Newslink October 2021

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New cycle lane network hits snags already
Terry Pearce
MSA GB West Midlands
They are building a cycle lane near me in
Coventry, as part of a package of
measures to improve the air quality in
the city by helping to remove traffic from
sections where Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2
)
levels are at their greatest.
This is being funded from a government
grant specifically to deal with NO 2
. It will
be the first route in Coventry that will
eventually lead to a strategic cycle
network across the city.
I may sound sceptical, but the council
have had these so-called brilliant ideas
before, the last one being ‘bus lanes’
which were plastered all over the city.
Odd bus lanes still remain but the
location of the ones that failed can be
seen by the green coloured tarmac that
was left behind to slowly fade in time,
after the white lines had been burnt off!
The cycle lane is being built alongside
an existing wide road and problems have
occurred during construction. New kerb
stones which were designed to highlight
parking bays suddenly appeared in the
roadway without markings or warning
signs; these were being hit by
unsuspecting motorists, and one major
crash has already happened. The council
were forced to place road cones out to
highlight the kerb edge until they
eventually erected warning posts. The
The new cycle lanes,
with hastily erected
warning posts!
Artist’s
impression
of the new
cycle lane
pictures show how different the layout
certainly looks when compared with the
initial consultation information leaflets
that the neighbourhood were given (the
large photo above is the actual, the
smaller one insert is what residents
were told they could expect).
The cycle lane will have priority over
side roads that it crosses and its own
traffic signals at junctions and crossings.
I must state that I am all in favour of
them, as long as the users obey the rules
of the road. Considering the anti-cycle
lane comments made on social media
during its building, to justify their
thoughts that it is a waste of money,
every other pedestrian, public transport
user and motorist will be watching
cyclists’ behaviour very closely.
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY. Our AGM will
be held by Zoom on Wednesday, 10th
November. More details on page 29.
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, contact
Terry at terry@terrypearce.co.uk
The world’s shortest stretch of road before a Give Way?
Photo courtesy of Eleanor Beswick
Talking of cycle lanes...
is this the shortest stretch of road
you have ever seen between an
entry point to a road and a Give
Way sign?
It is a car length – though larger
vehicles turning into the side road
from the main will have their
backside sticking out into the traffic
if they stop at the Give Way lines.
It’s a result of a new cycle path
built in Bramhall, Stockport which
has already caused the ire of many
local motorists, with one former ADI
saying it was likely to create
dangers for both traffic turning off
the main road and suddenly being
forced to stop, and cyclists using
the path. What’s your view?
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