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Pop-up bike lanes a necessary form of social justice says Chris BoardmanChris Boardman (via YouTube).jpg

Pop-up bike lanes a necessary form of social justice says Chris Boardman

Car-led recovery is “not an option” according to local councillors
by Alex Bowden
Sat, Jun 13, 2020 13:48
2

British Cycling policy adviser Chris Boardman says that the temporary bike lanes that are being constructed in response to the coronavirus pandemic are a matter of “social justice”. Highlighting the urgent need for new infrastructure, the Greater Manchester cycling commissioner points out that without additional cycle space his region would need to find 12,000 extra buses to allow for social distancing, “which is clearly impossible.”

The government last month announced a £250m emergency active travel fund. Explaining the move, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the country needed far more people to cycle. “Otherwise, with public transport’s capacity severely restricted at this time, our trains and buses could become overcrowded and our roads gridlocked – holding up emergency services, critical workers and vital supplies.”

On Wednesday, a report from the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission found that people in lower income households make 2.5 times as many bus journeys as those in higher income households.

In a speech to the All Party Parliamentary Cycling and Walking Group yesterday, Boardman highlighted how the lowest paid could be hardest hit by public transport disruption.

“Social justice is a strong reason for change,” he said. “It helps politicians make tough and sometimes unpopular decisions, and it also helps the public understand and tolerate changes that might inconvenience them.

“In the UK around a quarter of all households don’t have access to a car, so they are reliant on public transport.

“On a standard day in Greater Manchester there are 300,000 trips on public transport of three miles or less, and for the next few months at least, those public transport options will be limited to less than 20 per cent of usual occupancy.

“That means every day 240,000 people will not be able to travel in this way if they are to comply with social distancing guidelines.

“We’d need to find 12,000 extra buses to accommodate them, which is clearly impossible, so 240,000 people – many without access to a car – must find an alternative or simply not travel to work, schools or the shops.

“Right now, this isn’t about pollution, congestion, inactivity, or cost – the usual arguments for investment in cycling. It’s about social justice, social inclusion, and making sure that those who don’t have a car have a safe travel choice.”

Echoing Boardman’s comments, Councillor Claire Holland, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Lead for Sustainable Transport, Environment and Clean Air at Lambeth Council, said: “Nearly 70 per cent of residents in Lambeth live in flats. A third of children are growing up in poverty and the majority of households do not own or have access to a car.

“If you put all of this together, for us in Lambeth this was an equalities issue, and this is fundamentally for me about social justice. For us, a car-led recovery is not an option.”

Emergency cycle funding by region – how much is available in your area?

chris boardman
pop-up cycle lanes
Alex Bowden

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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2 comments

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Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J-mBuH88T0

I wish Chris was reading these comments. Here is what I got sent back, after telling the council how dangerous these junctions are. 

 

 

Thank you for contacting  and expressing some concerns about the scheme that we completed last year at Dunyeats Road, Broadstone. I note the contents of your YouTube video.

 

The use of Continuous Footway Junctions, such as those that have been introduced on all of the road junctions on the north side of Dunyeats Road, is now common practice across the UK and is becoming increasingly used by other Highway Authorities.  The intention of these features being that vulnerable road users (pedestrians/cyclists) have priority across the junctions.  Drivers are expected to stop at the give way lines or side junction entrances to give way to pedestrians/cyclists and then negotiate the crossing of the footway/shared cycleway in the same way as they would if using an access to/from a private driveway. 

 

In the same way as you would if pulling out of a private drive, if visibility is restricted in either direction, then you should use the “peep and creep” method of moving slowly/creeping forward to ensure the footway/shared cycleway is clear before making their manoeuvre into Dunyeats Road.

 

Whilst the new road layout provides clearer priority for cyclists and pedestrians across the side road junctions there is a presumption that all road users, including cyclists using the shared facility, should take due care and attention and should cede priority to anyone who is already positioned on the highway ahead. The signs that we have in place meet all current guidelines and anything larger than these would obstruct the footway and could actually create additional safety hazards for pushchair and wheelchair users.

 

As with any scheme of this nature the changes to the road layout will take time to “bed-in”.  We will however continue to monitor the behaviour of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and are collating any comments received with a view to making any changes/improvements that might be necessary. I can confirm that we will be painting the continuous footways sections over side roads with a buff colour Creabond type material to make them more visible to all users. These works are scheduled to be carried out between 15th – 18th June, weather and staff availability permitting.

 

In terms of the YouTube link you supplied, I didn’t actually see anything massively wrong on the video other than the car pulling slowly out across the side road junction in front of him (you?) but clearly visible at all times. As I said above if a cyclist is aware that that is a possibility given that there are cars pulling out of the same junction long before they get there, they should slow down and expect to have to navigate safely. Certainly the expectation is that if you are expecting to progress at 25-30mph then you should use the carriageway rather than the shared footway. Most segregated paths are designed for a cycle speed of approximately 12 mph, and the Department for Transport advise that cyclists going faster than 18 mph should use the road.

 

The clip on the motorbike could, in my opinion, be used as a model example of how you should act when entering Dunyeats Rd from side roads over a continuous footway and I am not sure that it demonstrates a particular road safety hazard.

 

Yes, i agree, if im going 30 mph i'll use the road, but that's not the point i was making there. I was saying, cars MUST give way to bikes, no matter what their speed, else we'll end up with bikes ploughing into the sides of cars. Idiot at the council saying'' i dont see anything massively wrong''.   Apart from the fact a car has performed an illegal manouvere forcing a vulnerable road user to slam the brakes on. Ok.  At least chris gets it. Cycle lanes of all kinds should be for EVERYONE, who feels safe to use them. This shared path doesn't make me feel safe. 

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mdavidford replied to Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
1 like
Quote:

if a cyclist is aware that that is a possibility given that there are cars pulling out of the same junction long before they get there, they should slow down and expect to have to navigate safely.

And what if they're not aware, given that there appears to be little to indicate that you're approaching a side road (unless, as in this case, there happens to be a vehicle already in the process of exiting it).

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