Southend-on-Sea's new cycle path: dangerous design?

[Clandy]

I live in Shoeburyness, part of the Borough of Southend. Southend was recently named one of the government's cycling demonstration towns and awarded several million pounds grant to improve cycling in the town. There have been some improvements, so far mostly cycle training initiatives in primary schools, and some hi-vis bits handed out at events in the town.
But the latest 'improvement' seems dangerous and ill-considered to say the least.
A new cycle lane is nearing completion on the seafront west of the pier. The width would indicate it is to be a two-way track. The only division between track and road is a small two-inch kerb which is flush with the cycle track but higher than the road. The design of the track means that cyclists traveling eastwards are only a couple of feet from cars, buses, coaches, trucks etc. traveling westwards. This looks to me to be an incredibly dangerous design as there is little, if anything, to stop cars swerving off the road onto the cycle track, or to stop young children wandering off the track into the road.

Is this design common around the country?

I have attached a photograph of the cycle path in question.

It may be that a barrier will be installed before completion, but so far there is no sign of this. It is also possible this will not be a two-way track, but I feel it would have been narrower if this were the case. I will be writing to Southend council regarding this next week. But thought it would be good to get opinion from others first.

[Mick F]

Hi Clandy, you seem to have a double posting here, so I've deleted the other. It makes things difficult when we have two threads going on at the same time.
Regards, and welcome to the forum!
Mick.

[hubgearfreak]

the path isn't dangerous, but the behaviour of motorists will be.
i imagine that it looks like a perfect carpark to many

[Cunobelin]

the path isn't dangerous, but the behaviour of motorists will be.
i imagine that it looks like a perfect carpark to many

That was my thought.... As always you will be relying on a common sense that a significant minority of drivers simply do not have.

I am not being personally critical here, but is there anything that actually indicates this is two-way, or is that an assumption?

[Clandy]

the path isn't dangerous, but the behaviour of motorists will be.
i imagine that it looks like a perfect carpark to many

That was my thought.... As always you will be relying on a common sense that a significant minority of drivers simply do not have.

I am not being personally critical here, but is there anything that actually indicates this is two-way, or is that an assumption?

I did say in my last paragraph that it is possible this might not be a two-way track, however, the width would seem to indicate it will be. I can't see a council putting in two paths that wide on either side of the road, especially when there is already a two-way cycle path the same width east of Southend's Kursaal. That path is separated from the road by a high kerb and is clearly marked but it doesn't stop people parking in it. I recorded this yesterday (27/03/10) morning, watch for the white van in the top right corner of the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDNH7wTFbHg

[thirdcrank]

I think it's impossible to judge something like this from one pic., especially one taken before the scheme is apparently finished.

Judging from the condition of what looks like the existing footway - I get the impression that the space now being allocated to cyclists has been taken from the general carriageway. That could be a good or bad thing for cyclists, depending on how things like junctions are detailed and how the space is protected from parking (as already mentioned.)

The towns involved in these schemes all have existing CTC Right reps. There was an item about this in a recent edition of the CTC mag., and not everything seems hunky dory. I suggest you make contact with the local Right to Ride person before sounding off to the council. Then you will have a lot more info and your efforts will hopefully be better informed and targeted.

[hubgearfreak]

watch for the white van in the top right corner of the video:

at least he didn't block the traffic

[Yorkshireman]

When this 'farcility' was first opened

(converted from standard pavement to cycle/pedestrian path by adding 12" to the side away from the road) I was sure that there would be a 'mishap' or two between road traffic and path users involving some of the local kids (it's a major feeder route to two large upper schools). Not a single one in five years (though there have been a few trips into the drain/ditch. It's not a 'good idea' to be cycling in the opposite direction to the main flow at peak times - those kids don't take prisoners

[[XAP]Bob]

Cycle paths are rarely dangerous - frequently they aren't suitable for riding on however.

Not yet finished, but apparently in use, so we have to judge on what we can see. That kerb (to me) doesn't look enough to create a meaningful barrier to traffic, and I'd be unhappy on that if it were busy and two way - passing the occasional cyclist (i.e. straying to near the road) would bother me less, but I'm quite confident on road.

[Clandy]

My main concern is this has been built on the seafront at Southend, and is obviously intended more to encourage leisure use by occasional cyclists. The thought of families with young children, quite likely very inexperienced as cyclists, riding so close against the flow of traffic gives me chills.

[hubgearfreak]

The thought of families with young children, riding so close against the flow of traffic gives me chills.

yes. if i was there with my son, i'd have him cycling on the footpath

[Tonyf33]

I actually think it looks pretty okay, new tarmac by the looks of it too. I personally wouldn't be concerned about the lack of raised edges, maybe they'll add something later? Is the road section 30 or 20 limit btw?
I would think that the carriagway been one way helps motorists view of the road ahead & not have to worry about oncoming traffic, only those parked up who want to pull out, so(hopefully) should help them not transgress onto the cycle lane.
Nice to see Southend getting some decent sized cycle paths on the sea front tho'.
However get that blinkin' jogger off it & get him on the footway where he belongs

[squeaker]

There was some discussion on the RtR forum. To quote the local rep (PM me if OP wants a contact):

Cycling in this area has always been very popular. Thanks to the very
wide road, single file traffic and slow speeds it is pretty safe to
cycle; the main problem being day trippers overtaking and then parking.
I commute along here every night and on average will see several
cyclists on the road in both directions, all year round. You'll also
note that the pavement is very wide, and other than summer days when it
has as many pedestrians as photographed there are many cyclists using
the pavement as a cycle route.

But...

As part of the Cycle Town project the Council has decided to put a cycle
route in along here. The plans for this will be brought to the next
cycle group meeting on the 29th March so that we can look at them,
comment, and feed back to the Council... Unfortunately the work started
last month!

This is where they've got to so far... Thanks to the perspective of the
camera the track looks wider than it is (I'll try again tomorrow).
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q273 ... 1_1640.jpg

Where there used to be parking bays is this 2.3m wide tarmac cycle route
which is going to be a TWO WAY route!.

The slope of the lane follows the camber of the road, so water will
drain from right to left against the kerb. Water already puddles there
in rain, and no additional drainage has been installed. In windy
conditions sand blows across the area photographed, which can get very
slippery. In the winter this area next to the kerb is always iced and
dangerous as the traffic volumes throw everything off of the main
carriageway.

There is a kerb to the left of the lane, separating it from the
pavement.

The lane is separated from the road surface by a kerb around an inch
high. The lane is pretty flush with the top of this kerb, the height
difference being between the lane and the lower road surface.

The local press has reported this scheme as NOT removing any parking
bays, so I'm not certain where the cars will be parking? I'm wondering
if it will be to the right of the path, so passenger doors will intrude
into it....

So, it's a 30mph limit road, the counterflow cycle path is 2.3m wide: wouldn't catch me using it in the counter-flow direction

[thirdcrank]

To iterate my original suggestion, IMO co-ordinating any letter writing or campaigning with the RtoR rep is likely to be more effective than anything else.

[Clandy]

To iterate my original suggestion, IMO co-ordinating any letter writing or campaigning with the RtoR rep is likely to be more effective than anything else.

I don't think so. Personally I plan to write to the councillor concerned (Cllr. Anna Waite) and copy the email to the local paper, the local radio station, and the CTC. In the email I will point out that I consider the design a death trap in the making.
If the council ignore these concerns and, heavens forbid, there is a serious incident, there will be a clear record of my concern that this design could result in a serious collision and that the council was warned and could have taken action to prevent such incident.