We started with the A45, a road built in the 1930's with cycle tracks on both sides. Unfortunately, when changes were subsequently made to accommodate increased traffic flows little consideration was given to cyclists. This has lead to a situation where established facts on the ground make re-instating cycling conditions to their original standard difficult and expensive.
After getting though about a quarter of the issues we decided to discuss Hales Street. I hope something better than the current arrangement will be provided. There's also an opportunity to make Greyfriars Lane bothway for cyclists. If Coventry Council wants to show that it is aware that cycling is a highly efficient user of scarce city centre space, a low-carbon transport solution and helps tackle the obesity issue it would do something. Or maybe it doesn't?
Anyway here's a list of the issues raised about the signed cycle routes in the city:
| Issue | Recommendation | Cost | Notes |
| A45 Stonebridge Off Road (N) | |||
| Cannot get access to route from north side at Stivichall roundabout. Access possible from Tollbar but not continuous. South side works but is narrow at eastern end. | Resolve as part of Tollbar Island. Current proposal is to remove route from north side of A45 and improve south side. | N/A | Depends on Highways Agency's works on Tollbar End |
| A45 Kenpas Off Road (N) | |||
| Route appears to terminate on north side just before Stivichall Island. | Convert footway (by Festival pub) to shared cycle route and sign route to Leaf Lane. Ensure future continuity on A45 as part of Tollbar scheme | Low | Needs report and signing |
| No crossing facilities at Leamington Rd junction. | Install non signalised crossing on end of Leamington Road. Good road width to accommodate | Med | Designs already available |
| Gap in route (on both sides) east of Kenilworth Rd. Presumably removed as part of A45 widening. | No option to widen or significantly improve. Convert footway to shared cycle route and cut back vegetation where possible. | Low | Needs report and signing |
| No signalised crossing facilities over Kenilworth Rd. Must cross with traffic which can be difficult | Explore possibilities as part of LSTF. Likely to have implications on traffic flows | Med/High | Included in bid |
| A45 Fletcthamstead Off Road (N) | |||
| Gap in route (south side) West of Kenilworth Rd. Presumably removed as part of A45 widening. Already used heavily by cyclists | Convert footway to shared cycle route | Low | Needs report and signing |
| Short gap in route (north side) at Homebase Roundabout outside police station. Also general lack of signing to indicate continuity of route | Widen footway to create shared cycle route. Consider road markings, such as elephant feet markings, to delineate route | Med/Low | |
| Large gap on (west side) between Standard Ave and Broad Lane. Not clear how the road operates i.e. one way? | Needs contra flow cycle route at north end and appropriate signage. Could be difficult to accommodate into the highway | Med | Could be addressed through LSTF |
| Large gap on (east side) between Sainsbury's and Broad Lane | Wide footway would allow simple conversion from footway to shared cycle route. | Low | |
| Gap on west side between Tile Hill La and Broad La | Widening could be difficult due to large trees so only option is to convert to shared use | Low | Risk Assess |
| Gap on east side between Tile Hill La and Broad La | No room in highway for any widening, so only option is to convert to shared use | Low | Risk Assess |
| Toucan crossing timings need adjusting as they require an unnecessary wait of around 40 seconds | UTMC informed | Low | |
| A45 Dunchurch Off Road () | |||
| Cannot get to route (west side) without cycling on busy section of A45. Unclear how this odd arrangement has occurred, presumably road widening | Remove route from cycle map, or amend to fit with the actual. Sign alternative on road route through residential area | Med/Low | |
| Route does on start until end of Pickford Way slip road on east side. Not clear why this arrangement exists and is dangerous for users travelling towards Pickford Way | Remove route from cycle map, or amend to fit with the actual. Sign alternative on road route through residential area | Med/Low | |
| Tile Hill Lane A45 to Tile Hill Lane east (near Blockbusters) Off Road (N) | |||
| Route technically does not continue beyond A45 junction travelling west. Works well in opposite direction | Works to extend route across A45 to Tile Hill Lane west would require conversion to Toucan crossings which would be poor VFM. Leave for now. | N/A | Consider through LSTF, but unlikely |
| Hearsall Common Tile Hill La to Kingston Rd Off Road (Y) | |||
| Route (north side) terminates half way along the common. No crossing or link to Canley station | Cross Hearsall Common via a new Toucan and continue route alongside the common to Earlsdon Ave North. Install new crossing point, uncontrolled, on Earlsdon Ave N opposite Kingston Rd. | High (But good VFM) | Scheme designed but not implemented due to Village Green |
| Kenilworth Road City boundary to Gibbet Hill Off Road (Poss) | |||
| Lack of signalised crossing facility at Gibbet Hill Rd. Cross with traffic. | Signalise by installing Toucan, but would have impact on traffic capacity / congestion | Med/High | Check if any UoW plans |
| Kenilworth Road Gibbet Hill to A45 Off Road (Poss) | |||
| Need controlled crossing at A45. Often raised by cyclists as a dangerous crossing. | Signalise, but could be expensive and have major impact on capacity | Med/High | Could explore through LSTF |
| Kenilworth Road A45 to Stoneleigh Ave Off Road (Y) | |||
| Need improved link into Stoneleigh Ave due to poor visibility | Widen footway / convert to shared use. Cut back hedge. | Med | Designs already available |
| Spencer Park Through park Off road (Y) | |||
| Works well but needs maintenance on bridge deck | Request maintenance | Low | |
| University of Warwick Lynchgate Road Off Road (Poss) | |||
| Missing link between new cycle route on Sir Henry Parks and UoW. | Currently included in Tesco Cannon Park 106 | N/A | |
| University of Warwick Gibbet Hill rd. Off Road (Poss) | |||
| Need link into university on Gibbet Hill Rd | 50k Available in UoW 106. Limited highway room to much without effecting trees | Med/High | |
| University of Warwick Gibbet Hill to main campus Off Road (N) | |||
| Works well | N/A | ||
| Holyhead Cycle Route All On road advisory (N) | |||
| Stops at Four Pounds Ave and at Pickford Way roundabout | Sections between Southbank Rd and Four Pounds Ave due to be removed. A new signed route will provide continuous signed on road route into City Centre. The western end will be extended via new developer funded routes to Browns La Jaguar | Funded | |
| Allesley Park Through Park Off road (N) | |||
| Route ends at park exit near A45 | Needs signing and consider improved crossing over A45 slips at western exit | Low/Med | |
| Jaguar Whitley Whitley Common Off Road (N) | |||
| Appears to work well | N/A | ||
| Coat of Arms / Memorial Park Into Jaguar Off Road (N) | |||
| Section through wooded area needs lighting, and route needs extending to Allard Way alongside London Road | Light wooded area link to Abbey Road and create new route alongside London Road. | Med/High | |
| Coat of Arms / Memorial Park Into Jaguar Off Road (N) | |||
| Link to Leaf Lane is narrow but works well | N/A | ||
| Coat of Arms / Memorial Park Coat of Arms Bridge Road On road (N) | |||
| Works well although some maintenance issues e.g. leaves and road surface | N/A | ||
| Coat of Arms / Memorial Park Through Park Off road (N) | |||
| No signing to indicate it is a cycle route, and missing link at northern end towards Warwick Rd /Earlsdon | Sign new link from Coat of Arms to Leamington Road Park. Consider options for extending route through Warwick Road Park | Low | |
| Allard Way London Road to Jasmine Grove Off Road (N) | |||
| Route ends at Humber Road. North end links into Jasmine Grove and Lang bank Ave cycle route | Extend route from Humber Rd to Riverside Close through conversion of footway. Would require better crossing facilities over ASDA and Humber Rd | Med/High | Tie into ASDA development, on hold |
| Allard Way Jasmine Grove to Binley Rd N/A (N) | |||
| No suitable route between Jasmine Grove and existing route from Whitworth Ave. | Either create on road signed route along Barley Lea/Whitworth Ave/Linfield or create new route along Sowe Valley to fill gap. Final section from Second Ave to Binley Rd will be addressed through New Century Park development, but would also benefit from cycle route alongside Allard Way | On road low, Sowe Valley or med/high | Designs done |
| No route between Second Ave and Binley Road | Needs existing footway widening, but limited room, or new route through New Century Park. Ideally both as NCP not as convenient | Med/High | Some design work done. Was included in NCP development design. |
| Peugeot Stoke All on main spine road Off road (N) | |||
| Links well into east/Terry Road but ends abruptly on southern arm on Humber Road just before bridge, where the route is needed most! The road is narrow and changes to 40 mph, | Review speed limit. Consider off road route, but could be land issues, and expensive | N/A | Speed review requested |
| Prologis Park / Arena All Off road (N) | |||
| Generally works well although access from the east is not good off Foleshill Road | Link existing crossing on Foleshill Rd near Windmill Rd/Arena by converting footway to cycle route. Limited room in highway | Med | Risk assess |
| Canal All Off road (Y) | |||
| Generally works well. Section between City Centre and Leicester Causeway yet to be upgraded. | Upgrade first section. Better signing and maintenance would help on existing. Would benefit from supporting signed on road link route from City Centre e.g. through Hillfields. Still plans to continue route north to Bedworth | High | Address canal towpath extension through LSTF. |
| Binley Road Sky Blue Way On/off road (N) | |||
| Key missing link between Far Gosford St and Binley / A444 roundabout (south side), and along Far Gosford St which is one way. Very well used route. | Address FGS by create new cycle route along Sky Blue Way utilising bus lane and new cut-through by new hotel. Consider removing parking bays on south side of Binley Road to accommodate cycle route. Existing footway bit narrow. | Med/High | Gap included in hotel plans |
| Binley Road A444 to Allard Way On road advisory (N) | |||
| Works well, although some sections too narrow around Brays la to Church la. Route ends at Allard way | Remark cycle route around Brays Lane to accommodate buffer between parking and cycle route. | Med | |
| Broad Lane Hawthorn to Banner Off road (Y) | |||
| Forms part of NCN. Works well but not yet complete. Will link into new Banner La route | Complete route as part of Bannerbrook Sec 106 works | N/A | |
| Naul's Mill Park Barkers Butts to Randle St Off road (N) | |||
| Pleasant route, but poorly maintained. | Needs resurfacing. Many people cycle on better maintained main path through park. | Check if highway/inform parks dept | |
| Compass Court Spon St to Windsor St Off Road (Y) | |||
| Works well | N/A | N/A | |
| West of Rugby Club Between Butts and Sovereign Rd Off Road (Y) | |||
| Route does not link in Compass Court route as end of Upper Spon St is one way. | Create cycle contraflow | Med | |
| Techno Centre Puma Way to Parkside Off Road (N) | |||
| Works well. Wrong tactile paving | N/A | N/A | Not highway |
| Subways Jct 6 Off road (N) | |||
| Missing link between Coventry station and subway cycle route to City Centre | Address through 2012 and LSTF by creating contraflow route on Eaton Rd | Med | |
| Subways Jct 2 Off road (N) | |||
| Existing route to Millennium Square ends abruptly at Chauntry Place and does not link into Stoney Stanton or Foleshill Rd | Create new shared use cycle track to end of Stoney Stanton Rd. Tie into possible Pool Meadow access improvements | Med | |
| Subways Jct 5 (N) | |||
| Missing link between subway at jct 5 and Park Road | Create new segregated shared use route, but requires Cycle Tracks Act order | Low | |
| Subways Jct 8 (N) | |||
| Fill in Hill St Subway? Cyclists use both the subway and bridge | Carry out quick count to assess situation | N/A | |
| Subways Jct 4 N/A (N) | |||
| No provision for cyclists around Gulson /London Rd | Convert footway to segregated shared use | Low | Designs done |
hi George, what is LSTF please?
ReplyDeletecheers, Danny
LSTF = Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fund which the Department of Transport has set up for local authorities to make bids for.
Coventry Council is working on a bid for the second Tranche (deadline 24 February 2012). I understand that the main bid is to improve transport in the North of Coventry, there's also a bid to improve it in the south west.
The Department of Transport has stated that a major part of the money should be directed at getting more effective use of existing infrastructure rather than building more of it. This will include "smart measures" (social marketting to get people to use forms of transport better than single occupancy private car).
Link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/local-sustainable-transport-fund-guidance-on-the-application-process/
Allowance should be made for maintaining all cycleways after they have been implemented. Where cycleways are constructed on an existing highway the white lining quickly becomes worn away and needs to be replaced.
ReplyDeleteCan something be done about repainting the cycle lane markings that are wearing out along parts of the Binley Road. Lack of road markings by an errant car driver's legal defence counsel would be a ripe excuse ....... 'my client was not aware of the cycle lane because it was not visible and this was why my client accidentally collided into him'. Council needs to get this sorted pronto.
ReplyDeleteBetween Ralaigh Road and Lidl, on both sides of the road, it's a bit dangerous to ride within the cycle lane. There's a danger of a crash if someone suddenly decides to open a off-side car door!
ReplyDeleteFor info, there is a campaign for safer cycling in London and today's 'The Times' has an excellent supplement on the subject. If only the Coventry authorities had the same desires.
ReplyDeleteI've also added a couple more ideas:
ReplyDelete1) Binley Road. Extend the cycle way on the outbound carriageway between Hipswell Highway and the bus lane starting at the River Sowe bridge. The two general traffic lanes reduce to one in this section; many motorists in the nearside lane give more attention to finding a gap in the offside lane than to cyclists on their left.
2) A45 / Kenilworth Road junction. Add a "no left turn" phase to the signalling. For the Kenilworth Road cycle track, this need only apply to the northbound Kenilworth Road carriageway and only if there was a pedestrian or cyclist present to push a button. During the "no left turn" phase traffic would have to wait in the nearside lane of Kenilworth Road before turning left into Fletchamstead Highway.