- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Cross country mountain bikes
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Bexley cycle lane (Google Maps)Cycle lane outside primary school blocked twice a day by parents parking illegally, but council "dismissive" of cyclists' concerns
A cyclist in the London Borough of Bexley has spoken out about a segregated cycle lane next to a primary school that is "blocked twice a day by parents parking illegally" during the school run, the council apparently dismissive of the issue suggesting "it doesn't matter because it's only twice a day".
A local rider who passes the school by bike every day has taken the matter to the press after the council's comments, Loretta Brackstone telling News Shopper the illegal parking is "an accident waiting to happen" and parents "don't listen" when Gravel Hill Primary School has asked them not to park there.
The cycle lane on the busy A207 dual-carriageway is blocked twice a day, every day, during term time as parents drop off and pick up their kids by pulling into the cycling infrastructure.
"It's just madness," Ms Brackstone told the local press. "If a child gets out on the wrong side, they're stepping straight into fast-moving traffic. The school has asked parents not to park here, but they don't listen. The cycle lane is completely pointless if cars are just using it as a parking bay."
When she contacted the council, the cyclist reported being met with a dismissive response, the local authority suggesting it "doesn't matter because it's only twice a day".
Andrew Bashford, Head of Highways, Traffic & Infrastructure at Bexley Council, said the cycle route should be unblocked and parking should not be allowed, but went on to make the aforementioned point that the issues are only for short periods of the working week.
"That's twice every day when an accident could happen," the cyclist responded. "It just feels like a box-ticking exercise – a bit of paint on the road so they can say they've put in a cycle lane, but they don't actually enforce it."
Bashford insisted enforcement officers visit the site but suggested it is challenging due to stretched resources and enforcement would be carried out "when resources allow". The council said it would consider a trial involving temporary barriers to attempt to deter illegal parking, but Bashford claimed bollards are "likely to generate other problems for road users".
"Parents might opt to circle the area and 'quickly' drop off or pick up their children from the live traffic lane," he said. "This could create congestion and lead to children rushing out into the road."
Earlier this month, we reported that a headteacher of a primary school in Cumbria had expressed excitement at the prospect of new cycle lanes being built, one outside the school to enable more children and families to make safe and active journeys to and from the site. However, there was less excitement from local councillors, many claiming the proposed infrastructure would "shrink" space for motorists and slow down traffic, one calling the scheme "barking mad".
Likewise in Exeter, school safety and active travel made headlines this month as cyclists in the Devon city said they were "underwhelmed and disappointed" after the local council revealed that there is no funding for new school traffic safety schemes in an area where a low-traffic neighbourhood initiative was controversially scrapped last year – and where children on bikes were hit by motorists flouting the traffic restrictions.
One councillor claimed that since the Active Streets scheme was scrapped, locals have regressed to "bad habits", including "cycling on pavements" and "parking on zig-zag lines outside schools".
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
Latest Comments
- mctrials23 5 sec ago
This is akin to the argument that someone in court for driving like an utter prick has somehow been caught in the act on the single occasion that...
- mitsky 8 min 39 sec ago
"London's 20mph limits 'not making buses slower'"...
- mdavidford 15 min 7 sec ago
Or he could be on a very high-wheeler... (might need a bit of shimming though)
- mdavidford 23 min 48 sec ago
Traction is the wrong metric here, shurely?
- chrisonabike 27 min 13 sec ago
Comic hyperbole, innit? Like "what's smug and deserves to be decapitated?"...
- mdavidford 30 min 6 sec ago
A dog's harder to fit in your jersey pocket, though.
- wtjs 1 hour 31 min ago
I thought the programme was pretty reasonable, as long as you know as much about cycling and cyclists as we do: we know that there are always anti...
- eburtthebike 2 hours 44 min ago
Traffic calming that makes it more dangerous for cyclists.
- Rendel Harris 3 hours 36 min ago
Perhaps you should read the comments, including your own, a bit better then as nobody was discussing whether the product will make a profit or not...
- slc 4 hours 39 min ago
I'll miss Woodes if it does indeed vanish, but the idea that motorists kept it going is bizarre. It is surrounded by some major workplaces in easy...
Add new comment
17 comments
The solution is obvious to me. Just allow enforcement from video evidence. What am I missing?
Well the council needs to be taken to court for negligence of duty for for enforcement of there duty of care
TBH if I was responsible for the road outside of the school I would have a fleet of lift and shift tow trucks parked up around the corner and as soon as a car pulled in to the cycle lane I would have the tow truck pull along side the car and lift the car
And screw the entitled drivers day by towing the car away right in front of them
I know that it would not take long for the drivers to get the message
Because it's these same drivers who would be the first to be screening at the school and council if their children gets knocked down
.
"... as soon as a DRIVER pulled in..."
So Bexley Council and Bexley Police aren't interested in dangerous illegal parking if it is only for short periods?!
bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards bollards
Metal bollards*
Because the lazy, entitled ***** that park there would 100% knock down plastic ones to delivery thier little darling to within 3m of the school instead of 100m. Can't have them walking near the dangerous roads full of cars (oh the irony).
Flex-posts ain't bollards. Accept no substitutes.
Sadly, agree with this * for now. And even further - throw enough motorists at the problem and even reasonably sturdy metal ones may get trashed or displaced, and as soon as there's a gap someone will drive through it / park in it. So it needs bollard fairies to quickly fix any fallen heros from the War on the Motorist **.
* Even though if they "work" ultimately bollards become the enemy of pedestrians and cyclists - as more of them feel they can use the space. Sure, cars get damaged but ... not their users. But people on foot and on bike can get injured.
** War from the Motorist, more like...
Sorry, I didn't quite catch that - can you repeat it, please?
Didn't they say something about ... wands? Would you know anything about them and their efficiency at keeping motor vehicles from where they shouldn't be?
I couldn't possibly comment…
Are you one of those foul-mouthed cyclists that needs their bike stolen at knifepoint?
So when a child riding a bike does get hit by a moving vehicle, because the 'safe' cycle lane is blocked by a lazy motorist, the school's response will be to ban cycling to school (we've seen this happen before, haven't we, folks?)
"So when a child riding a bike does get hit by a DRIVER..."
This location is absolutely literally a stones throw from Bexley Civic Offices, which can just be seen in the background of the Newsshopper picture, and a few hundred metres from Bexley's main Police station (RY) Romeo Yankee.
It would seem one or two of the vehicles pictured are on ZigZag markings, so should never be parked there at any time, for whatever reason.
If the parking blocked the flow of motor vehicles, I suspect action would be taken.
"Andrew Bashford, Head of Highways, Traffic & Infrastructure at Bexley Council, said the cycle route should be unblocked and parking should not be allowed, but went on to make the aforementioned point that the issues are only for short periods of the working week."
.. but the exact periods when safe infrastructure is most needed! FFS.
This is akin to the argument that someone in court for driving like an utter prick has somehow been caught in the act on the single occasion that they drove like that. Not that it was a routine occurance and that this was just bad luck/probability rearing its ugly head.
"My client had a momentary lapse in concentration when they were caught doing 73 in a 30 on their phone and they are very sorry (they got caught this time)".
Then again, perhaps we are in the wrong. I'll stop reporting bad passes because most of the time people pass me just fine so I will ignore the few every ride who don't because hey, its only a few times a day. I mean, whats the harm eh.