More on those cycle super highways in London

[spindrift]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23478654-details/Drive+to+increase+London%27s+cycle+lanes+for+2012+ Games/article.do

Alex Stephens, Evening Standard
16.04.08 Related Articles
Safer Cycling
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Cycle paths across London are to receive investment totalling millions
of pounds in the run-up to London Olympics in an attempt to encourage
spectators to travel to the Games by bike.

Organisers today revealed plans to upgrade existing lanes and build
new ones to create a network of safe cycling routes to the Olympic
Park and village in Stratford.

To ensure all ages and abilities can cycle in safety, the plans
include a scheme for timetabled rides from different points around
London to "lead" cyclists in convoy to 2012 venues.

The scheme follows the Evening Standard's Safer Cycling campaign,
which was launched a year ago to improve conditions for the capital's
cyclists, more than 34,000 of whom were involved in road accidents
between 1996 and 2006.

Hugh Sumner, director of transport for the Olympic Development
Authority, said the ODA supported the campaign and its aims.

Pointing out that cycling in London had increased by 83 per cent since
2000, he added: "One of our key areas of concern is ensuring groups
such as young families, or people who do not cycle regularly in
London, feel confident and safe enough to cycle to London 2012
events.

"We are investing money in developing and improving both off-road
cycle routes on canal towpaths and greenways and on-road routes using
quieter roads and parks linking to the Olympic Park and other
venues."

Under the plans, which will be published in detail later this year, a
number of existing cycle routes will undergo improvements, including
widening and having new lighting.

Two new lanes have also been proposed, although the final go-ahead has
not yet been given.

The first would be an on-road route, running from Finsbury Park to
Victoria Park, Hackney, which is adjacent to the main Olympic site.
The second would be mostly off-road and would run from Epping Forest
to Wanstead Flats.

The work will be managed by Transport for London and is due to begin
by the end of this year.

An ODA spokeswoman insisted the investment would benefit Londoners
long after 2012.

She said: "Everything we do will enhance and add to the existing
cycling infrastructure and it won't just be there for the Games -
there is a really strong legacy value there."

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:06:51 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be
spindrift > quoted this:-

>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23478654-details/Drive+to+increase+London%27s+cycle+lanes+for+2012+ Games/article.do

>Cycle paths across London are to receive investment totalling millions
>of pounds in the run-up to London Olympics in an attempt to encourage
>spectators to travel to the Games by bike.

That reminds me of 1960s and 70s drawings of urban motorways. I
haven't seen one of these drawings where there was a place for the
cars on the motorways to be parked. Presumably the cars disappeared
in a puff of smoke until needed again.

Given the desire in recent olympics to prevent people taking food
into the arena, in order to force them to buy food from the likes of
Coca-Cola [1] and the so-called security nonsense which will
no-doubt apply in at least the main arenas, that seems to imply bike
lockers into which bananas and tools can be placed along with the
bike. There would need to be perhaps a 20% over-supply of lockers.

Of course the so-called security bunch will have kittens at the
thought of bike lockers.



[1] there are stories of children having their food stolen in Sydney
for example.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

[lardyninja]

On Apr 16, 1:33 pm, David Hansen >
wrote:
> Given the desire in recent olympics to prevent people taking food
> into the arena, in order to force them to buy food from the likes of
> Coca-Cola [1] and the so-called security nonsense which will
> no-doubt apply in at least the main arenas, that seems to imply bike
> lockers into which bananas and tools can be placed along with the
> bike. There would need to be perhaps a 20% over-supply of lockers.
>
> Of course the so-called security bunch will have kittens at the
> thought of bike lockers.
>
> [1] there are stories of children having their food stolen in Sydney
> for example.


In some of the larger Dutch railway stations, they have a sort of left
luggage service with people there to look after your bike and even do
minor repairs if you want. But unfortunately this works for 2 reasons.
Firstly it's not in Britain and secondly it's not in Britain.

LN

[J. Chisholm]

lardyninja wrote:
> On Apr 16, 1:33 pm, David Hansen >
> wrote:
>> Given the desire in recent olympics to prevent people taking food
>> into the arena, in order to force them to buy food from the likes of
>> Coca-Cola [1] and the so-called security nonsense which will
>> no-doubt apply in at least the main arenas, that seems to imply bike
>> lockers into which bananas and tools can be placed along with the
>> bike. There would need to be perhaps a 20% over-supply of lockers.
>>
>> Of course the so-called security bunch will have kittens at the
>> thought of bike lockers.
>>
>> [1] there are stories of children having their food stolen in Sydney
>> for example.
>
>
> In some of the larger Dutch railway stations, they have a sort of left
> luggage service with people there to look after your bike and even do
> minor repairs if you want. But unfortunately this works for 2 reasons.
> Firstly it's not in Britain and secondly it's not in Britain.
>
> LN
>
Such a facility already exists at Cambridge Station and another one is
due to open under a new major City centre shopping development.
The price of £1.50 will deter many people (unless you've a 2k bike) but
the City Centre 'valet' parking may come as part of a 'Travel for Work'
package paid for by 'employer' for those working in the new development.

So you can leave your panniers, lights, helmet, and wet waterproofs, and
they'll all be there whwn you come back

Jim Chisholm

[Paul Weaver]

On 16 Apr, 13:06, spindrift > wrote:
> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23478654-details/Drive...

Re: Pic at http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04/safercycling_415x275.jpg

You wouldn't get me riding in that position, especially with that bus
behind.

> Under the plans, which will be published in detail later this year, a
> number of existing cycle routes will undergo improvements, including
> widening and having new lighting.

Ahh, so the truth is out. Instead of a purpose built network that's
designed for cyclists, it's a few more dotted lines to point out where
gutters are.

[Tom Crispin]

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:32:07 -0700 (PDT), Paul Weaver
> wrote:

>On 16 Apr, 13:06, spindrift > wrote:
>> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23478654-details/Drive...
>
>Re: Pic at http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04/safercycling_415x275.jpg
>
>You wouldn't get me riding in that position, especially with that bus
>behind.
>
>> Under the plans, which will be published in detail later this year, a
>> number of existing cycle routes will undergo improvements, including
>> widening and having new lighting.
>
>Ahh, so the truth is out. Instead of a purpose built network that's
>designed for cyclists, it's a few more dotted lines to point out where
>gutters are.

Here's a photo of one of the cycle paths to the Olympic Stadium.
www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/kidstour/kidsontour

And here's a photo taken from the same cycle path looking towards the
site of the main stadium.
www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/kidstour/olympic

The cycle route could certainly be improved - lighting will help at
night, some crossing upgrades and the gates widened to allow 2-way
traffic

The Hertfordshire Union Canal tow path reaches the Olympic Site from
the west - generally this is unlit but good quality. The Greenway -
linked picture above - from the east. The Limehouse Cut tow path
approaches from the south, parts are narrow and has some very lumpy
surfaces, probably designed to give horses' hooves grip, again there
is little or no lighting. The Lee Valley Navigation Channel tow path
comes in from the north, it is generally wide, but like the Limehouse
Cut suffers from 'ribbed' cobbles in places and it unlit.

Two further off road cycle routes reach the site from the south - one
following Bow Back River and one following Three Mills Wall River.
Both are closed during the redevelopment of the site. Before their
closure they were poor quality.

[Colin McKenzie]

Paul Weaver wrote:
> On 16 Apr, 13:06, spindrift > wrote:
>>Under the plans, which will be published in detail later this year, a
>>number of existing cycle routes will undergo improvements, including
>>widening and having new lighting.
>
> Ahh, so the truth is out. Instead of a purpose built network that's
> designed for cyclists, it's a few more dotted lines to point out where
> gutters are.

Not really. They're confusing two different things. However, this is
understandable, as London seems to be getting 5 separate cycle
networks (and counting) superimposed on the actual complete network of
roads and paths.
The 5 are:
- London Cycle Network (the original, no longer funded)
- London Cycle Network plus (loadsamoney, meant for commuters, fewer
routes)
- Greenways (access to Olympic venues, off-road at all costs)
- Ken's cycling superhighways (LCN++, even fewer routes)
- The promised local cycle networks/areas for local centres (no-one
knows anything about these)

The best approach seems to be to take the funding you can get and try
to use it on the worst barriers.

Colin McKenzie


--
No-one has ever proved that cycle helmets make cycling any safer at
the population level, and anyway cycling is about as safe per mile as
walking.
Make an informed choice - visit www.cyclehelmets.org.

[Tom Crispin]

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:09:58 +0100, Colin McKenzie
> wrote:

>Paul Weaver wrote:
>> On 16 Apr, 13:06, spindrift > wrote:
>>>Under the plans, which will be published in detail later this year, a
>>>number of existing cycle routes will undergo improvements, including
>>>widening and having new lighting.
>>
>> Ahh, so the truth is out. Instead of a purpose built network that's
>> designed for cyclists, it's a few more dotted lines to point out where
>> gutters are.
>
>Not really. They're confusing two different things. However, this is
>understandable, as London seems to be getting 5 separate cycle
>networks (and counting) superimposed on the actual complete network of
>roads and paths.

Yes - it can be particularly confusing. I devoted an entire day
yesterday to teaching trainees how to use TfL's Local Cycling Guides.

www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/mapwork/P4097213
www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/mapwork/P4097214
www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/mapwork/P4097216
www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/mapwork/P4097217
www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/mapwork/P4168593

And those guides don't specifically show LCN+ routes!

>The 5 are:
>- London Cycle Network (the original, no longer funded)

This is not quite true. It is up to the London Boroughs to maintain
these. They receive no direct grant from TfL to do so.

>- London Cycle Network plus (loadsamoney, meant for commuters, fewer
>routes)
>- Greenways (access to Olympic venues, off-road at all costs)

Not all Greenways lead to an Olympic venue. There was a great outcry
amoung local cyclists when the Waterlink Way (NCN 28) was taken off
the LCN+ network and thus starved of funding. We were greatly
relieved to learn that it had been reclassified as a Greenway and thus
gains funding from a different source. However, that does lead to
Greenwich which is hosting the eqestrian events and so leads to an
Olympic Venue.

My experience of the Waterlink Way is not that it's off road at all
costs, but that on-road sections are gradually being upgraded to
off-road.

>- Ken's cycling superhighways (LCN++, even fewer routes)
>- The promised local cycle networks/areas for local centres (no-one
>knows anything about these)
>
>The best approach seems to be to take the funding you can get and try
>to use it on the worst barriers.
>
>Colin McKenzie

[Jeremy Parker]

"Paul Weaver" > wrote in message
...
> On 16 Apr, 13:06, spindrift > wrote:
>> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23478654-details/Drive...
>
> Re: Pic at
> http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04/safercycling_415x275.jpg
>
> You wouldn't get me riding in that position, especially with that
> bus
> behind.
>
>> Under the plans, which will be published in detail later this
>> year, a
>> number of existing cycle routes will undergo improvements,
>> including
>> widening and having new lighting.
>
> Ahh, so the truth is out. Instead of a purpose built network that's
> designed for cyclists, it's a few more dotted lines to point out
> where
> gutters are.

What TfL has also said is that they will be revising the London Cycle
Network Design Standards this year. What fraction of those blue and
green lines thereby get turned into substandard routes remains to be
seen

I think London Cycle Network route 5 (the Edgware Road) was upgraded
some time in the iron age to take chariots rather than pack mules,
and upgraded again by the Romans. It was turnpiked, presumably some
time in the 18th century, and the toll gates probably removed at
about the time bikes first became popular. Around the turn of the
millennium it was improved again into a bus priority route. This
introduced a traffic light camera that raked in so much money that
even Barnet's Councillor Brian Coleman approved of it, although he
did change his mind rather hastily when the news leaked out. Where
the route crosses the North Circular has proved a fruitful source of
employment for traffic engineers, the third set of which were writing
the CRISP. This intersection is, in fact, to be modified, as part of
the Brent Cross/Cricklewood redevelopment, but not to any of the
designs believed (by traffic engineers) to be beneficial for
cyclists. This probably counts as an example of Barnet's "holistic
approach" towards bike routes

Jeremy Parker