Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

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pstallwood
Posts: 96
Joined: 24 Aug 2012, 5:25pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by pstallwood »

£100m allocated to improve 200 locations for cycling and a commitment to cycle proof new schemes. See

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/m ... 3947305866

Maybe not enough but at least some recognition.

The A21 dualing near where I live will have a cycle lane built alongside.
Mark1978
Posts: 4912
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 8:47am
Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by Mark1978 »

200 'locations', sounds a bit odd.

As well as cycle land standards, it should be standard in DMRB that good quality cycling provision be included with all new build roads or upgrades, even if not built directly alongside the road itself, it should still have to meet good standards.

At the moment we're seeing nothing like that.
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by reohn2 »

Wilf Roberts wrote:I don't know what you mean by "very short distances" but if you replaced even a minority of the sub-5 mile journeys undertaken by car in my local town with cycle trips the effect would be startling!


By very short distances I mean 3miles total or less.
Most people won't use a bike for anything longer,and as you say vehicle congestion could be cut severely.
We need to remember as regular cyclists we're accustomed to using the bike on the current overloaded road system,which is perceived by the public as almost suicidal irrespective of statistics.
It's a chicken and egg situation,to get non cyclists from nought miles to even 3miles is a task in itself.
With current UK traffic levels and aggressive driving habits,it's almost impossible for most people,it takes a strong will to use a bike on our roads today something a regular cyclist is accustomed to.
The answer to the major problem of congestion and pollution,is a decent public transport system,that is convenient and affordable,of that I'm convinced,if traffic levels reduce it paves the way for the bike IMHO,but the vast majority of longer distance cyclists will always be an enthusiast not a utility rider.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by reohn2 »

pstallwood wrote:£100m allocated to improve 200 locations for cycling and a commitment to cycle proof new schemes. See

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/m ... 3947305866

Maybe not enough but at least some recognition.

The A21 dualing near where I live will have a cycle lane built alongside.


What would you do as a child if your parents fed the bulk of the food to your brother and left you with the crumbs?
And when you asked why,the answer was ''because he's bigger than you'' your reply would most likely be ''yeah but that's because he get's all the food,and I only get crumbs and old crusts''.
That's exactly what's happening,the fat lad gets fatter,and furthermore won't share any of his ''food''
Politrickians aren't encouraging cycling or any other form of transport other than the car because it makes most profit,whilst we slowly choke on the fumes,and become unhealthy causing more of a burden on the health service,which BTW only got 2b against the roads' 15b.
A 100million for cycling is less than crumbs IMHO
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
mrjemm
Posts: 2933
Joined: 20 Nov 2011, 4:33pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by mrjemm »

reohn2 wrote:
pstallwood wrote:£100m allocated to improve 200 locations for cycling and a commitment to cycle proof new schemes. See

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/m ... 3947305866

Maybe not enough but at least some recognition.

The A21 dualing near where I live will have a cycle lane built alongside.


What would you do as a child if your parents fed the bulk of the food to your brother and left you with the crumbs?
And when you asked why,the answer was ''because he's bigger than you'' your reply would most likely be ''yeah but that's because he get's all the food,and I only get crumbs and old crusts''.
That's exactly what's happening,the fat lad gets fatter,and furthermore won't share any of his ''food''
Politrickians aren't encouraging cycling or any other form of transport other than the car because it makes most profit,whilst we slowly choke on the fumes,and become unhealthy causing more of a burden on the health service,which BTW only got 2b against the roads' 15b.
A 100million for cycling is less than crumbs IMHO


I like your analogy R2. Have found myself taking it to the Nth in my head... Looking after the bigger, stronger offspring, in the hope they'd look after you when they grow up and you need care (elections, public order...), while the runt is left to fend for themselves and deemed an irrelevence. But... bigger sibling has all weight of responsibilities on his shoulders and starts to begrduge the freedoms of the weaker brother. And thus it comes around again to other comparisons between bikeys and motons. :D
Tom Richardson
Posts: 772
Joined: 25 Jun 2007, 1:45pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by Tom Richardson »

its also a very mean plot against the gullible; locking them into greater car dependency by encouraging them to rely on longer journeys. (I hear that motor fuel tax will not be increased in line with inflation - thereby increasing motoring subsidy as well).

Watch the press for complaints of persecution of beleaguered motorists due to unfair taxation of essential journeys as soon as oil prices start to rise.
Bonefishblues
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Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by Bonefishblues »

reohn2 wrote:TBH I think it's a lost cause talking sense to idiots.
The 15Bn will be spent...

No stop it, you're killing me :lol:

Will it heck as like (irrespective of the rights and wrongs!).
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by reohn2 »

Bonefishblues wrote:
reohn2 wrote:TBH I think it's a lost cause talking sense to idiots.
The 15Bn will be spent...

No stop it, you're killing me :lol:

Will it heck as like (irrespective of the rights and wrongs!).


Care to elaborate?
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Bonefishblues
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Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by Bonefishblues »

reohn2 wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:
reohn2 wrote:TBH I think it's a lost cause talking sense to idiots.
The 15Bn will be spent...

No stop it, you're killing me :lol:

Will it heck as like (irrespective of the rights and wrongs!).


Care to elaborate?

Humorous (or maybe not :) ) way of using your post to make a different point - that I'll believe 15bn of a politician's promised "investment" when I see it.
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by reohn2 »

Bonefishblues wrote:Humorous (or maybe not :) ) way of using your post to make a different point - that I'll believe 15bn of a politician's promised "investment" when I see it.


You could be right,but the politrickians string pullers need the business.......
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Wilf Roberts
Posts: 51
Joined: 10 Feb 2013, 8:05pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by Wilf Roberts »

reohn2 wrote:By very short distances I mean 3miles total or less.
Most people won't use a bike for anything longer,and as you say vehicle congestion could be cut severely.
We need to remember as regular cyclists we're accustomed to using the bike on the current overloaded road system,which is perceived by the public as almost suicidal irrespective of statistics.
It's a chicken and egg situation,to get non cyclists from nought miles to even 3miles is a task in itself.
With current UK traffic levels and aggressive driving habits,it's almost impossible for most people,it takes a strong will to use a bike on our roads today something a regular cyclist is accustomed to.
The answer to the major problem of congestion and pollution,is a decent public transport system,that is convenient and affordable,of that I'm convinced,if traffic levels reduce it paves the way for the bike IMHO,but the vast majority of longer distance cyclists will always be an enthusiast not a utility rider.


Agreed. At the moment we have a situation where kids are raised with a sense that riding on a road is too dangerous to consider. They then grow into adults with a mortal fear of cycling on the road. We need a government to give cycling priority as a bona fide form of transport. For too many otherwise sensible adults it's perceived as either just exercise or something undertaken by eccentrics!
reohn2
Posts: 45159
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by reohn2 »

Wilf Roberts wrote:Agreed. At the moment we have a situation where kids are raised with a sense that riding on a road is too dangerous to consider. They then grow into adults with a mortal fear of cycling on the road. We need a government to give cycling priority as a bona fide form of transport. For too many otherwise sensible adults it's perceived as either just exercise or something undertaken by eccentrics!


IMHO the UK has looked west rather than east to the continent for it's transport ideals.Cycling is a poorman's means of transport in a class riddled society,where car is king,but look where it's got us.Ever growing congestion where one hic up can have such wide reaching effects as to bring to a standstill the whole road network.
There is a better system of moving people around what is after all a small island,there is also IMO a lot of unnecessary journeys by single occupant four,five or more seater vehicles which with even small restrictions and changes in congested areas private vehicles on the road could be halved and commercial goods vehicles moved to other less congested,safer and convenient times of day for the the general public.
The problem is we've allowed the private motor vehicle owner too much freedom and now the tail wags the dog and every politrickian is in fear of upsetting that tail.
The owner is stupid and can't see that it takes longer in many many congested areas,to drive than it does to walk!
Nobody is prepared to firmly grasp the nettle and stop it,we just bumble along building new roads in the hope that we won't fill them and that at some point we'll build our way out of the problem,whilst we struggle to maintain the roads we've already built! And very recent history tells us we'll just fill up any new roads built in less and less time.Whilst we slowly choke and get fatter dur to lack of exercise.

Necessity is the mother of invention,when it's necessary maybe we'll 'invent' public transport again,and if we as a society ever get from up our own backsides on the class issue,the bicycle may be seen for what it is,at cost effective,quick means of local transport that has a lot going for it and that it's user get's a lot more satisfaction from it's use.
It will need some radical rethinking for that to happen both in UK politricks and UK society.
One thing's for sure'we'll hit the wall at some point if we don't.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
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661-Pete
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Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by 661-Pete »

...and not just roads:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-30316577
Yes, you're probably thinking, this is 'good' because it's spending on rail, not road...
BUT....
Gatwick station hardly needs a re-vamp - it's just undergone a major expansion with an extra platform added (it now has seven platforms - more than any other non-terminus station in Southern Region I believe - except Clapham Junction). Yes it's a fine station to use - if you're going to catch a plane. Otherwise - it's got a reputation for being the most cycle-unfriendly station in the country, according to some - virtually impossible to get between the station and street level - there used to be a goods lift which you could sneak into provided the staff didn't catch you, but it's not easy to find and I don't know if it's still there.

So what is this? I'd call it a vanity project, aimed at pulling in lots of lucrative ££££££'s but not of a lot of use to the average rail traveller. And certainly not to the average cyclist who wants to take their bike on the train (hint: use Three Bridges station instead - though even there you may have to lug your bike up a lot of steps...)
Last edited by 661-Pete on 4 Dec 2014, 1:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mark1978
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Location: Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by Mark1978 »

They should look at revamping Manchester Airport station, a more depressing hole of a place I've yet to find. The airport wasn't much better.
mrjemm
Posts: 2933
Joined: 20 Nov 2011, 4:33pm

Re: Road Revolution £15Bn on roads..yet naff all for cycling

Post by mrjemm »

Mark1978 wrote:They should look at revamping Manchester Airport station, a more depressing hole of a place I've yet to find. The airport wasn't much better.


I don't really agree; I use this station a lot and the only grim thing about it is the shop, which is indeed dire (as I love coffee, but hate flying (scared silly) and coffee makes me twitchy, I often want a brew after a flight and this place is godawful). Otherwise though, there's a lift, stairs, esculator. The counter service fast, plenty of ticket machines, the place is clean and the platform attendants helpful. Only discovered there's a loo on the station level last week too- always went up to the coach station previously!

Best thing about this station is being able to get a seat on the train home- never can from Manchester itself.

Likewise Manchester Airport is fine too. For me the only drawback is getting from T3 to the Station with my bags- I wish they'd add an overpass walkway extension from where it ends at T1.
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