) Good effort getting about on any of them on a handcycle! (Unrelated but seeing handcyclists going up the sharp hill past the Old Cramond Brig - always looked a fierce business, although it's not Kaimes Road...)

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wycombewheeler replied to handcyclist | 2 years ago
6 likes

handcyclist wrote:

Sustrans have clear guidelines on accessibility - "Any barriers should have a clear width of 1.5 metres." and they recently removed on-road sections from the NCN which were deemed not to meet their design criteria. 

What does their design criteria say about surfacing.

I made the mistake of following a sustrans sign last, night, and after reaching the top of a hill, found it then continued on a muddy track through the woods. I thought routes should be suitable for all bikes, not just mountain bikes.

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chrisonabike replied to wycombewheeler | 2 years ago
1 like

I think they now separate the more "recreational" (greenways) from "routes" (which is an improvement!) Just from their web site the section seems to be here:

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/for-professionals/infrastructure/sustrans-traffic-free-routes-and-greenways-design-guide/

Specifically the path specification details (2019).

As far as gates / bollards / barriers they make some positive noises.  They do have a disclaimer - fair - that they don't actually own / control much of the NCN so have to go through landowners:

Sustrans policy on access controls on paths (2015)

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wycombewheeler replied to chrisonabike | 2 years ago
1 like

the sign that I started following was labelled as route 57, I should have known better, as I know elsewhere on route 57 the same issues occur, one moment tarmac and so step only light road cyclists would want to ride up it, and the next moment so muddy only suitable for mountain bikes.

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spen | 2 years ago
0 likes

How wide is that A frame, guessin 1 metre at ground level, and how wide is the trike in question?

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Dogless replied to spen | 2 years ago
2 likes

I don't know about the specific issue with the trike but the general issue with the barriers is not the width, but the ridiculous ramp at the bottom. I destroyed my cargo bike kick stand a couple of times by misjudging it and have also caught road bike cranks on it. It makes it almost impossible for children to ride straight through as their pedals don't clear the ramp bit.
It all sounds like a minor annoyance but when you have to pass 3 of them on every journey it quickly becomes frustrating, particularly as there's no reason for it to be there!

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spen replied to Dogless | 2 years ago
1 like

I've just looked at the image on the York Press site, that ramp serves no purpose whatsoever.

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HarrogateSpa | 2 years ago
5 likes

There are a lot of inconvenient barriers on cycle paths in North Yorkshire, but the Hob Moor ones really are works of art.

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wtjs replied to HarrogateSpa | 2 years ago
4 likes

Which reminds me of the *!**! spring closing gates combined with solid wooden planks across the footway on the Pennine Bridleway, which are an absolute pain for the admittedly small number of us towing a trailer.

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eburtthebike | 2 years ago
13 likes

I wonder how long it would take them to remove illegal barriers that stopped drivers?

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AlsoSomniloquism | 2 years ago
8 likes

It is not on the latest Streetview but Walsall Council decided to a locked gate across this section and where they small bush is on the left, they paved it over and put those narrowing as they go higher gates on. So most bikes would now struggle to use the designated cycle route and even certain prams or wheelchairs. Initially they hadn't even put drop kerbs either side either which came a month or two later.

But then where the other side comes out has had cars parked up it and recently, all the detritus from building work for one of the houses. "No we won't use our parking spot for that, just dump it all on the cycle path and pedesetrian path as they can then go around. Also where the shared path goes further down, it swaps sides a couple of times. Now apparently whenever it crosses the road, the cyclist is expected dismount each time. That is of course after negotiating all the parked cars further up who decide the pavement, and not the garages and parking areas each house has is the place for them. 

 

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Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
12 likes

I call bullshit on the council. Using the 'elf and safety excuse to drag their feet over their breeches of the disability act.  Shameful.   The use of these barriers causes far more inconvenience than any occasional use of a motorbike on their paths.  Typical ass backwards thinking. 

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Sriracha replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
3 likes

Would those be lycra breeches?

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Secret_squirrel replied to Sriracha | 2 years ago
1 like

Wearing those is a breech of the peace.

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mattsccm replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

Can any kind soul show a all person friendly barrier that also prevents motorcycle access? I suspect that it doesn't exist and therefore compromises have to be made. 

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Captain Badger replied to mattsccm | 2 years ago
3 likes

mattsccm wrote:

Can any kind soul show a all person friendly barrier that also prevents motorcycle access? I suspect that it doesn't exist and therefore compromises have to be made. 

Compromises being the prevention of access to disabled users amongst others?

We have these beauties on our local routes. Doesn't stop me, even when towing (although they are certainly irritating). But then I'm able to manhandle my bike through or over. I guess those less able should feel good about taking one for the team.

Oh, local scallies still use MotoX bikes on these routes.....

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wycombewheeler replied to mattsccm | 2 years ago
6 likes

mattsccm wrote:

Can any kind soul show a all person friendly barrier that also prevents motorcycle access? I suspect that it doesn't exist and therefore compromises have to be made. 

If they had a problem with ilegal use of a road by unregistered quad bikes, the response would not be to but up barriers which exclude cars.

As you say there is probably not a barrier which prevents motorbike access but allows access to all cyclists, so the response should be enforcement, rather than loss of utility for the very groups that need it most. 

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