Guest photos!

Peter Leslie writes: Here is an extract from my Wrexham website
written in February 2001:
This is one of many hilarious attempts by the council
to provide safe cycleways around the town.
Fortunately, cyclists rarely use them,
otherwise there would be frequent serious accidents
between cyclists and pedestrians who are often not aware
that they are walking on a cycle path.
This is a particularly good example of an ill thought out effort.
It is hazardous for pedestrians and useless for cyclists.
I once saw an elderly gentleman attempting to cycle along this section.
He had a number of close shaves with pedestrians
before finally giving up to become a pedestrian with a bike!
There are many good things happening in the town but the sooner these
unsightly and useless markings are removed the better for everyone.

Hugh P N Robinson of Chelmsford writes:
The photo is White Hart Lane in Springfield Chelmsford.
This road is actually the A130 and has an enormous amount of traffic.
The Council in their wisdom decided that a right turn into New Hall
on the right was too dangerous and thus put in a traffic island to prevent this,
hence the sign taking you around the roundabout 200 yards ahead.
Unfortunately this has reduced the road to little more than a lorry's width
and certainly not wide enough for a vehicle to pass a cyclist in this area.
It is not going to be long before there is an accident here with a cyclist.
The Council seem to have realised this and on the 'turning on the left' signpost
they have a blue and white round sign with pedestrians and cyclists
indicated over the foot path before the crossing.
There is no sign or sloped kerb before the traffic island
to indicate that cyclists should use the footpath.
You will see that there is a sloped kerb on left half-way down the narrow bit,
but that was there before the traffic island.
There are no signs indicating use of the footpath coming the other way at all.

I suggested that there should be a sign and sloped ramp up the kerb
at least 10 yards before the Island in both directions.
Surely ROSPA have or should have guide lines as regard to safety and cyclists?
One of the most dangerous areas for the cyclists
is when the LA's put cycle and bus lanes together
when the lane width is not sufficient for both to be used
at the same time as they are too narrow.
There should be in my view a minimum width for a combined
cycle lane and bus lane with the cycle lane marked out.
Here in Chelmsford in New London Road at the other end of town,
they have one such lane and as there is always a queue of cars in the right hand lane,
buses are forced to creep down the combined lane
behind a cyclist as they cannot pull out to overtake. A farce!

DG writes: enclosed are my pictures
of the cycle lane between Ware and Wareside.
It's on a country road about 1 mile outside of Ware
and it seems to be what you do with a road when
its not big enough to be a layby.
Alternatively, it provides cyclists
greater protection when passing traffic bollards.
It hasn't been officially recorded,
but there are rumors that these kinds of bollards
when mixed with white arrows on blue signs
will attack all cyclists within 3ft thus the additional clearance.

What's great about this lane is its variable width.
The next cycle lane going towards Ware is over 2 miles away.
I haven't found one going the other way ...
however I found the pub (that's why the pictures
aren't quite as good as they should be ...)

A wide view.

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