tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18281668656471856332024-03-29T04:56:22.862+00:00The Ranty HighwaymanThe adventures in time & space of a Chartered Civil Engineer, specialising in designing for walking and cycling.The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.comBlogger521125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-30191876492140681342024-03-16T15:04:00.001+00:002024-03-16T15:05:04.298+00:00The Non-story of 20mph Enforcement In London<h2 style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, Times consumer affairs correspondent <a href="https://archive.is/EkJcX" target="_blank">Andrew Ellson authored an article on 20mph speed enforcement</a> in which he took some umbrage at how London's Metropolitan Police deals with enforcing that particular speed limit.</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3Rc-tktmz10KQf20P6GfJqmHaXe1GxMJCAD_slr7r65XLmVSjXN11eYLzfBsJ1VPhqy6gdu9t2JWaDS8rpU8H5PUxGiEnAD8J8F838_IF4FEIJuMy4_B9KUAJxKLloLikk_QfcDWNeVDfEqjqkbV539vSb_zIi9ghHMyiWMeA5GZE4Dn_60Tw3fa_1OS/s4000/20%20Zone%20sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A 20mph zone sign" border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3Rc-tktmz10KQf20P6GfJqmHaXe1GxMJCAD_slr7r65XLmVSjXN11eYLzfBsJ1VPhqy6gdu9t2JWaDS8rpU8H5PUxGiEnAD8J8F838_IF4FEIJuMy4_B9KUAJxKLloLikk_QfcDWNeVDfEqjqkbV539vSb_zIi9ghHMyiWMeA5GZE4Dn_60Tw3fa_1OS/w300-h400/20%20Zone%20sign.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll come to what he wrote in a minute, but this comes at a time when <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-drivers/the-plan-for-drivers" target="_blank">we've had all sorts of nonsense from people</a> decrying any measure to rein in the impact of decades of traffic growth and indeed, enforcement action taken against those behaving dangerously.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am a supporter of 20mph as the default speed limit. This doesn't come from a political position, it is a consequence of the science which underlies part of the <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/02/sustainable-safety.html" target="_blank">sustainable safety</a> (also called safe systems) approach to highway engineering. In short, the human body can withstand certain forces in terms of being hit by a vehicle or for the occupants of a vehicle, and the relationship between driver speed and the energy of an impact is non-linear. </div><div><br /></div><div>20mph (30kph) is the sweet spot for where people both inside and outside of vehicles are much more likely to walk away from a crash and so from a sustainable safety point of view, places where mixed modes operate will benefit from this speed limit. <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/12/why-is-twenty-plenty.html" target="_blank">I wrote more about this back in 2020</a>. Let us also be very clear here, 20mph is a <b>limit</b> and not a target, because in some situations it is fully appropriate for people to drive well below the limit because of what is going on around them.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think that in some respects UK driving culture has got us to a point where some people think about the speed limit as a bit of a guideline and with well-publicised police enforcement approaches, many people realise they are very unlikely to be taken to task for being a little over the limit and in the event they do get caught, some people get very noisily upset and that's grabbed by some to stoke their silly little culture war and presumably it must also help sell newspapers or drive traffic to news websites.</div><div><br /></div><div>So back to Ellson's piece. While he did mention police forces across the UK, I am going to stick with the Metropolitan police as he seems most upset with them. The headline to his piece (that he won't have written) leans into the government's current culture war on anyone not driving with "<i>Record fines for 20mph speeding despite PM’s pledge to scrap zones</i>" and in the piece after talking about 20mph, Ellson states:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>"The Met alone has issued 595,000 of the fines — the equivalent of one ticket for every four cars registered in London — amid a crackdown on speeding initiated by Sadiq Khan as mayor."</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>In June 2023, there were <a href="https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/cheap-car-insurance/number-cars-great-britain" target="_blank">2,608,538 cars registered in London</a> and with Ellson's figure of 595k fines, that's a ratio of 4.38. Now according to the data provided to me by the Met around 20mph enforcement, there were 243,110 offences detected by camera and 2,637 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) - i.e. detected by a police officer in 2023. That's a total of 245,747 which is a ratio of 10.6. In fairness, the data I have is all offences and not just cars, but it doesn't appear to be the 1 in 4 as suggested in the article.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ellson then took to Twitter to talk more about this and we find out that just maybe, he was feeling a little sore about the subject and so I obviously couldn't resist a dig. His answer was interesting and I did ask to see his data, but reply there came none.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5fHIho3yjt9wgte9QidHEudKFCCT0CQGo8TuGwYFU5fKXfFRigyI0JBrq-zOUjEm9DceGCA2roipWy1MbyZBfEbrM3rwff0qKuRGDr4fqtbtGmE8zoXLPH14nO-lsRo3F6avW6HxEgPMhReysqp7FqD9-91cMUtRBkv0NjDfzCHAfQyVM1hlEctw2UfO-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Me quote tweeting Ellson and him responding." data-original-height="608" data-original-width="598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5fHIho3yjt9wgte9QidHEudKFCCT0CQGo8TuGwYFU5fKXfFRigyI0JBrq-zOUjEm9DceGCA2roipWy1MbyZBfEbrM3rwff0qKuRGDr4fqtbtGmE8zoXLPH14nO-lsRo3F6avW6HxEgPMhReysqp7FqD9-91cMUtRBkv0NjDfzCHAfQyVM1hlEctw2UfO-=w629-h640" width="629" /></a></div><br />The 10% +2mph here refers to a commonly held belief by some drivers that they are fine to drive at that speed before they run the risk of enforcement. For 20mph, this is taken as 24mph is fine, enforcement will be from 25mph and greater. Except that's completely wrong because <a href="https://www.met.police.uk/foi-ai/metropolitan-police/d/january-2022/enforcing-20mph-speed-limit-zones-december2020-november2021" target="_blank">the Met confirmed its 20mph approach in November 2021</a> as follows;</div><div><div><br /></div><div><i>"The Met threshold for enforcement of 20mph roads and issuing a speeding ticket is 10% + 2 mph. Enforcement from 24 mph and Prosecution from 35 mph."</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>So if they catch you driving 24mph to 34mph (officer or camera) you are more likely to be dealt with through the fixed penalty process or a speed awareness course, and from and including 35mph, that's probably you off to court.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ellson's tweet is even more interesting because he is talking about between 21mph and 25mph. He didn't confirm if that was an inclusive figure, but anyone caught speeding at 24mph and 25mph will be subject to enforcement. But let's have a look a the actual data which shows that in 2023 from a speed camera perspective, <b>not a single person</b> was subject to enforcement in London for 21mph to 23mph inclusive which is in line with the 10% +2mph which starts at 24mph. </div><div><br /></div><div>For enforcement by an officer for 21mph to 23mph, <b>one</b> person was subject to enforcement and that was dealt with by a speed awareness course. There were no enforcements by an officer at 24mph and there were just four at 25mph (1 case ongoing, 2 for potential prosecution and 1 dealt with by a speed awareness course). Back with the cameras, there were 80,267 enforcement detections at 24mph and 56,764 at 25mph.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ellson is being a bit naughty quoting the range of 21mph to 25mph because that's taking in 21, 22 and 23mph which objectively is not being enforced against, but it's good framing when you want to create criticism even though we still talking about a 20mph <b>limit</b> and it feeds the social media set-piece of unverifiable stories about old ladies being done for driving at 22mph in a 20mph limit.</div><div><br /></div><div>But let us put this into perspective with the Met's total 20mph enforcement figure of 245,747. About 42% of camera detections ended up with a speed awareness course and about 13% when detected by an officer, but as officer detections are about 1% of the total, you've got to be quite "unlucky". About 17% of camera detections led to people paying their fines (and taking 3 points), less than 4% going for prosecution, about 29% remain ongoing cases and about 9% led to no further action.</div><div><br /></div><div>In terms of mileage driven in London, in 2022, there were <a href="https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/regions/6" target="_blank">19.1 billion miles driven</a>. I don't have a breakdown of how many were on 20mph streets, but that's one 20mph enforcement detection for every 78,000 miles driven in London each year and I'd say we've actually got some good compliance out there which makes Ellson's whole story rather disproportionate in the grand scheme of things. And besides, physics and biomechanics don't care.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I've provided the Met data below, feel free to challenge by maths as I don't always get it right!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGPh4GwQnjhufVb14ZOuwnAAiaRFDL7pNW5dV0Kb0LA11RDnB_r1fGUli1PK844BtTNSdiG3_Haw8iVM91ZUGOztzPAkfDV5prqC8Aid38IsQDhB3Oaf7ueULKWSBk3TZki_Unv-3IcqcBGaPtjlrPcIInNiX-jAeP7oyIxqX5UEuM114hTm9hfghFzTZJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="321" data-original-width="1237" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGPh4GwQnjhufVb14ZOuwnAAiaRFDL7pNW5dV0Kb0LA11RDnB_r1fGUli1PK844BtTNSdiG3_Haw8iVM91ZUGOztzPAkfDV5prqC8Aid38IsQDhB3Oaf7ueULKWSBk3TZki_Unv-3IcqcBGaPtjlrPcIInNiX-jAeP7oyIxqX5UEuM114hTm9hfghFzTZJ=w640-h166" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheNXZsDhAfcB4b7Ylk06zV9M6q3L0KOkYG-pHNomi1pUeqQUWH_drgHsm11apxRD7-vKheILRj9MGIUXu0boEQyVY9Yb7EnRzV4q2BS8S0OBsmxM7TunTmtoqr0WNbAhmg4uiOE-7gVDPCSCFJKUIbeFhAd7C-XThEY67fZNt9dMXbP4slPGRNSMOyjyYX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="326" data-original-width="1237" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheNXZsDhAfcB4b7Ylk06zV9M6q3L0KOkYG-pHNomi1pUeqQUWH_drgHsm11apxRD7-vKheILRj9MGIUXu0boEQyVY9Yb7EnRzV4q2BS8S0OBsmxM7TunTmtoqr0WNbAhmg4uiOE-7gVDPCSCFJKUIbeFhAd7C-XThEY67fZNt9dMXbP4slPGRNSMOyjyYX=w640-h168" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-1903088915812164372024-02-10T11:52:00.000+00:002024-02-10T11:52:04.370+00:00Taking The Rough With The Smooth<h2 style="text-align: left;">The asphalt fairies have been out round my way and it gave me an opportunity to have a look at what they were up to a few nights ago.</h2><div>The road in question is a 50mph trunk road which cuts through the community of my corner of London, and as such, it carries lots of motor traffic. It's built on good old <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Clay" target="_blank">London Clay</a> which means it's susceptible to long term movement from getting saturated and drying out annually and for this road, a couple of sections had been on the move making the road surface a bit of a rollercoaster twisting lorries as they went over the defects.</div><div><br /></div><div>The maintenance response was to relay the kerb lines to the correct levels and then resurface to suit and it is the resurfacing that caught my ear - yes I do mean "ear". Let's have a quick video and you'll see what I mean.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyD-mkFU_9O6ZxT-v0RGOmD2fPJuAzXRXJ3F16CpCdfTEjRhoXUot3xTpnPHw_yW4zeAaCcu0FfPBAARAncCQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>You might need to listen to this clip a couple of times to get your ear in, but the change in noise level between the new surface to the right and the old surface to the left is noticeable. Some of you might even be able to pick up the little thump as the vehicles go across the tie-in point between the two.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what's happening here? For the answer to that, we need to take a closer look, courtesy of my creaking knees.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S2F2K2SPCc369UScjbI_DEIOJQfGnoHbkTEdaCRFD0m3FBS2K9v05wUq5kc0mkKmwUO0wDx8hIc3DtCs6uKZswGarO2NfFH0-IBp28LgwxyBe8diSHOFvToGByQbMcHE6w1gru85ZTXzCwXhE-pOI72pmMMgGGcjmMD7F12ga8CgBziKS2owprJOsJdR/s4096/IMG_20240210_081942326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S2F2K2SPCc369UScjbI_DEIOJQfGnoHbkTEdaCRFD0m3FBS2K9v05wUq5kc0mkKmwUO0wDx8hIc3DtCs6uKZswGarO2NfFH0-IBp28LgwxyBe8diSHOFvToGByQbMcHE6w1gru85ZTXzCwXhE-pOI72pmMMgGGcjmMD7F12ga8CgBziKS2owprJOsJdR/w400-h225/IMG_20240210_081942326.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is a photograph of the old surface (taken where it has been ended in a side road - I wasn't going to bend down on a high speed road!) The black and white squares on the top of the reference card are 10mm so you can get a idea of the size of the pink and black stones that cover the surface which I'll come back to in a minute.</div><div><br /></div><div>The surface itself is called "hot rolled asphalt" (HRA) and it is a mix of a bitumen binder, stone, sand and fillers (such as limestone dust). It is laid by machine and when properly compacted, forms a dense matrix which is very durable and waterproof. As a result, it has a long design life and in the scale of things is reasonable cost effective. Quite good for a trunk road carrying lots of lorries.</div><div><br /></div><div>The problem with HRA however, is it isn't that great at attaining skidding resistance unless one chooses a variant which has a high proportion of high quality stone to leave a "rough" surface, but that puts the cost up. Instead, we add "pre-coated chippings" (PCC). PCCs are the pink and black stones you can see in the photograph above and come with a thin coating of bitumen to help them stick when they are laid. The pink stones are granite and the black are probably basalt - two very hard stones and as they are quite expensive, they are used sparingly on top rather than in the mix itself.</div><div><br /></div><div>HRA surfaces are usually laid by machine with the PCCs added while the surface is still hot and prior to being compacted by roller (but not too much otherwise PCCs will be pushed right in). This leaves all the PCCs sticking up a little bit above the general surface leaving a rough texture. The PCCs sticking up creates a "positive macrotexture". The stones are also rough when you look at them at the microscopic level which gives us a "microtexture" which is also part of the grip story.</div><div><br /></div><div>The action of tyres over an HRA surface is such that the stones grab and deform bits of the tyre in contact as they roll over the surface and the noise comes from the rubber "pinging" back as the stones lose grip as the tyre rotates. It's all happening very quickly, constantly and at a small scale, but all of the little pings add up to generate the noise we can hear in the video and of course, frictional forces are gradually wearing the tyres out. Asphalts generally absorb some noise from tyres, but the type explained above is fairly impervious and so much of the noise is reflected up.</div><div><br /></div><div>PCC laying machines "chippers" were almost becoming museum pieces a few years back as there was a trend to use surfacing that didn't require them because they are often awkward to use because they are wider than the section of surface being laid, which usually led to road closures. Have a close look at this video to see the chips falling out of a chipper from a grooved roller fed by the hopper.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D1GPKNhFres" width="320" youtube-src-id="D1GPKNhFres"></iframe></div><br /><div>From a maintenance point of view, getting a chipper in for smallish scale work isn't economically viable and hand-laying PCCs isn't a great option for a high speed road from a quality perspective which is probably why for the bit of work I'm talking about, a different choice was made.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgvYsDem4ykuJ2RlOFoyBJKW_5xg-9S9XlR0Kk2sDhOSLphZQgcMpnybmNrTa1JFKpgp3YbmWegQKURGc86G1fvsKIQPJHxEqC9RqdibXW95_hvhaZef6KFF8ZJVLCMd48I_tXYLwwtw5mHQsqTj8V2Q00-0HC1jSRp3KzGJUqCEo8uT6RRMbNQbuJSNi/s4096/IMG_20240210_081629116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgvYsDem4ykuJ2RlOFoyBJKW_5xg-9S9XlR0Kk2sDhOSLphZQgcMpnybmNrTa1JFKpgp3YbmWegQKURGc86G1fvsKIQPJHxEqC9RqdibXW95_hvhaZef6KFF8ZJVLCMd48I_tXYLwwtw5mHQsqTj8V2Q00-0HC1jSRp3KzGJUqCEo8uT6RRMbNQbuJSNi/w400-h225/IMG_20240210_081629116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The new surface (above) is quite different to the HRA. In this case we are dealing with what is generally termed as "asphalt concrete" (AC) which is comprised of higher quality stone with fewer fillers and more stones of a similar size to give an "open" texture, but which still has bitumen to bind the mix. Whereas HRA provides grip with the PCCs sticking up, AC provides this by having lots of voids in the surface otherwise known as "negative texture" and of course the stones we see on the surface have a rough microtexture.</div><div><br /></div><div>From a noise perspective, the voids in the AC are much better at absorbing the noise from tyre action than the reflective nature of HRA and so they are often favoured where there are residential areas as a result. The new surface here is probably a "thin surface course system" (TSCS) which is a more advanced type of AC where the bitumen binder has been modified using polymers to provide greater strength and durability, because basic AC is generally less durable than an HRA equivalent and which is an important consideration for areas with high traffic flow and lorry movements.</div><div><br /></div><div>If we wanted to get even better at reducing noise, we could go for a porous asphalt which has more voids, but we need to take care that water entering the pores can drain away. This can be properly integrated with drainage design to provide a surface that throws up very little spray and even surfaces which will drain to engineered lower layers and sub-drainage systems.</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it. A little bit of maintenance works can send us down the start of an asphalt rabbit hole which is a whole branch of engineering in its own right. It's a pity that the same amount of care wasn't applied to the uneven and cracked footway I was walking along.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-3414400776385957592023-12-30T10:39:00.002+00:002023-12-30T10:39:47.800+00:00The New Adventures of Monsieur Nugget de Poulet<h2 style="text-align: left;">Those following me on social media will know that I acquired a tandem cycle a couple of months back and <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/03/beyond-bicycle-room-for-manoeuvre.html" target="_blank">as with my cargotrike</a>, it has further sharpened my appreciation for how streets designs help and hinder non-standard cycles.</h2><div>The wonderful machine was an eBay find and is an <a href="https://www.arcadecycles.fr/en/bicycle-list/?section=4028818e76ca44440176cdbf717440b5" target="_blank">Arcade Cycles Tandem Coffee</a>. It's a bit rough around the edges, but mechanically very good. Being aluminium, I can manually handle it a bit and with 7 hub gears from a twist shifter, it is very easy to ride, even without a <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/tandem-cycles-explained" target="_blank">stoker</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCIzvjiw70Hsc15uDGiym2qbLME9ILpcysguT5VuxQuJlSP7CEcFv_wGiRtV5z2e02PDLjVqOq68cH8aoMgv6dwNqVDeGdaP25wC2Acb9FbBPub2TN1GYq_4Ln-q6zZefFeSon1gc3AIRny8WqbHTTKaP3-yBcAYuG9HobIrJxQFghRTZrGjKLSmGD96S/s2048/GCbqzXBXMAAXC0W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black tandem cycle with brown seats and chrome handlebars on a cycle track with Portcullis House and the Elizabeth clock tower behind." border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCIzvjiw70Hsc15uDGiym2qbLME9ILpcysguT5VuxQuJlSP7CEcFv_wGiRtV5z2e02PDLjVqOq68cH8aoMgv6dwNqVDeGdaP25wC2Acb9FbBPub2TN1GYq_4Ln-q6zZefFeSon1gc3AIRny8WqbHTTKaP3-yBcAYuG9HobIrJxQFghRTZrGjKLSmGD96S/w400-h225/GCbqzXBXMAAXC0W.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The other thing I like about it is that it is cruiser style meaning a nice upright seating position (which I prefer). The only slight downside is that it is not step-through, but that's a personal preference of mine linked to how bendy my joints are!</div><div><br /></div><div>So, why the name? Well that's my youngest daughter's doing. I have never been a bike namer, but happy to make the exception for her and being of French heritage we've Monsieur Nugget de Poulet. After a little TLC he was ready for some new adventures.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTts4TKz_vd2gRpdJgqIErZWhosx_4GKpuncVH2KNYzNzU_KHCp3pLlZ-TnZcFlSUDOpTnC30GTFDHkYTe5TYp2Qkdy20B3XvFB05-XsaF2pnZvAD784dDftAJrWYH5XM4oqjcZJtKfYsdlyHKf5RVnTofh8DS7tRbfS_JBBdxCmZj6nYJHl3bWHDAM5x/s4096/IMG_20231229_123308122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black tandem cycle with brown seats and chrome handlebars parked against a stainless steel ccle parking hoop." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTts4TKz_vd2gRpdJgqIErZWhosx_4GKpuncVH2KNYzNzU_KHCp3pLlZ-TnZcFlSUDOpTnC30GTFDHkYTe5TYp2Qkdy20B3XvFB05-XsaF2pnZvAD784dDftAJrWYH5XM4oqjcZJtKfYsdlyHKf5RVnTofh8DS7tRbfS_JBBdxCmZj6nYJHl3bWHDAM5x/w400-h225/IMG_20231229_123308122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The obvious thing to note is M. de Poulet is much longer than a standard cycle, he is 2.4m long; not quite as long as the 2.8m of the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120" target="_blank">LTN 1/20 Design Cycle (p42)</a>, but pretty long nonetheless. Sure, it's easy to lock him to a cycle stand, but not every installation has space as generous as my local retail park (above).</div><div><br /></div><div>Handlebar-wise, the front set are a touch over 600mm wide and the rear a touch under 650mm wide which sets the overall width envelope at that height (i.e. not clipping posts on the street), but in comparison with the cargotrike, I have less of an issue avoiding kerbs as I can make fuller use of any cycle track with in-line wheels.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOOpAHIlnbQ1GTFmlu0n7crGQRNKlOfU5RAnuCa3zjNdw5tV223_7rQ1_-lpv6GKnIYvlt3vrgsoaCeHtr0qFzj-T-GCRonpXStHQJxtsmUr6WPGRCEIVjUj1dGHyceIkpfWLgpYxCQdbNPonVQkbxynp9kHmjge240ZIKo2eqzrXLUVq5Myr3LpsiKfs/s4092/DhHUCwcWkAUGboK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A blue cycle track with a grey pavement to the left and a grey passenger area for a floating bus stop to the right. There is an ambulance parked at the bus stop." border="0" data-original-height="2302" data-original-width="4092" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOOpAHIlnbQ1GTFmlu0n7crGQRNKlOfU5RAnuCa3zjNdw5tV223_7rQ1_-lpv6GKnIYvlt3vrgsoaCeHtr0qFzj-T-GCRonpXStHQJxtsmUr6WPGRCEIVjUj1dGHyceIkpfWLgpYxCQdbNPonVQkbxynp9kHmjge240ZIKo2eqzrXLUVq5Myr3LpsiKfs/w400-h225/DhHUCwcWkAUGboK.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The length of the machine means the rear wheel doesn't closely follow the front when the the turn is sharper, and so one has to have this in mind when getting through tighter spots. The floating bus stops on Cycleway 2 in London felt a little awkward for this reason, especially given the fairly sharp horizontal deflection and the need to constantly watch the high kerbs (above). Some of the idea of the deflection is to slow some people down, but it doesn't work and it makes life harder for the users of non-standard cycles.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMvPDGznnFEvTlpNJhDRUqMcK6EViRCM4qAaa3pSOD2EdV4vdtPDKhwnjMFSo-Q55BqELF_nxDRog0vB_G_-tsn4YbH8C6F0YtzuCrJ6aWxpwCZlqeYwK4Z2Xh-bmB0TLmhU085eRAsazPJIAoIJzcJCjjCtTTyf_tSgiMEhJjqHlWHhV6t-vzklZlq64/s4096/IMG_20231125_162047616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black tandem cycle with brown seats and chrome handlebars parked between a series of white metal staggered barriers." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMvPDGznnFEvTlpNJhDRUqMcK6EViRCM4qAaa3pSOD2EdV4vdtPDKhwnjMFSo-Q55BqELF_nxDRog0vB_G_-tsn4YbH8C6F0YtzuCrJ6aWxpwCZlqeYwK4Z2Xh-bmB0TLmhU085eRAsazPJIAoIJzcJCjjCtTTyf_tSgiMEhJjqHlWHhV6t-vzklZlq64/w400-h225/IMG_20231125_162047616.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The other problem is chicane barriers. We of course know these metal monstrosities make it hard for many people to pass, but of course it is even harder with the tandem because of the length. Above is a photo of a set of barriers that were impossible to get through without dismounting and even then, I had to handle the cycle round them.</div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvQBcM5ZkKnHomZ2z8l4JDxIFbODDv-jbSHx_k7qlBhkcNx5inviKcjrwPaAs0NX1MWzBMgmXxChc__EbnJI03o-PvufEQojlhuzyuqw7yWudTGiTUG5gdnYF_Y5t3tZJCdOej7svRF3Uf_lmMUO6ZSMt_HjMP-6gjM-wJ3MqsNxl24ywu2Ce3ekRotBr/s4096/IMG_20231229_123810133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black tandem cycle with brown seats and chrome handlebars on a crossing island with staggered crossings points either side." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvQBcM5ZkKnHomZ2z8l4JDxIFbODDv-jbSHx_k7qlBhkcNx5inviKcjrwPaAs0NX1MWzBMgmXxChc__EbnJI03o-PvufEQojlhuzyuqw7yWudTGiTUG5gdnYF_Y5t3tZJCdOej7svRF3Uf_lmMUO6ZSMt_HjMP-6gjM-wJ3MqsNxl24ywu2Ce3ekRotBr/w400-h225/IMG_20231229_123810133.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The other length-related problem to highlight is that of staggered crossings. Above is a local staggered toucan which is a pain to use on a standard cycle, but almost impossible on a tandem. There are two problems here. First, at low speeds, cycles become less stable and with two people on a tandem it's even trickier. Second is the turning circle where the rear wheel doesn't follow the front on a tight turn making it very easy to catch the rear handlebars on the push button pole.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwePor1HcaD1mbylutvoUA3FjCc17G_J-RFEfielEcgwIeaO4ZIoZF2kAVBl0SBaXXGrfxIS1EB7xxi7fdSmRvMbPR9Q8qS5lDDieO-ZfdlYV8PESR5TFvbT3ODTfFVGo_3A5SEkZqKIN3sFXwyqvzDuioxFhO_6Ehkqaou2uGlWskNlCbNi9VIU1da9Zm/s4096/IMG_20231228_135240894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black tandem cycle with brown seats and chrome handlebars parked inside a train by double sliding doors." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwePor1HcaD1mbylutvoUA3FjCc17G_J-RFEfielEcgwIeaO4ZIoZF2kAVBl0SBaXXGrfxIS1EB7xxi7fdSmRvMbPR9Q8qS5lDDieO-ZfdlYV8PESR5TFvbT3ODTfFVGo_3A5SEkZqKIN3sFXwyqvzDuioxFhO_6Ehkqaou2uGlWskNlCbNi9VIU1da9Zm/w400-h225/IMG_20231228_135240894.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>After checking with Transport for London, we took M. de Poulet on the Elizabeth Line this week so we could cut out the traffic sewers of east London and have a ride from Stratford into Central London. On the outbound leg (where the train was quiet), we used the folding seats section, but the tandem stuck out and blocked a fourth seat so on the homeward leg, we used the doorway which was easier, despite the vertical pole in the middle of the vestibule. As the doors open on one side for most of our trip, this seemed the better option and the double kick stand was very stable.</div><div><br /></div><div>In terms of rules, TfL told me that the rules for a tandem are the same as <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/cycles-on-public-transport" target="_blank">non-folding cycles</a> and so for our trip, we headed to <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/JbdD86uY7QDxUcuF6" target="_blank">Maryland</a> which is my station of choice for a trip to Central London because it is way quieter than nearby Stratford and they have long lifts with doors at each end. As it turned out, M. de Poulet and my daughter and I fitted into the lift (just) and so I only had to carry the tandem down a handful of steps at the main entrance (there is a lift, but for a few steps, I could manage). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSLf4qYDFeaxazVP6f6yMcM4kn-rsHzFfLQkyszMdRqaeyVVWw2AXlv-gtiOsvh0zsStejr8NavxtN5d9O-eeu3GhaAjYwnA5S4CXNDAw5medwEl_JHGi13c75bCU7-RbXBxngmjP-1CaXN-YM_TxDDm9syVpvdXcIoXulC91FX-bZuWM5veUyht6pCIr/s4096/IMG_20231228_102614936_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black tandem cycle with brown seats and chrome handlebars with a girl in a blue coat and white hat. They are in front of a blue cycle track with a road and buildings beyond." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSLf4qYDFeaxazVP6f6yMcM4kn-rsHzFfLQkyszMdRqaeyVVWw2AXlv-gtiOsvh0zsStejr8NavxtN5d9O-eeu3GhaAjYwnA5S4CXNDAw5medwEl_JHGi13c75bCU7-RbXBxngmjP-1CaXN-YM_TxDDm9syVpvdXcIoXulC91FX-bZuWM5veUyht6pCIr/w400-h225/IMG_20231228_102614936_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>It's probably not much of a surprise that the things which are awkward with a standard cycle are worse with a tandem, but it is always worth pointing this out because the message hasn't got through to everyone yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, despite the annoyances, getting out on some decent cycling-friendly streets was a blast and we are looking forward to continuing the new adventures of Monsieur Nugget de Poulet into 2024.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-25171423042556792252023-09-30T13:11:00.002+01:002023-09-30T13:16:40.215+01:00Voorrangsplein! Part 3<h2 style="text-align: left;">One of the things that constantly impresses me about Dutch highway engineering is that they are not afraid to experiment and improve.</h2><div>I was lucky enough to visit the Netherlands again a few weeks ago and my nerdy highlight was a cycle infrastructure safari around Utrecht with <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank">Mark Wagenbuur of Bicycle Dutch</a> blog fame and our ride took us through a type of junction which has been intriguing me for ages - the voorrangsplein or "priority square" junction.</div><div><br /></div><div>This post is actually part three of a series in which I wrote about the junction form back in <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/02/voorrangsplein-part-1.html" target="_blank">February</a> and <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/03/voorrangsplein-part-2.html" target="_blank">March</a> of 2021 as we were still grappling with Covid and I was wondering when I might venture back across the North Sea. Fortunately I have been able to visit several times since and each trip gives me further insight into the kind thinking that we could easily import into the UK and that includes the voorrangsplein design.</div><div><br /></div><div>My first two posts looked at the design from first the motor traffic point of view (because it is a motor traffic feature) and then how walking and cycling could be added. My trip to Utrecht allowed me to see a couple of examples in the flesh and Mark provided some additional local knowledge. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other little development is I put out a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/markphilpotts_mark-philpotts-go-dutch-2023-activity-7107324463049760768-C5cN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop" target="_blank">little slideshow of my latest trip</a> which included one of the junctions and that prompted a discussion with a Dutch colleague who pointed me and another UK colleague at the general design guidance for the junction type as featured in the <i><a href="https://www.crow.nl/thema-s/wegontwerp/asvv" target="_blank">CROW ASVV Recommendations for Traffic Facilities Within Built-Up Areas 2021</a></i> which is a much larger piece of design guidance than the <i><a href="https://crowplatform.com/product/design-manual-for-bicycle-traffic/" target="_blank">CROW Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic</a></i> which many in the UK will have heard of. I have the 1998 English version, but the current one is only in Dutch and so I've had to do a bit of translating with Google!</div><div><br /></div><div>I will add my usual health warning that Dutch guidance has no legal standing in the UK, although lots of it will be of interest to a UK audience and many practitioners use it for inspiration and ideas (myself included - more on <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/11/laws-standards-guidance.html" target="_blank">law and guidance here</a>). Some of the tools, techniques and layouts are not compatible with UK legislation, but in my view we could very easily import the voorrangsplein design.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we found out in the second post of this series, the layout was first used in Hilversum in 2007 to replace a signalised junction. The design developed from the <i>LARGAS </i>idea - <i>langzaam rijden gaat sneller</i> or driving slowly goes faster.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since 2007, the junction has become a feature of guidance and the design has popped up all over the Netherlands. In Utrecht, it has been used at a couple of junctions which are part of the <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2023/08/02/utrechts-western-city-boulevard-less-space-for-cars-more-for-greenery-and-people/" target="_blank">Western City Boulevard project</a> which is squeezing out some motor traffic capacity in favour of more space for people and green space on the city's ring road. I made a video of a section of the project from my recent visit in which you'll see a couple of voorrangsplein junctions.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zh-zOe6deHg" width="320" youtube-src-id="zh-zOe6deHg"></iframe></div><br /><div>The project still has retained a fair chunk of capacity at the larger junctions and given these are largely the flow constraining features, removing a lane in each direction between them isn't a huge problem from a capacity perspective. Before we take a closer look at one of the Utrecht examples, it's worth taking a slightly deeper dive into some of the features of the junction type. </div><div><br /></div><div>The guidance suggests that the design should be used at intersections of distributor roads with access roads, and that the main road can operate with a maximum of 25,000 vehicles a day. As you might recall from the previous posts, the junction is part of a single carriageway layout (locally dualled or with a very large traffic island on the approach) and so 25,000 vehicles a day is a very high flow indeed. </div><div><br /></div><div>When the main road is running clear, the guidance also suggests that the main road can feed up to 1,200 vehicles a day in each direction through the junction type (just under 10% of the daily flow). In some situations this might be seen as potential constraint because peak hour flow might be a touch higher, but as I have suggested, 25,000 vehicles is very high for a single carriageway road and we really need to be designing for traffic reduction in my view. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0SXA7v_fCO3hVBB0Qeo8cKVdQ7XMD-qNkzaLrEHHxmVr6-i6vSwFj9eCcSc0K54JTcRitjUoElEhXJ5MQQyPhv-QloY6o6IbfArebRBcvLkxfBvfdFtvVCgstPT1XHkIOKFAZ39V81zuA9-vSbPFk33ch1KL8j73Oj9WhWELKuZVsKGy6z-gNyf5laGN/s1651/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1651" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0SXA7v_fCO3hVBB0Qeo8cKVdQ7XMD-qNkzaLrEHHxmVr6-i6vSwFj9eCcSc0K54JTcRitjUoElEhXJ5MQQyPhv-QloY6o6IbfArebRBcvLkxfBvfdFtvVCgstPT1XHkIOKFAZ39V81zuA9-vSbPFk33ch1KL8j73Oj9WhWELKuZVsKGy6z-gNyf5laGN/w400-h210/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The junction type is not for high speed roads and indeed, the guidance suggests that it is a useful "gateway" feature for stepping driver speed down. Because of the horizontal deflection it provides on the main road and for the side roads being mainly for access, it's a chance to reinforce a change of environment. Above is a simplified layout I have flipped for the UK and I've annotated some of the key features. The main thing to consider here is that it can be easily seen that drivers are able tackle the junction in stages, dealing with other traffic streams in bite sized chunks - it is an easy junction to drive through!</div><div><br /></div><div>The lane widths are interesting. The guidance suggests they be in the range of 2.9m to 3.5m. The narrow lanes help keep driver speeds down, but there are options to add overrun areas to accommodate larger vehicles - <i>rammelstrook</i> or rumble strips. I can see some UK network managers shuddering at the narrow and locally dualled sections which might be a problem in the event of a breakdown, but we probably shouldn't design for what is a fairly irregular event.</div><div><br /></div><div>The junction form is still space hungry, but compared with a signalised junction of a similar capacity, the layout tends to be elongated and provides space for landscaping where being used in retrofit. So, the Utrecht examples are interesting because the overall highway footprint remains, but the elongated nature of the junction and the general road diet means an awful lot more space is released for landscaping as well as walking and cycling space.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5HNHZ_xzQyKjxxNBgg0kAvVfLdLJpZET9UPpCnd4gQy_fbtPJTB_0BW2EO57flRgC1VwlvBpS5byeJrtExQK0y5vkHtxF1wiyLfPRYCUzzpEx12vcln_7cM_fRLF3Ovz0G9d79toG_E8-RH1gv72JROnmOAiFcAKiNPIKBy8Fk9BSafqoux-ChRAOzEj/s3622/IMG_20230901_142211934_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="3622" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5HNHZ_xzQyKjxxNBgg0kAvVfLdLJpZET9UPpCnd4gQy_fbtPJTB_0BW2EO57flRgC1VwlvBpS5byeJrtExQK0y5vkHtxF1wiyLfPRYCUzzpEx12vcln_7cM_fRLF3Ovz0G9d79toG_E8-RH1gv72JROnmOAiFcAKiNPIKBy8Fk9BSafqoux-ChRAOzEj/w400-h225/IMG_20230901_142211934_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Let's take a look at one of the junctions - <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/QUCejPT5byMHMCmz9" target="_blank">Marnixlaan with Royaards van Den Hamkade/ Van Egmondkade</a> (above). In the photograph the main road (Marnixlaan) splits either side of the kidney shaped central island. Around this island you can just see a left turn lane and the black car to the left is entering the other left turn lane coming towards us. To the right there is a black car emerging from Royaards van Den Hamkade just out of shot that car has also cleared the cycle track to wait in a pocket before joining the main road.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu0k5_ykXFuI04LX386wb8yTPNF1DB0I2EEdKj3qBXMkbzq9VDAdBQ1yX8qXG8ArBxGLvgGwUGCZQn9GSbOmygODn5Ceey_voiYPzePKc5GTvAOnjU9CPcrpp9TyJfuIhz7Sz3ZlV8IGmHEtYbeQ3vawPxSKLgB6OnEl4uh-KFJi3FN7zU6LawPv_zeKr/s4096/IMG_20230901_142455902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu0k5_ykXFuI04LX386wb8yTPNF1DB0I2EEdKj3qBXMkbzq9VDAdBQ1yX8qXG8ArBxGLvgGwUGCZQn9GSbOmygODn5Ceey_voiYPzePKc5GTvAOnjU9CPcrpp9TyJfuIhz7Sz3ZlV8IGmHEtYbeQ3vawPxSKLgB6OnEl4uh-KFJi3FN7zU6LawPv_zeKr/w400-h225/IMG_20230901_142455902.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is a photograph where I turned a little more to the right and the cycle track and footway can be clearly seen, both with priority over the main side road. The video below is a pan across the junction from its south east side and then a quick look at how the Royaards van Den Hamkade arm works. It's worth watching a couple of times to see how well things flow for all users.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l7NdlBr7qLI" width="320" youtube-src-id="l7NdlBr7qLI"></iframe></div><br /><div>Royaards van Den Hamkade is part of a route which connects to the city centre and so arguably it is more of a distributor road than an access road, although the route does tend to fizzle out as it meets the city's ring-canal. The Van Egmondkade arm is also more of a distributor road which continues as a route to meet the regional road network. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUrkgtJzMN00KYLWEcTV5t23CzOkH2HLnMIMh9y3UlGtLoBrGQU4MptWqCdQYLByEFbuDdR6CWBlPxjSSUPzzksiSBNOo10B7TwCILS0R5a9UU6AuZJu2EMwpTzCSZxblwtR8nuJ12x5fZcxujtSt_CGQS58u-phclL8QrJITXDTgk5PrF3wDhQ8OrSc0/s4096/IMG_20230901_142227206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUrkgtJzMN00KYLWEcTV5t23CzOkH2HLnMIMh9y3UlGtLoBrGQU4MptWqCdQYLByEFbuDdR6CWBlPxjSSUPzzksiSBNOo10B7TwCILS0R5a9UU6AuZJu2EMwpTzCSZxblwtR8nuJ12x5fZcxujtSt_CGQS58u-phclL8QrJITXDTgk5PrF3wDhQ8OrSc0/w400-h225/IMG_20230901_142227206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The other thing to note is there are two way cycle tracks on both sides of Marnixlaan whereas the guidance shows (but doesn't require) with flow cycle tracks. Of course, walking and cycling is an additional to the basic motor traffic junction and locally, the two way tracks make sense at a network level. </div><div><br /></div><div>The photograph above is the the left of the first one which shows an uncontrolled crossing for walking and cycling of the main road which is in accordance with the guidance (but signalised crossings are used elsewhere) and you can just make out that the cycle track coming in from the left is one-way as is the crossing by virtue of the no entry signs. For cycling, this junction is the interface between one-way cycle tracks coming from the southwest and the two side roads and then becoming two-way on both sides of Marnixlaan off to the northeast so save having to cross the main road further on.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Z2Fs0KmE2fupQMzKeGTzBV0Tx5mPSGAtQ10KqXnQ6OBukrVpWtv0x0M3g-Al3-aqZnfS40r0RUuM_CmPamlvd9HBJjy3Ms1LvlL6wgSq80TP6NzPbKctCq4klLsbeJNgiN5crVx17OwFFIBqQMosrBJ0ROXjylVHT8Sjw6hoxNXtdkzHxeXnXLQ0N82b/s1252/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1252" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Z2Fs0KmE2fupQMzKeGTzBV0Tx5mPSGAtQ10KqXnQ6OBukrVpWtv0x0M3g-Al3-aqZnfS40r0RUuM_CmPamlvd9HBJjy3Ms1LvlL6wgSq80TP6NzPbKctCq4klLsbeJNgiN5crVx17OwFFIBqQMosrBJ0ROXjylVHT8Sjw6hoxNXtdkzHxeXnXLQ0N82b/w400-h225/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The final piece of interest here is the set of traffic signals on each approach to the junction on the main road. I have already said that the junction form is unsignalised, but in this case, the signals are used to hold traffic for a very short time if the junction has started to hit capacity which in theory could be from traffic on the side streets, turning right in the junction or perhaps lots of people cycling across. The photograph above shows the signals on the southwestern approach and you can note the one-way nature of the cycle track.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can also see the signals <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/LJP4ZuHCfghDmCF56" target="_blank">here</a> which are just red and green aspects when in use and some traffic loops for drivers and cyclists <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/FAzGEN7UW7tMSYeR8" target="_blank">here</a>. The traffic signals only switch on when needed and are set away from the junction so they don't create any confusion that they are part of the junction.</div><div><br /></div><div>And there you have it. Hopefully this has helped get under the skin of the voorrangsplein to show lots of little things working together to create a really useful junction design.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-21882138449560568762023-08-25T15:55:00.001+01:002023-08-25T15:55:19.215+01:00Railton Revisited<h2 style="text-align: left;">Just over a two years ago, <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/08/remarkable-railton.html" target="_blank">I paid a visit to the Railton Low Traffic Neighbourhood</a>, to the southeast of Brixton town centre in south London. I revisited because I had seen photos on social media of the project being made permanent and I wanted to have a look myself.</h2><div>Functionally, the project is the same as it was on my last visit with restricted motor vehicle access to <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/5XtSg18nPYhtGVxs6" target="_blank">Atlantic Road from Coldharbour Lane</a> at the northwestern end (below), with that first section essentially creating a cul-de-sac just beyond. At the southeastern end, a bus gate has been <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/cHNgVn8XphWmUkNi9" target="_blank">retained near Herne Place</a> which means there is a low traffic link from Brixton to Herne Hill station. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_Bi5Hocc7dL97UnjNqWjxRKaRw3wBMswWsRIyqDItrrTsqOdr15zJhvFAkB6CAuE_62zMbCLgORkiPICayOAowLtT7ZghroJ_VBY1WZTmHoVpi_QxmlMEnEifAP0rHAQ0ndw7vBl9FIxGqtcMhGQrS7tWv9RubGYWm0oMnqUz5dVc4w-Xc9qVHZkWUjH/s4096/IMG_20230824_104532505_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_Bi5Hocc7dL97UnjNqWjxRKaRw3wBMswWsRIyqDItrrTsqOdr15zJhvFAkB6CAuE_62zMbCLgORkiPICayOAowLtT7ZghroJ_VBY1WZTmHoVpi_QxmlMEnEifAP0rHAQ0ndw7vBl9FIxGqtcMhGQrS7tWv9RubGYWm0oMnqUz5dVc4w-Xc9qVHZkWUjH/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_104532505_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Crucially, Shakespeare Road remains <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/MggptLpFrB6vNy3B8" target="_blank">closed to motor traffic at Mayall Road</a> and so with pretty small scale work, an entire area has been freed from being a cut through for motors while maintaining full access to buses, emergency vehicles and service vehicles.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVBWWGHmzOnwBvBUcC_0JG10UvsvYT8dPjqxM7GeprswR1gfBuhd6L2Qa6pJQsOY0a1RjHS6mpTlMjrUUm-F3bJftJI4JJv4xTGkGj81kCpuizpG9stZxiLZniqvo7suRtlBFXi_O0R1dYnogB0BuG1nXN-JgAzO5nWKGGyPz2kBfvLJfhoyeGhSJzdKq/s4096/IMG_20230824_104757321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A shopping street with lush planting areas on both sides with a bus driving away in the distance and a person crossing from right to left with a buggy." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVBWWGHmzOnwBvBUcC_0JG10UvsvYT8dPjqxM7GeprswR1gfBuhd6L2Qa6pJQsOY0a1RjHS6mpTlMjrUUm-F3bJftJI4JJv4xTGkGj81kCpuizpG9stZxiLZniqvo7suRtlBFXi_O0R1dYnogB0BuG1nXN-JgAzO5nWKGGyPz2kBfvLJfhoyeGhSJzdKq/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_104757321.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>So on that basis, this post is actually quite short because the previous one went into a bit more of that detail. The key thing is how the London Borough of Lambeth has made the project permanent and so let's look at the Atlantic Road end a bit more closely. The first 35 metres (from Coldharbour Lane) is only for buses and loading permit holders, and it is dominated by new planting (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDUpwHPdpVlFp4lIO2YmcwbILwf3CkE_qx3g0EovQ99TNZihk25sNtvDKA8s2ohizOH5MAtcMofJBHfdu4Zo9yXTcX2lWRdxEq20mwAAHizyr10BOZijoxEv2_m2s90M_TR8UFPSbEQjD6iueTy9PJy1QLQyCMu5-UJsGnQ7cSBgKgm0hepVmCKoc0Oft/s4096/IMG_20230824_104608368_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A bench in a quarter circle with timber slats for a seat and back with metal legs and armrests. A grey bike with an orange bag on the front rack is parked just behind." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDUpwHPdpVlFp4lIO2YmcwbILwf3CkE_qx3g0EovQ99TNZihk25sNtvDKA8s2ohizOH5MAtcMofJBHfdu4Zo9yXTcX2lWRdxEq20mwAAHizyr10BOZijoxEv2_m2s90M_TR8UFPSbEQjD6iueTy9PJy1QLQyCMu5-UJsGnQ7cSBgKgm0hepVmCKoc0Oft/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_104608368_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>In theory the only way in for loading permit holders would be from the opposite arm of Atlantic Road given the banned turns from both arms of Coldharbour Lane and so only those in the know would go that way. Other deliveries can be made by accessing Atlantic Road via other routes. Because this first section restricts motor traffic, additional footway space has been provided along with seating (above) and cycle parking.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwW5DcTdNJbczKmxRYnehxjerSBEnIdAWGYBCO3mrDKV7s5-lHyTJLG29U6RstL3n8adbkU16tTI5InAQYAFYHVEMbHV7e-aNhsua6XirgyCnjK6ITcTyIuPLqPxRi32Glg4IP2dcHItW5MJCSAReA_YRJswy06TXNRltf5vxDM5Nlc691w_BkrTYB750/s4096/IMG_20230824_104106066_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A street with a road narrowing on both sides to create a pair of lush planting beds with an informal crossing point beyond. A person on a small folding bike has just passed through." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwW5DcTdNJbczKmxRYnehxjerSBEnIdAWGYBCO3mrDKV7s5-lHyTJLG29U6RstL3n8adbkU16tTI5InAQYAFYHVEMbHV7e-aNhsua6XirgyCnjK6ITcTyIuPLqPxRi32Glg4IP2dcHItW5MJCSAReA_YRJswy06TXNRltf5vxDM5Nlc691w_BkrTYB750/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_104106066_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The modal filter just south of Marcus Garvey Way has also been upgraded (above) so it is more obvious that people shouldn't be driving through southbound. Northbound is allowed due to the way the local traffic circulation plan has been arranged. This is a bit of a theme and while needing to allow buses through, the road layout has been changed to help reinforce the prohibition of general traffic intention of the design.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI5gznbvQjkvgrINrff-SkJqgKl1QwDq3cH0x4kvkuln92nVJYoneuwvKGdaKnRCrwnPIy-_b-Mp61JGtLblhR3G5S3Oi-YoNnWLLAKS3P1nDf_0PZ1v98KdV6g80r0fii7R7gBY7Rlf-FCYM_mJzmczvUR89T9goZhm_SP4slzZPU6Nn2TVu5j_E-wEK/s4096/IMG_20230824_104202951_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The pair of buildouts from the other direction showing no motor vehicle signs and the words BUS GATE on the road." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI5gznbvQjkvgrINrff-SkJqgKl1QwDq3cH0x4kvkuln92nVJYoneuwvKGdaKnRCrwnPIy-_b-Mp61JGtLblhR3G5S3Oi-YoNnWLLAKS3P1nDf_0PZ1v98KdV6g80r0fii7R7gBY7Rlf-FCYM_mJzmczvUR89T9goZhm_SP4slzZPU6Nn2TVu5j_E-wEK/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_104202951_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One issue I have is with the signage which in common with the entrance from Coldharbour Lane uses the written "BUS GATE" marking with the no motor vehicles traffic sign (above). I'm afraid that this is not an approved combination and Lambeth needs to either remove the markings or swap the signs to one of the 953 series (one for the sign geeks) within which exemptions to the traffic regulation order can be made for "authorised vehicles" but not permit holders.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_iC5mVVbdBhPGxxF6GWM__KS7x7j5-b2hy5F8nWpVnk_1pScHHVkbbuC4Vnfgxbi0t35cXQ9lexQ-Dqhez43qXeFFgOZmcB1V4M229tIuP5ilMP2MlpMO-KznJxB8VVRQ_Kri3CRD7fck5T_IGI1FJSnr_U9MuggtTrLLyJzWqa86LpYkReLWyQ_6DSz/s4096/IMG_20230824_103338488_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A section of street with a rail bridge over it in the distance. The road has been coloured buff and there are staggered planting beds on each side and a group of timber and metal chairs to the left. There is a no motor vehicles traffic sign to the left." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_iC5mVVbdBhPGxxF6GWM__KS7x7j5-b2hy5F8nWpVnk_1pScHHVkbbuC4Vnfgxbi0t35cXQ9lexQ-Dqhez43qXeFFgOZmcB1V4M229tIuP5ilMP2MlpMO-KznJxB8VVRQ_Kri3CRD7fck5T_IGI1FJSnr_U9MuggtTrLLyJzWqa86LpYkReLWyQ_6DSz/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_103338488_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Other main change has been at Shakespeare Road where a short section of street has been essentially pedestrianised with the temporary materials giving way to permanent materials which work to explain to drivers they shouldn't be here (above). To the north of the railway, Shakespeare Road is now a quiet cycle route up to Loughborough Junction station.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOoRwliHRt-aXWcN5ng2bNKxkKtREIGrgy_MbpynPC_4Sxg99zCijhpocxdARIR-6F-6eLmybPnN0JR4UC_HK5nGGiRAgDi6vLk3Dewr7sW-FHceB3jHFuxltXu_ADV_N4n3uBgOjmW53r1Rp18zRp-fc0Qu1oOq-KMcVhucp1SuExzS4rv-kBoDQWLX4/s4096/IMG_20230824_103303968_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The same as above, but a closer view of the seating which has an armchair and a pair of two person benches." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOoRwliHRt-aXWcN5ng2bNKxkKtREIGrgy_MbpynPC_4Sxg99zCijhpocxdARIR-6F-6eLmybPnN0JR4UC_HK5nGGiRAgDi6vLk3Dewr7sW-FHceB3jHFuxltXu_ADV_N4n3uBgOjmW53r1Rp18zRp-fc0Qu1oOq-KMcVhucp1SuExzS4rv-kBoDQWLX4/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_103303968_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The street layout in the wider area is a bit awkward due to the railway cutting through, and so from an emergency access point of view, the pedestrianised section of street has space for vehicles to pass through with CCTV enforcement. The layout is such that there isn't a clear view of the route ahead which is another design reinforcement to drivers that they are not permitted to pass. The seating and planting work to block this view through while allowing a route that standard fire engines can tackle.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Hblh_dCJh3XrLfzxl_8oXVu1-Jmq5wG3NiWbqvG55TSNFfxwTosHZ9syn5iG1nT3WdUuS0zmfWxRuBdSZionrNt2QkMhWqlTiW7lLEgt4gMJj00pGY54a-QXcYxmW01oXrzc6rayrABg-dxBUDi-i2BdK24af87Tso07NMqqZTd6Dn2KWc4ZzpotxzoG/s4096/IMG_20230824_103108628_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The street closer to the railway bridge with a pair of no motor traffic signs and the planting on both sides." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Hblh_dCJh3XrLfzxl_8oXVu1-Jmq5wG3NiWbqvG55TSNFfxwTosHZ9syn5iG1nT3WdUuS0zmfWxRuBdSZionrNt2QkMhWqlTiW7lLEgt4gMJj00pGY54a-QXcYxmW01oXrzc6rayrABg-dxBUDi-i2BdK24af87Tso07NMqqZTd6Dn2KWc4ZzpotxzoG/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_103108628_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is from the north looking south and again, the winding nature of the emergency route can be seen with the planting providing the visual break. Below is a closer look at the planting here which are all rain gardens with a square of granite blocks providing a bit of water energy dissipation before the planting.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2XS4CzMgzwZ68-LMKC4NqL5k-FoXuun9PeAQZBu5zNdhz_WdKTVTdjL7vezyvgB4q5gNVweSf8epUG_CSygF1mDI7iiPi-HApCwsMqtXnc6l_cvsmnMOUUyg0N-gyR11jjLjMW71V8R_nCiLDjPh8exM1KlrAuQVMZvrH6B0lexYFyektnA-txDsnMPE/s4096/IMG_20230824_103211817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close up of a small squarish rain garden with a square of granite blocks closest to the viewer." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2XS4CzMgzwZ68-LMKC4NqL5k-FoXuun9PeAQZBu5zNdhz_WdKTVTdjL7vezyvgB4q5gNVweSf8epUG_CSygF1mDI7iiPi-HApCwsMqtXnc6l_cvsmnMOUUyg0N-gyR11jjLjMW71V8R_nCiLDjPh8exM1KlrAuQVMZvrH6B0lexYFyektnA-txDsnMPE/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_103211817.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>There are also poems from local poets within the area as <a href="https://love.lambeth.gov.uk/street-poetry-celebrates-brixtons-legacy-of-defiance/" target="_blank">part of a local heritage trail</a> (below).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9glR7_1upXIQRAM897ostQxzukPdLLvBbI7nF-jalOWJQTNY3vMc3vOiJ4QTIc2dF41V7Q6whTt8AteaybmQpBZQsconCYjcgcrUQRFtsLDLe5QkdTTpvVDew9Ptl0V4V_MHyhQi3wByY9mWfu4Czq-GdVW9VD-XwVC-lHUs09R3ZbOW001VxhwHEgPl/s4096/IMG_20230824_103132511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A poem in yellow and white on black asphalt: "we make the place trendy, vibrant Brixtonians make a Splash, never silent. When injustice arises to fight us we fight back with a roar that's righteous. The youth stay current, Electric Pattern up 'cause life can get hectic. We grieve loved ones no longer here. We kiss our teeth to conquer fear. We rise, Elevate above friction. Respect the village, love Brixton. BRiES." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9glR7_1upXIQRAM897ostQxzukPdLLvBbI7nF-jalOWJQTNY3vMc3vOiJ4QTIc2dF41V7Q6whTt8AteaybmQpBZQsconCYjcgcrUQRFtsLDLe5QkdTTpvVDew9Ptl0V4V_MHyhQi3wByY9mWfu4Czq-GdVW9VD-XwVC-lHUs09R3ZbOW001VxhwHEgPl/w400-h225/IMG_20230824_103132511.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>So, while the project hasn't functionally changed from my last visit, the permanent materials and planting don't just look good, they help reinforce the layout to make it a bit more self-explaining to drivers which I think is a good thing. Even though people driving should understand traffic signs, making it easy to understand counters the often claimed confusion argument. So, I shall leave you with a quick video of the project and I wonder if you'll see the little surprise (just before the 3 minute mark)?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QK9PjG2vzNs" width="320" youtube-src-id="QK9PjG2vzNs"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-89775063713677792922023-08-13T14:03:00.001+01:002023-08-13T14:03:31.347+01:00Battersea Bridge: What Can Be Done Quickly<h2 style="text-align: left;">Bridges are often contested spaces simply because they very rarely contribute to dense street networks and as a result, they funnel users to specific points which might be off their general desire lines into situations where trying to manage different users with different energy is a challenge.</h2><div>It is against such a backdrop that this week, a woman cycling lost her life on Battersea Bridge in London after being hit by a lorry driver. It has been a notorious crossing of the Thames for many years with a terrible safety record. The London Cycling Campaign <a href="https://lcc.org.uk/news/battersea-too-little-too-late-tfl/" target="_blank">sets out the litany of failure in its blog</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>As is the general case in many UK cities, the layout and classification of the road network has somewhat evolved and in many cases, those designated as A-roads come as a result of that evolution. Battersea Bridge is the A3220, although in a London context, it is not classed as part of the <a href="https://gis-tfl.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/1f38d63d51184f498e818cb4738513ce/explore" target="_blank">Strategic Road Network (SRN)</a>. The specific classification is somewhat moot given the bridge <a href="https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/7609" target="_blank">carries some 25,000 motor vehicles a day</a> - sitting here today it is a busy motor traffic route and it is important for bus traffic too. Around 8% of vehicles are either buses or HGVs and this scales to nearly 26,000 if we convert to <a href="https://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/dictionary/passenger-car-unit#:~:text=A%20Passenger%20Car%20Unit%20is,vehicles%20will%20have%20higher%20values." target="_blank">passenger car units (PCU)</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfIbRgETYVqypzZw7-EhmiteJ7m2pInVxVSrROuvjiwxxEwIdhW4gzkNPSxRy4DrFH1Oo7HMbRuTgQxMvDSOw850BPKxE17eJKynYkwwm8Z7cNoagBLpyDxrKvkM3v0rcepozCAPPezZ0eXkVg-MqGG5LnEdP6w675LV9szlgtLUEm1a-8GrSmUSM_Gie/s1679/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The view over Battersea Bridge from Google Street View. Traffic in both directions and high kerbs with railings between the road and pavement." border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1679" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfIbRgETYVqypzZw7-EhmiteJ7m2pInVxVSrROuvjiwxxEwIdhW4gzkNPSxRy4DrFH1Oo7HMbRuTgQxMvDSOw850BPKxE17eJKynYkwwm8Z7cNoagBLpyDxrKvkM3v0rcepozCAPPezZ0eXkVg-MqGG5LnEdP6w675LV9szlgtLUEm1a-8GrSmUSM_Gie/w400-h205/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>From a walking, wheeling and cycling point of view, the bridge has a pair of fairly narrow footways and a carriageway width of about 7.5 metres (at least from Google maps) or a running lane width of about 3.75 metres which puts it in the "sweet" spot of widths which should be avoided for mixing cycle traffic with general traffic (<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951074/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-1-20.pdf" target="_blank">7.2.5 in LTN 1/20</a> for those interested). It's a width which some drivers think they can still squeeze past someone riding, especially if they are in the gutter and on Battersea Bridge, there are containment kerbs (with barriers behind) protecting what I assume is a weak parapet from vehicle incursion which is not a nice feature to be near on a cycle.</div><div><br /></div><div>The bridge also carries 3,800 cycle movements a day and so the combination of lane width and volume of buses/ HGVs does immediately create the conditions where people cycling are exposed to risk and at least in terms of absolute numbers, around 25% of collisions involve someone cycling on the bridge. If you throw in the junctions at each end, then this rises to around 28% and in terms of collision risk per daily trip, (and <b>very</b> crudely) a person cycling is about 5 times more likely to be hurt than a motor vehicle occupant (excluding motorcycles). </div><div><br /></div><div>It is worth noting that using casualty numbers can be volatile, especially the more serious collisions as the numbers for a section of road are usually low and can drastically change year on year, but we do have a situation which I think is reasonable to conclude that this is a place which is both subjectively and objectively riskier to cycle than it is to drive (or be driven) and not even the prevailing 20mph speed limit is enough to mitigate this.</div><div><br /></div><div>If we return to LTN 1/20, Figure 4.1 suggests that even at 20mph, we need below 2,000 PCU/ 24hrs and so with 26,000 PCU/ 24hrs we need physical protection. With the width available and keeping two-way motor traffic (which buses at least require) means we have some hard decisions. In the short and medium term, I cannot see there is an infrastructure solution which is going to be politically easy to deliver on Battersea Bridge. "Just ban cars" really isn't a solution here.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPD4Nu16eq4IJ93Cl4juJ8sNhk55p6ZV-5Q4uPv8Tj_3OWL8Ruz08ybHWtWR8aIXzxsxboCTBvvDgLolGC3BO0onHJt1yfegtG38zYfTEA7m43Zxv1knpmUmwYXzek8BQHbt1Pq5qnqBtyH3jwGU79ctLAhUkiWzluYi5w1h1YWxHMcvZ7G5b3NR4u_cr/s1675/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1675" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPD4Nu16eq4IJ93Cl4juJ8sNhk55p6ZV-5Q4uPv8Tj_3OWL8Ruz08ybHWtWR8aIXzxsxboCTBvvDgLolGC3BO0onHJt1yfegtG38zYfTEA7m43Zxv1knpmUmwYXzek8BQHbt1Pq5qnqBtyH3jwGU79ctLAhUkiWzluYi5w1h1YWxHMcvZ7G5b3NR4u_cr/w400-h206/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>400 metres east of Battersea Bridge is Albert Bridge (above). It is quieter <a href="https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/28512" target="_blank">at around 10,000 vehicles a day</a>, although that's from estimated flows, but allowing for data quality, it is still going to be way over what most people would feel happy cycling with. However, with a carriageway of maybe just wider than 8 metres, it does give a little more overtaking space, although there are plenty of collisions involving people cycling here. </div><div><br /></div><div>My actual interest in this bridge is an historical quirk and that's the fact the bridge is currently subject to a 3 tonne structural weight limit. This is physically enforced by a 6'-6" (2 metres) width restriction, and that's after a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15998646" target="_blank">strengthening project over a decade ago</a>. My suggestion is that Albert Bridge be made a walking and cycling bridge and potentially (subject to structural engineering input) left accessible for ambulances. Yes, this means motor traffic displacement to Battersea Bridge in the short term, but it's far quicker to roll out than a new walking and cycling bridge or anything clever and radical at Battersea Bridge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, it's not just about a safe crossing, it's about the network and so such a plan to repurpose Albert Bridge needs to consider the local cycling networks either side. For example, to the south, some filtering could create some quiet routes to the bridge and to the north, maybe a two-way cycle track on Chelsea Embankment on the river-side would provide a really handy way of plugging into the bridge. </div><div><br /></div><div>If the network design were clever in how cycle traffic is dealt with through traffic signals on both sides of the river, the loss of time for some trips diverting to Albert Bridge could be offset with priority measures to keep people moving and essentially unravelling the motoring and cycling networks locally.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, the main problem with all of this (as is usually the case) is political. To the north and owning Albert Bridge, we have the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea which I think it is fair to say has an administration which is actively hostile to cycling. Transport for London owns Battersea Bridge which connects to TfL-managed roads, RBKC streets and to the south, streets managed by the London Borough of Wandsworth which traditionally hasn't been too bothered about cycling (it might be changing slowly).</div><div><br /></div><div>This means that there are three organisations are intimately connected with varying levels of political backing for cycling which is why the response to collisions on Battersea Bridge has been so stop-start over the years.</div><div><br /></div><div>For what it's worth, I have had a quick look at trying to design a little bit of a network around Albert Bridge which <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1iYIuQfolZIDvRkELBdn7gjy_GAuqY6Q&usp=sharing" target="_blank">you can look at here</a>, but essentially we have the following;</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Filtering the area between Battersea Bridge Road, Prince of Wales Drive and Battersea Park.</li><li>Albert Bride becomes walking and cycling only.</li><li>South side of Chelsea Embankment becomes a two-way cycle track.</li><li>The southern end of Oakley Street (maybe 100 metres) becomes one way for general traffic south with a pair of one-way cycle tracks which crosses Chelsea Embankment to connect to the two-way cycle track and bridge.</li></ul><div>Of course, that doesn't deal with the wider network, but it is a start and longer distance routes would converge on the quieter version of Albert Bridge Road which could become a cycle street to reinforce its priority as a key cycle route. Just my thoughts, but I do think this is the kind of thinking we need.</div></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-20741707216559039092023-07-30T11:24:00.002+01:002023-07-30T11:27:50.816+01:00SuDS In The City: Esther Road, Leytonstone<h2 style="text-align: left;">In the southeast corner of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, a little project is nearing completion which is designed to alleviate a local flooding problem.</h2><div><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Qmx8exHNfBEMLnhA7" target="_blank">Esther Road</a> is an unremarkable street in the north of Leytonstone, a community which was severed by the A12 in the 1990s as part of the <a href="https://www.roads.org.uk/ringways/northern/m11" target="_blank">M11 Link Road</a> project, one of the last large road schemes in London of that era and which was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M11_link_road_protest" target="_blank">bitterly protested against</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zHLizTHMNpvwubP-LXF3ohNZTcE8p0n798g5KSp3JJpaconIHUg8sglSKKfq97D6OULoR80_9Cyqptzymw49veJ2rRRRW2H5f8QBGTYFpUTyjS8wxQY4Zl5QFKS3AZyTAkDkTLXF9ds7iomwKdHTLucbJnTJwo9JtWHD1xwLdLDpvlApJItPstpSYR-7/s4096/IMG_20230728_171918521_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A street with car parking on both sides. A very long section on both sides are surrounded with kerbs with slots every metre or so leading to lower areas filled with soil." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zHLizTHMNpvwubP-LXF3ohNZTcE8p0n798g5KSp3JJpaconIHUg8sglSKKfq97D6OULoR80_9Cyqptzymw49veJ2rRRRW2H5f8QBGTYFpUTyjS8wxQY4Zl5QFKS3AZyTAkDkTLXF9ds7iomwKdHTLucbJnTJwo9JtWHD1xwLdLDpvlApJItPstpSYR-7/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_171918521_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>What makes the street more interesting than the others in the area is some sections of the car parking on both sides have been repurposed for surface water management using a <a href="https://www.local.gov.uk/topics/severe-weather/flooding/sustainable-drainage-systems" target="_blank">Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS</a>) feature commonly known as "rain gardens" (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVyuNZt3VBZNohgsW5sW8ou9hZWDgtjS7blZkZIglLjcEphFrXvF_tY15_-FCWLxUVxAEI5L4F-8jJk5TcszcvsxHXmfo6Aswt3MeUibXSv82dPmjE7RK-0QushTrn03C1wkJrMI7KA5GmcaPJ1TGiBS6tUT2H2iorONvHRnAmiLVbkDPxwRlLEqyB53X/s1447/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A coloured contour map with two red circles where the streets in question are situated." border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1447" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVyuNZt3VBZNohgsW5sW8ou9hZWDgtjS7blZkZIglLjcEphFrXvF_tY15_-FCWLxUVxAEI5L4F-8jJk5TcszcvsxHXmfo6Aswt3MeUibXSv82dPmjE7RK-0QushTrn03C1wkJrMI7KA5GmcaPJ1TGiBS6tUT2H2iorONvHRnAmiLVbkDPxwRlLEqyB53X/w400-h189/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The project covers three streets in the area which were hit by floods in 2021 and which are in a bit of a valley circled in red above - taken from the <a href="https://en-gb.topographic-map.com/map-kffs8/London/?center=51.57097%2C0.01019&zoom=15" target="_blank">London Topographic Map</a>. It's a problem which is only going to get worse with climate change and the project demonstrates that we're going to need lots of these little localised interventions in order to adapt to the warmer wetter conditions the UK faces.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtQRHmhvnE9w2CaOqUrZ6XxsCT9xaRqG68fwUqE9Jq8Qqt8B4DXiG8wMyJnl0FAxq_RUYx1emaQTywF9XLZLXJ-FKPwWTA6QPX2PgPksB4NWgEeiS1hcjbaClz1H50hQ0zE_pZoErTOfI40IvpqahoOH3XcnVxxMk6kFFkCumgmIAGLMg6fjDIAC9oQzU/s4096/IMG_20230728_171925137_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A kerb line with gaps flush with the road surface through which water can flow into the rain garden." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtQRHmhvnE9w2CaOqUrZ6XxsCT9xaRqG68fwUqE9Jq8Qqt8B4DXiG8wMyJnl0FAxq_RUYx1emaQTywF9XLZLXJ-FKPwWTA6QPX2PgPksB4NWgEeiS1hcjbaClz1H50hQ0zE_pZoErTOfI40IvpqahoOH3XcnVxxMk6kFFkCumgmIAGLMg6fjDIAC9oQzU/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_171925137_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>In terms of design, the layout is pretty common whereby the rain garden areas are bounded by kerbs to retain the adjacent carriageway and there are regular slots to take the flows from it. In theory, the kerb could be flush with the road surface, but usual practice is to keep an upstand to dissuade drivers and to provide a detectable edge should someone walking require it (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWKnGJOXSW9VILlbxFVCKRet41nQECWUwYVE3YEY6o5GSdEFldllwgxcT8HW3TKAmSvEsSDOr_vRwum0hFxJc0SLmHVTDpjT8qvK7wq-1gh-EP6_KCzV924jOwRXNVMyKgskIJHVl5hMqDz7JRwxXip0IlitpX-B2bIgul8RtKvRATfS_bxFwa2YPVAtj/s4096/IMG_20230728_171929716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A closer view showing the painting bed lower than road and footway level." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWKnGJOXSW9VILlbxFVCKRet41nQECWUwYVE3YEY6o5GSdEFldllwgxcT8HW3TKAmSvEsSDOr_vRwum0hFxJc0SLmHVTDpjT8qvK7wq-1gh-EP6_KCzV924jOwRXNVMyKgskIJHVl5hMqDz7JRwxXip0IlitpX-B2bIgul8RtKvRATfS_bxFwa2YPVAtj/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_171929716.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A closer look along the rain garden shows the existing kerbline (left) and new kerbline (right) supported with concrete backing, and what is nice here is the edge of this concrete has been neatly formed and faced with stones set into it. These stones not only look nicer than formed concrete, they'll also do a little bit to dissipate the energy of water entering the rain garden.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gC3z2LN6sNH1w5al8btXi1-mKQTaCRMdTAKE51q0A2HeAhWkWipentiliy-mGXaoCTcqcKmXDOMt_fswgh4IR0qdHuAGu-SSkyyHjSifuXjy_m1zOIf3uo7muRnGkKOtTV-6-1TWOqS0982axVCNDvu0pcMdHTNpwXVMPn6AgAkg9i8nL6SLLzuiUMmO/s4096/IMG_20230728_172013616.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of the same pair of features from one side of the road a small circular feature can be seen with a red dome and a square manhole." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gC3z2LN6sNH1w5al8btXi1-mKQTaCRMdTAKE51q0A2HeAhWkWipentiliy-mGXaoCTcqcKmXDOMt_fswgh4IR0qdHuAGu-SSkyyHjSifuXjy_m1zOIf3uo7muRnGkKOtTV-6-1TWOqS0982axVCNDvu0pcMdHTNpwXVMPn6AgAkg9i8nL6SLLzuiUMmO/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_172013616.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Elsewhere, we can see chamber covers set into the rain gardens and curious red domes (above). I'm not entirely sure how this all fits together for this project, but the covers will provide maintenance access to chambers which provide the ultimate connection to the sewer network. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mjBShPyCh1aj6dx8BkRWVFjItY6lvompzpR7ZIWpTpNuFzxHPndEY-jB1DhNNjYhvaMrN7ChgEvC-1OpGjZPMr-tBvQFcX1L8dANqIt1AfKcNvxiFNU7VHBl_WxTaRiMva02Z5gnIPnYD7oedeG-Tf657iTh0Nuy_jP0j3Tnqf2f70-i0zzrRnKFcGjF/s4096/IMG_20230728_172023324.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A closure view of a round saucer feature which has a smaller red slotted dome which is a water overflow." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mjBShPyCh1aj6dx8BkRWVFjItY6lvompzpR7ZIWpTpNuFzxHPndEY-jB1DhNNjYhvaMrN7ChgEvC-1OpGjZPMr-tBvQFcX1L8dANqIt1AfKcNvxiFNU7VHBl_WxTaRiMva02Z5gnIPnYD7oedeG-Tf657iTh0Nuy_jP0j3Tnqf2f70-i0zzrRnKFcGjF/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_172023324.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The red domes are overflows (above) with a pipe extending downwards. Designs vary, but the general arrangement of a rain garden like this will be that water enters at the surface and soaks into the soil and then down into a stone layer and the ground itself. </div><div><br /></div><div>The stone layer is specially graded to provide 30% voids and so provides storage for flood water. If the inundation exceeds the ability of the surrounding soils to absorb, then the stone layer fills with water, then the soil layer fills and then it finally overflows to the sewer. The soil layer is also specially selected for the job to be free-draining, and in fact, rain gardens need plants which can cope with long dry spells!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEXdjY1bjHQ0C4o0_P4nfylaugOh67VRXeIRukedsI5nnWt7VtoSTuhdAXdZBe-w9OybLS19nyHTNPgZarqXHhP_QbZEJYKa3B4EhAmfy085crS7MCo51zm14BM0LTa8zfNNmRDPQkLfBclYHJ1NJkIeapLD40iiSA-L7BNPXI7KdbP5pUqPR-jv9J_3A/s1539/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A technical drawing cut through a rain garden showing a low level perforated pipe and an overflow structure." border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1539" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEXdjY1bjHQ0C4o0_P4nfylaugOh67VRXeIRukedsI5nnWt7VtoSTuhdAXdZBe-w9OybLS19nyHTNPgZarqXHhP_QbZEJYKa3B4EhAmfy085crS7MCo51zm14BM0LTa8zfNNmRDPQkLfBclYHJ1NJkIeapLD40iiSA-L7BNPXI7KdbP5pUqPR-jv9J_3A/w400-h158/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>© <a href="https://cityinfinity.co.uk/" target="_blank">City Infinity</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>In ground where water infiltration is likely to be very slow, the bottom of the stone layer will have a pipe (called an underdrain) with lots of little holes to allow water to percolate into and drain away after the storm event, otherwise the stone layer will stay saturated and so be useless if another storm event occurs in a short time. Above is a typical detail of how that would look in long section - there will also be a layer of geotextile around the stone layer (a cloth-like material) which stops fine particles getting in and clogging the voids needed for water storage.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg2HwbeLvCIkWllwAfahtkGExwQX97WkeCje97PiIhdZ2gk9sSOWrgCCYnnPE57gkhOaQh_P0Pu8kAfj4JoWwjr1VMuawsI93l1kGE6uLn6E2wvnbvS80yMMcKrF54UHOMsNBG38yB2AQ-13Tqlblv2YLuK_FMX3s0RH1TXMuJeaBI8yHRbzi6m4JOUje/s4096/IMG_20230728_172201351.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg2HwbeLvCIkWllwAfahtkGExwQX97WkeCje97PiIhdZ2gk9sSOWrgCCYnnPE57gkhOaQh_P0Pu8kAfj4JoWwjr1VMuawsI93l1kGE6uLn6E2wvnbvS80yMMcKrF54UHOMsNBG38yB2AQ-13Tqlblv2YLuK_FMX3s0RH1TXMuJeaBI8yHRbzi6m4JOUje/w400-h225/IMG_20230728_172201351.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The project isn't just about the rain gardens, it includes a trial of <a href="https://www.sudsplanter.com/how-it-works" target="_blank">rainwater planters</a> for households as a way of keeping even more water away from the sewers, but there is also something in plain sight that unless you knew about it, you might miss. Have a look at this little video.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyMSgQ-vLaDQThHAZGAXWqUvzbt3ZCvYLGNpZEXklKnAgS72in6-Ej1bLf8fV4uucyc3eeDBZdsnk5PwaUiKA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>Yes, the water is soaking into the asphalt surface! The <a href="https://www.aggregate.com/products-and-services/asphalt/superdrainasphalt" target="_blank">product is "SuperDrain"</a> and is designed to allow water to drain through; and like the rain gardens, the substructure of the road has been rebuilt with stone layers designed to retain flood water with outfall structures designed to slowly release the water into the sewer system - I don't know the exact details, but I assume there is an underdrain of some sort.</div><div><br /></div><div>The porous carriageway is an expensive thing to build, but it could be used for new-build developments. For Esther Road, it has been used to deal with an existing problem and in an urban area, we don't have the space to build ponds and other land-hungry solutions so we need to use existing streets. That to one side, rain gardens are a cost-effective measure which can be built all over and it is this kind of diffuse solution that can provide resilience if deployed routinely.</div><div><br /></div><div>For more technical information on rain garden design, it is well worth looking at <i><a href="https://www.urbandesignlondon.com/documents/85/UDL_Rain_Gardens_for_web_0vwx1Ls.pdf" target="_blank">Designing Rain Gardens: A Practical Guide</a></i> from <a href="https://www.urbandesignlondon.com/" target="_blank">Urban Design London</a>, although if used outside of London, you need to use appropriate local storm intensity information - one for designers!</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-40221793536865077702023-06-03T10:23:00.001+01:002023-06-03T10:23:33.474+01:00A Seaside Safari: Clacton-on-Sea to Jaywick Sands<h2 style="text-align: left;">I have a list of things to go and have a look at, and in April, I added the new Clacton-on-Sea to Jaywick Sands path to that list after seeing <a href="https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1651203079813967872?s=20" target="_blank">Danny Williams</a> tweet about it. It didn't stay on my list long!</h2><div>I was in the town of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clacton-on-Sea" target="_blank">Clacton-on-Sea</a> visiting family, and as I had my folding bicycle with me, I was able to take a couple of hours out for a morning ride before meeting them for lunch. I headed down to the seafront and then west towards the village of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywick" target="_blank">Jaywick</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkUYcdqv1GPpk0pR7IieX3enZ4f_ekjQct_iWzJ0pbdPk5XE-_IFi7UMvmPVA5fUmVNpHYph2J8WhBkkctYYv7djHfqTyR60lNCoidRnbeuB0c4cNn2enr03BJPMksUY2XPDnrot_r_vRwsRGlbYnIxZMtqs2xUCf-aX_Iap3wpECQsU_hsxUy6_Y5A/s4096/IMG_20230602_120637493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkUYcdqv1GPpk0pR7IieX3enZ4f_ekjQct_iWzJ0pbdPk5XE-_IFi7UMvmPVA5fUmVNpHYph2J8WhBkkctYYv7djHfqTyR60lNCoidRnbeuB0c4cNn2enr03BJPMksUY2XPDnrot_r_vRwsRGlbYnIxZMtqs2xUCf-aX_Iap3wpECQsU_hsxUy6_Y5A/w400-h225/IMG_20230602_120637493.jpg" title="A black asphalt path with a sea wall left and another wall right with houses beyond. There is a grey folding bike sideways across the path to show its width." width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The new 1km path is shared for walking and cycling which contrasts with the 2.3km route for driving on roads most people won't cycle on. At 3 metres in width, it's going to be tight when busy and so it would have been nice to have seen a little extra space. To be fair, the project did had to fit between the coastal defences. As can be seen in the photograph above, space has been taken from the back of the revetment to the defensive wall (left), plus the path runs in front of the secondary flood wall along <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/jo23LB2TmrunD29fA" target="_blank">Selsey Avenue</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVaRmS1RNTJoAuwG-86xHsHzZe-2BTC4hLwNdDy2dTzyNawoWvX8gTviCNyIbTuE4CXTU_N-yWInRF_8l9uj65qChZ8Mhtrr-NwzZvNcsn8g0940WNA1m0s-r0baMAKlWvcIlrWkuXaK3xF8WavM_ZdwuZyG3-tr9guyBAW8gwWHCaEzHlCS32Dzsrg/s4096/IMG_20230602_120644933_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black asphalt path with a sea wall left and another wall right with houses beyond." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVaRmS1RNTJoAuwG-86xHsHzZe-2BTC4hLwNdDy2dTzyNawoWvX8gTviCNyIbTuE4CXTU_N-yWInRF_8l9uj65qChZ8Mhtrr-NwzZvNcsn8g0940WNA1m0s-r0baMAKlWvcIlrWkuXaK3xF8WavM_ZdwuZyG3-tr9guyBAW8gwWHCaEzHlCS32Dzsrg/w400-h225/IMG_20230602_120644933_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is a little further west at Burnham Court which gives a better view of the main coastal defence. The large concrete kerbs on the left of the path have been incorporated into the base of the landward side of the defence to create the space and on the other side of the path, there is a gravel drain for surface water.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbbqAvvJAdukb9APEETXH_tgMJdnNkUvLGYKkX_assSzItBHuRbtUnTP0HHxNq3qiBlqpKJ4xIOtu-UON3GMp_vARUEaulWzFiacNagPCECwnIoIDTEYnC0ejA0D6IkrF5DQGg8DAy11SibYS7XPMFEl11AkId4s1ffGAFtokRsfi7vDd0xtIIz_XLw/s1371/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black asphalt path with a sea wall left and open land to the right. There is a large circular brick building looming large on the right.." border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1371" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbbqAvvJAdukb9APEETXH_tgMJdnNkUvLGYKkX_assSzItBHuRbtUnTP0HHxNq3qiBlqpKJ4xIOtu-UON3GMp_vARUEaulWzFiacNagPCECwnIoIDTEYnC0ejA0D6IkrF5DQGg8DAy11SibYS7XPMFEl11AkId4s1ffGAFtokRsfi7vDd0xtIIz_XLw/w400-h225/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>It's a pretty featureless route given the flood defence on one side and golf course for most of the length on the other, but it passes a <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Martello-Towers" target="_blank">Martello Tower</a> (above) which is of local interest.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnx26AVzO6x2rN56lkO1p0s6nkNNWXtccmh4yZi5ENkjHxhydHvoSWbS0qHBvr83j_sDvkeHyXV9txkPXkYMA9Lyy_lEc_-OU7mglEt5cdfdXLxmJHN5CJYjD5a6tqALc0Vdvw7V4ynWlwqj2j6BumeJwVXU6dsFFjNjxe3UMuamTVOVmeZYErAss_6A/s4096/IMG_20230602_101156366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black asphalt path with a sea wall left and open land to the right. There are railings on the left which drop down as a high level path meets the main path." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnx26AVzO6x2rN56lkO1p0s6nkNNWXtccmh4yZi5ENkjHxhydHvoSWbS0qHBvr83j_sDvkeHyXV9txkPXkYMA9Lyy_lEc_-OU7mglEt5cdfdXLxmJHN5CJYjD5a6tqALc0Vdvw7V4ynWlwqj2j6BumeJwVXU6dsFFjNjxe3UMuamTVOVmeZYErAss_6A/w400-h225/IMG_20230602_101156366.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Further west still, the edge of Jaywick can be seen (above) and to the left of the flood defence, the sand dunes marking the eastern end of Jaywick beach.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx7Rjc_mRJy1L-sNjDnQXhxiQAZbUdnJRDSvrDNME_R0twWMIT_9uLauzA5wl2FFirRsnvY-LsYHuqR6KEu5G6_9viYy5LMbwurnHoXingS3fiFxgQtz5wsstfEdNao7qQN8xwtiUlxB2cBKul19ni_dINxiWpi2kTbV8XY5wfFWtDTNs7bP8ycuRVw/s4096/IMG_20230602_120322882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A black asphalt path with a sea wall right and open land to the left. A woman walks along in the distance next to someone using a mobility scooter with a covered "cabin"." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx7Rjc_mRJy1L-sNjDnQXhxiQAZbUdnJRDSvrDNME_R0twWMIT_9uLauzA5wl2FFirRsnvY-LsYHuqR6KEu5G6_9viYy5LMbwurnHoXingS3fiFxgQtz5wsstfEdNao7qQN8xwtiUlxB2cBKul19ni_dINxiWpi2kTbV8XY5wfFWtDTNs7bP8ycuRVw/w400-h225/IMG_20230602_120322882.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The engineering of the path is excellent with a perfectly smooth surface and so even on a windy and chilly (for June) morning, there were people using wheels other than on cycles (above). The distance advantage over driving or trying to use the often narrow footways on the alternative road route, plus the path's quality gives people a real option to get to Clacton under their own, or e-assist power.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSo63VPr5aondqu414UUoRvMX4BnDwvTn_jJi3khkOpBh0ZkBmidZ5l_OVbKBx14cRT6QEdWlmWv2NIEkfR49dgrpWuvpP-Tj6bD-NNqvg4b1Ho1elSlZ57HAmtJodbQq9XxsDyE3O1CdkqCAvJ4jtq6N1O4rA-nG9ZJ_nw6DYePrB_BK-cI15lEWmA/s4096/IMG_20230602_120530851_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A lighting column to the right of the new path with long solar panels clamped to the side and a small wind turbine on top." border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSo63VPr5aondqu414UUoRvMX4BnDwvTn_jJi3khkOpBh0ZkBmidZ5l_OVbKBx14cRT6QEdWlmWv2NIEkfR49dgrpWuvpP-Tj6bD-NNqvg4b1Ho1elSlZ57HAmtJodbQq9XxsDyE3O1CdkqCAvJ4jtq6N1O4rA-nG9ZJ_nw6DYePrB_BK-cI15lEWmA/w225-h400/IMG_20230602_120530851_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div>The route is lit using pv-solar and wind (above) which saved having to add power cables to the route which would have been very costly. I have used the system to power flashing traffic signs in the past and it proved reliable back then, so the technology must have improved by leaps and bounds since I last specified it.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6foOP8hDet7gMZ2y9svzsJE1lIz_vx9O5bvw8tDpN6IvtAhUpo3ueRyGDm_lcN8kw8JykImgKZoLlrq8pfBAo71mAVWDZkC_zyyG5K8vyx5avOV0KBZnltpklUNVNYOg3zo43C-rZsF0d5QoC7NSQYweXxl3928H-mYLn3wzTtKrRk-OyAukLsFiQzA/s1364/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A concrete path integral to a seawall to the right with a "beach bar" kiosk to the left with a beach. The path runs behind houses to the right." border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1364" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6foOP8hDet7gMZ2y9svzsJE1lIz_vx9O5bvw8tDpN6IvtAhUpo3ueRyGDm_lcN8kw8JykImgKZoLlrq8pfBAo71mAVWDZkC_zyyG5K8vyx5avOV0KBZnltpklUNVNYOg3zo43C-rZsF0d5QoC7NSQYweXxl3928H-mYLn3wzTtKrRk-OyAukLsFiQzA/w400-h225/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Just beyond the end of the new path, the route joins the existing sea wall path which runs behind The Close and where the official NCN150 will turn north from to join <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/nSrPt64yZLK6LQ4x9" target="_blank">Broadway</a> via an existing ramp, although it is possible to just carry on west for a while longer.</div><div><br /></div><div>The project was part-funded by the <a href="https://www.southeastlep.com/project/tendring-bikes-and-cycle-infrastructure/" target="_blank">Getting Building Fund</a> and is aimed to help provide better access for citizens in Jaywick (one of the most deprived places in the UK) to access employment and education as well as eventually providing a safe cycling route to Clacton station. More can be <a href="https://www.essexhighways.org/highway-schemes-and-developments/highway-schemes/tendring-schemes/jaywick-sands-to-clacton" target="_blank">found on Essex County Council's project website</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll leave you with a video of the route from Clacton to Jaywick and then back again.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/97A3s9g42do" width="320" youtube-src-id="97A3s9g42do"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-15174261173963651362023-05-21T11:21:00.000+01:002023-05-21T11:21:17.075+01:00Cycle Streets<h2 style="text-align: left;">I have spoken about cycle streets at the <a href="https://www.activetravelcafe.org.uk/" target="_blank">Active Travel Cafe</a>, but it's a subject I think is worth exploring long hand in a blog post.</h2><div>In fact, there are quite a few subjects I have spoken about there which I will write up here in due course, but let's start with cycle streets. The first question is of course what are they, and to answer this the best source of a definition is the Dutch <a href="https://crowplatform.com/product/design-manual-for-bicycle-traffic/" target="_blank">Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Bicycle street is a functional concept. It is a residential road for motorized traffic that forms part of the main cycle network or bicycle highway, and which is identifiable due to its design and layout, but has a limited volume of car traffic and that car traffic is subordinate to the bicycle traffic.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIuyIMvX6FNeluUCPE7BofwzDDc9QzahgHkGMITCwtfYI3CbunVAL7hNTN9mHcOQCML1UxESbIS0DpZWHdHMXFN8i-qiv4V_aLo7aWXudQ89Z3AGP_CqVKUGJpxev9C2JMq3oVehL6qn7h84loHqMsjlQpKiHWePEgXAUqAmtH25jiK67R7KXN0VuAQ/s3280/IMG_20170813_135616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A blue traffic sign. An image of a red car sits behind a white person cycling to show the cyclist with priority. There is a no through road "T" sign above." border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIuyIMvX6FNeluUCPE7BofwzDDc9QzahgHkGMITCwtfYI3CbunVAL7hNTN9mHcOQCML1UxESbIS0DpZWHdHMXFN8i-qiv4V_aLo7aWXudQ89Z3AGP_CqVKUGJpxev9C2JMq3oVehL6qn7h84loHqMsjlQpKiHWePEgXAUqAmtH25jiK67R7KXN0VuAQ/w400-h225/IMG_20170813_135616.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A Dutch bicycle street sign - cars are guests</span></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>If we want to pull this together into some key design principles, then a cycle street should be;</div><div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A main cycle route,</li><li>Residential (the Dutch do sometimes use them in city centres),</li><li>Where through motor traffic has been removed,</li><li>An obvious section of a main cycle route,</li><li>Where cycle traffic flow is much higher than motor traffic.</li></ul></div><div>In addition, the cycle street's importance as a cycle route should be evident to all users and it should be designed and constructed to a high quality. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cycle streets should also be designed so the cycle route has priority, and in the Netherlands this means local right of way rules are changed. In the UK context, this isn't so much of an issue, but priority is more than painting a give way line, it should be design priority which is self-explaining.</div><div><br /></div><div>What we are trying to achieve as we always should be for cycling networks, is a cycle street that is coherent, direct, comfortable, safe and attractive. In delivering to those five requirements, the Dutch guidance pulls together some important considerations.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>30 kp/h (20 mph) speed limit,</li><li>Residential within or outside of built up areas (e.g. villages),</li><li>One or two-way for general traffic,</li><li>Cycle flows are greater than or equal to car flows,</li><li>Cycle flows are greater than or equal to 1,000 cycles/ 24 hours and/ or if car flows less than 2,500 PCU/ 24 hours,</li><li>If cycle flows are double that of car flows, then car flows must be less than 2,500 PCU/ 24 hours.</li></ul><div>This essentially places an upper limit of 2,500 vehicles per day expressed as <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/p/glossary-working.html" target="_blank">Passenger Car Units</a> which weights for larger vehicles. If we want to convert this to a peak hour flow then broadly this might be between 10% and 15% - I say might, because this can vary by location. Essentially this is a maximum peak hour flow of 375 vehicles/ hour which could still feel quite high to some people and so the aim is to get those flows as low as we can.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Another important point to reiterate is a cycle street will be part of a main cycle route which means the approach needs to be appropriately deployed and so we must also be wary of creating what might appear to residents as rat runs for cycles. Although we aren't creating noise and air pollution problems, there is a risk that we make a street harder to cross. This is why we need networks and not sparse routes so that even cycle flows aren't heavily concentrated in one place.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhG5Wi12Ngb3kXaBl7xyJGtHAt3ZMuPrpkWCSvLVXlkduX8bYzt00wk_bEUKDpSOmUXjTyxuKZL5DzST_HXIH8q_dboYO_dpAR_IEMeNckI8BdCL5HQq0oMCKoHnt9aMrfobohnt928Lnr9ZccuQjdcKuV6WDLxyB9P-KAT8hxdCh5A9N85AyvLXRKQ/s4096/IMG_20190829_193523731_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A street with a no through road T-sign and a large blue cycle street logo painted on the road surface." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhG5Wi12Ngb3kXaBl7xyJGtHAt3ZMuPrpkWCSvLVXlkduX8bYzt00wk_bEUKDpSOmUXjTyxuKZL5DzST_HXIH8q_dboYO_dpAR_IEMeNckI8BdCL5HQq0oMCKoHnt9aMrfobohnt928Lnr9ZccuQjdcKuV6WDLxyB9P-KAT8hxdCh5A9N85AyvLXRKQ/w400-h225/IMG_20190829_193523731_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>We'll come back to some examples shortly. There is nothing to stop us using this technique if we follow the principles. Let's pause a second though. The photograph at the start had a Dutch bicycle street traffic sign. In fact it has no legal standing in the Netherlands and so the design response is far more important than a sign. The photograph above is <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/y7YX9kPD7LpjM4XY9" target="_blank">Schützenallee, Freiburg im Breisgau</a>, Germany which does have legal standing as a cycle street that features <a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrradstra%C3%9Fe#Deutschland" target="_blank">a whole list of requirements</a> including having regard for the needs of motor traffic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Schützenallee is a short cul-de-sac which has bollards creating a filter, but apart from traffic signs and large blue blocks of colour on the ground, there really isn't much in the way of the design led approach that is key to the Dutch experience. The UK can and should go the design route rather than the rules route because if traffic signs worked, we'd have no problems with drivers speeding.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdiAwJ3KAx4PoqZcqWB4YeByLciw-eKyuA2DeXnGxJIvpNwDpOtsYnF4JXg2Q9JjBOuTc3X73963oAq0SxdGk4FkH1J3U5G4j1sHwjvgPGHMIB732tqTnsZuzN2asSNMVdIJERp2g3bCeWDkOkJ6M7JYqGAPphw1DzdB-5QdNWZVKapXtyu4tQbbiHw/s1281/a.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A drawing of a street running left to right. There is a red road with grey footways. The road is shown to be 5 metres wide and the junctions are designed to slow drivers." border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="1281" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdiAwJ3KAx4PoqZcqWB4YeByLciw-eKyuA2DeXnGxJIvpNwDpOtsYnF4JXg2Q9JjBOuTc3X73963oAq0SxdGk4FkH1J3U5G4j1sHwjvgPGHMIB732tqTnsZuzN2asSNMVdIJERp2g3bCeWDkOkJ6M7JYqGAPphw1DzdB-5QdNWZVKapXtyu4tQbbiHw/w400-h125/a.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>In terms of actual guidance, the UK experience varies. In <a href="https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/cycling-by-design/" target="_blank">Cycling by Design</a>, Scotland has some level of detail which is inspired by Dutch practice (which we'll look at shortly). Page 91 provides the helpful sketch I've reproduced above and it states;</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Where cycle volumes are expected to be high on mixed use streets, consideration should be given to the creation of a ‘cycle street’. The purpose of a cycle street is to convey a sense of cycle user priority within a mixed street environment and for motor traffic to be treated as ‘guests’ within this environment.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>It also pulls out some key points which echoes the Dutch approach;</div><div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Cycle traffic volumes are expected to be higher than motor traffic volumes,</li><li>The street forms a key part of the wider cycle network and is expected to maintain high cycle volumes over time,</li><li>The street does not form a through-route for motor traffic and is expected to maintain low motor traffic volumes and speeds over time. </li></ul></div></div><div>It falls short of putting any numbers forward. On the one hand, prescription can lead to designers deciding not to take something forward if they feel a target can't be met (traffic flow in this case). On the other hand, not having some sort of numerical guidance risks specifying a treatment where it's not appropriate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Wales does better in the <a href="https://www.gov.wales/active-travel-act-guidance" target="_blank">Active Travel Act Guidance</a>, where in Section 9.2.2. it states;</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i>In areas where separation from motor traffic is unfeasible, it may be possible to improve conditions by removal of through traffic along the route or other appropriate traffic calming means, such as via modal filters, quiet street or cycle street provision (see Appendix G, Design Elements DE205 & DE206). </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>This can be particularly beneficial for residential areas where access by motor vehicle is still required (e.g. for residents, emergency vehicles and refuse vehicles). </i></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5hoqV5pik85tDHsjSKXAjFptFStGFpahtQh_F5VwbmG-6Khs5jzBAstnqxecIZDHxkMYkcFGHZLH3CgTtJ6_QyWNLZoEGP69bREp7P1OAnuoo4CAxdKrk10tLulEwrwLXEBO2DaO6jI9ByxvwvPJziuwXs6AjjqO5boO8Lr8nuqv9Dm7u_pzmUzkFQ/s699/b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A plan of a street with a road separated by directions by a strip that can be driven over. There is a footway on both sides. At the top, there is a cross section." border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="699" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5hoqV5pik85tDHsjSKXAjFptFStGFpahtQh_F5VwbmG-6Khs5jzBAstnqxecIZDHxkMYkcFGHZLH3CgTtJ6_QyWNLZoEGP69bREp7P1OAnuoo4CAxdKrk10tLulEwrwLXEBO2DaO6jI9ByxvwvPJziuwXs6AjjqO5boO8Lr8nuqv9Dm7u_pzmUzkFQ/w400-h299/b.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>More detail is given in Section 11.10 and drawing DE206 (above);</div><div><br /></div><div><i>A cycle street is a quiet street which also serves as a primary cycle route. To succeed it should carry low volumes of motor traffic (under 2,500 AADT), and high volumes of cycling that significantly exceed motor traffic levels, to provide cyclists with a level of comfort comparable to that provided by a traffic free route.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The Welsh guidance also specifically separates the cycle street concept from what might just be a quiet street which is an important distinction as the latter won't be part of the main cycle network.</div><div><br /></div><div>England is served poorly in guidance terms. Local Transport Note 1/95 Cycle Infrastructure Design in Section 14.3.27. misses the point somewhat:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i>Although the minor street network should all provide good cycling conditions it may be appropriate to designate some streets as important cycle routes, for example those which lead directly to an off-highway </i><i>route through a green space. These ‘cycle streets’ could be indicated through changes in paving material, planting or other design changes so that they are understood as being principally for cycling.</i></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfS-bqZssfq2a_YcZMA4cfXRfNcKqI6Lw8UHiB0SFuoWNT3RoIUX9zcBHlHdkMoeUMlOcpDY4mxwbYx84cV286LDtqeJlsfpZfo8HkmaHPFyRT679pz5UUH5A9O_EWBmYnSzrDW5rVJERuheVgt1tmHBRxoEOCqaqwz_OkmYxFweLCwq-PZzQ0PGXmpA/s1210/c.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Part of a table showing 2000 vehicles an hour at 20mph is appropriate for mixing cycling and traffic." border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="1210" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfS-bqZssfq2a_YcZMA4cfXRfNcKqI6Lw8UHiB0SFuoWNT3RoIUX9zcBHlHdkMoeUMlOcpDY4mxwbYx84cV286LDtqeJlsfpZfo8HkmaHPFyRT679pz5UUH5A9O_EWBmYnSzrDW5rVJERuheVgt1tmHBRxoEOCqaqwz_OkmYxFweLCwq-PZzQ0PGXmpA/w400-h114/c.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>In theory a green space might be useful, but from a personal safety point of view it's unlikely to be somewhere where everyone would feel safe at all times of the day and year. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we will see, design elements are important, but LTN1/20 seems pretty dismissive of what is a very useful technique. It is work looking at Table 4.1 of LTN1/20 however, because this does give us guidance on the conditions where most people will mix with traffic and that's a maximum threshold of 2,000 PCU at 20mph (see the extract above) and is 300 vehicles an hour at peak.</div><div><br /></div><div>Between the three main pieces of UK guidance we can almost piece together the components we need to design cycle streets, but as you'd expect, the Dutch go into more detail which we'll now look more closely, referring again to their guidance which has three cycle street typologies.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJp1stv_WTIJs23-nu5wCWdcaaccaXG9ocPego-NUimRgG7AvHlvY_bE9jqQc7DC2rVSJz_QPPCJDgWTORsBLg21fOpvAkuFZlJ7Nh7_ncPBv1rDAEdVLztAqle_9Va5e-kAVe2BFMxPrlEgNOysgCsU6fkSdyHtiPNZkstPVHjgfimYBq7BVrUxqRvQ/s4096/IMG_20230401_122349104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A narrow road with parking left and houses right beyond a footway. There is a canal to the right of the parking." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJp1stv_WTIJs23-nu5wCWdcaaccaXG9ocPego-NUimRgG7AvHlvY_bE9jqQc7DC2rVSJz_QPPCJDgWTORsBLg21fOpvAkuFZlJ7Nh7_ncPBv1rDAEdVLztAqle_9Va5e-kAVe2BFMxPrlEgNOysgCsU6fkSdyHtiPNZkstPVHjgfimYBq7BVrUxqRvQ/w400-h225/IMG_20230401_122349104.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>First is "mixed profile" as can be seen above at <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/MMT1ukPSQhLpMGUu6" target="_blank">Hoekweg, Voorburg</a> (on the edge of Den Haag) which is one-way for motors. The design features given in section V12 of the Dutch guidance are;</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Asphalt or concrete surface, </li><li>4.5m wide to allow opposing flows or side by side cyclists to pass each other,</li><li>Car parking off carriageway with a 0.5m buffer to the cycle space,</li><li>Can have humps.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOPxKqbvGpBB7n3jtN8KycpPAKRqPDsvqs60T5h3pRH6tsmX_JPp6DHxsBzYE1s_UN2cmlbvzhkJaeLM-zBq6Fnjpxb3JhNR8S_GxPcND5Q0vCwVEHdSdRt1OTA7S6NypTaSa1k3YsYaxiPxX6O1g0GnXX_-K6DnZJlw5jmKPA_gTsnzUip9GrbpIEQ/s4096/IMG_20230401_104002865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red road with narrow black edge strips. There are trees left and right and a property wall to the right too." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOPxKqbvGpBB7n3jtN8KycpPAKRqPDsvqs60T5h3pRH6tsmX_JPp6DHxsBzYE1s_UN2cmlbvzhkJaeLM-zBq6Fnjpxb3JhNR8S_GxPcND5Q0vCwVEHdSdRt1OTA7S6NypTaSa1k3YsYaxiPxX6O1g0GnXX_-K6DnZJlw5jmKPA_gTsnzUip9GrbpIEQ/w400-h225/IMG_20230401_104002865.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Second is "cyclists in the middle of the carriageway" as can be seen above at <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/H73FnUqecUD9SkxV6" target="_blank">Verlengde Kerkeboslaan, Wassenaa</a>r which is two-way for traffic. It connects a pair of cycle tracks with the route passing through the edge of a very low density residential development. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The streets in the development are block paved, but the cycle street has smooth red asphalt making it clear that it is the cycle route. It is important to note that the strips at the sides are <i>not</i> cycle lanes, it is intended that people cycle to the left of them. The design features given in section V13 of the Dutch guidance are;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Carriageway to to be red asphalt or concrete surface, 3m to 3.5m wide.</li><li>Edge strips, 0.5m to 0.75m. Block paved preferred, black or grey.</li><li>Car parking off carriageway with a 0.5m buffer to the cycle space.</li><li>Side strips can be added.</li><li>Can have humps.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPC7sdJsB1yteHWkMQP_BJawR4Y2tEB3-6s36kEJ0Rm1NJE1r1WZT7xih7igDyQiy2GS2vr8B_5TWTVRNmSW_W9nLz_4_ykIRVfgAF3B5yn3LvDdmDHMHEGbN82R06iMGgOxAWn06zZHXsgkseizuRcAyP-mjLZlKAip9SqHn-fkyzuQJIotk6eKtJzQ/s4096/IMG_20221028_131942763_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A narrow street with houses both sides. The red road has a wide grey stripe in the middle. Cycle parking is to the right. There is a no entry except cycles sign." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPC7sdJsB1yteHWkMQP_BJawR4Y2tEB3-6s36kEJ0Rm1NJE1r1WZT7xih7igDyQiy2GS2vr8B_5TWTVRNmSW_W9nLz_4_ykIRVfgAF3B5yn3LvDdmDHMHEGbN82R06iMGgOxAWn06zZHXsgkseizuRcAyP-mjLZlKAip9SqHn-fkyzuQJIotk6eKtJzQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_131942763_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The third is "carriageway separation and cyclists at the sides" as can be seen above at <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/un1YTaydpS8bCB4t6" target="_blank">Havenstraat, Delft</a> which is one-way for traffic. This design uses a central strip to create a pair of narrow strips which encourage cycling in the centre of each of them. The design features given in section V14 of the Dutch guidance are;</div><div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Cycle lane to to be red asphalt or concrete surface, at least 2m wide.</li><li>Central strip can be ridden on and 0.8 to 1.5m wide.</li><li>Car parking off carriageway with a 0.5m buffer to the cycle space.</li><li>Side strips can be added.</li><li>Can have humps.</li></ul><div>When cycle streets are used as part of a cycle network one can see the Dutch principle of "mix where possible; separate where necessary" in action. In the places I've cycled, cycle streets are just part of the changing scenery as one cycles between places on routes which will also have cycle tracks on main roads and which will also pass through residential streets, but where the route itself is seamless.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOpHhcHpoetA1JzjKz5k3YZAlmF5qf8IT7au0_dLdNncIe5g_STkT4YoYHXt6LMoOqP75uhL4gGQJpHCef_OAFhTIu197TFK66Bgm_2z2qmjIxcx3_joJnc7QTuj3Obo08VOislcimZKmg0ZebVbIdPHjriJJyYAgo8FfRUw4qIodvBOq85KmuHxxvg/s4096/IMG_20230401_122619441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A street with flats to the left and a canal to the right. A red road is blocked to traffic by bollards that people can cycle through." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOpHhcHpoetA1JzjKz5k3YZAlmF5qf8IT7au0_dLdNncIe5g_STkT4YoYHXt6LMoOqP75uhL4gGQJpHCef_OAFhTIu197TFK66Bgm_2z2qmjIxcx3_joJnc7QTuj3Obo08VOislcimZKmg0ZebVbIdPHjriJJyYAgo8FfRUw4qIodvBOq85KmuHxxvg/w400-h225/IMG_20230401_122619441.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>What is clear, is modal filters are very important such as above on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/wdh8itAmH6oYQJXm8" target="_blank">Cromvlietkade</a> which is the border between Rijswijk and Den Haag - the filter is the border! This is one of the main cycle routes between Leiden and den Haag. The main road feeding this street from the south only has painted (mandatory cycle lanes), but the turn into the cycle street is protected. </div><div><br /></div><div>The cycle street part of this route passes through several modal filters before crossing a cycling (and walking) bridge over canal and which then forms a T-junction with a main two-way cycle track onto which a left turn soon brings one to the centre of Den Haag. It really shows how the motoring and cycling network are different things and how the treatments vary where they coincide.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC3DPFMOs4cJwvFeSbfMiQXM5y7i2qKZCUUQ2dlUcNdYMjEewHQOV9ofZ6B70B1mEHpniQZ2x_WIhHca9AJ7eW0ZZSCdd9-1GTtB6RzvYXuAkL6s62s_NtGLsXArQpqfyWuABJgyApL-mukAT27jh-vVneMlZca5cmYN0Py6Qvq0NrPCrBg-Qi5iyAQ/s4096/IMG_20221028_110431677%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red road with flats left and a canal right. There are cycles parked outside the flats and barge is moored in the canal." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC3DPFMOs4cJwvFeSbfMiQXM5y7i2qKZCUUQ2dlUcNdYMjEewHQOV9ofZ6B70B1mEHpniQZ2x_WIhHca9AJ7eW0ZZSCdd9-1GTtB6RzvYXuAkL6s62s_NtGLsXArQpqfyWuABJgyApL-mukAT27jh-vVneMlZca5cmYN0Py6Qvq0NrPCrBg-Qi5iyAQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_110431677%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/JU1MFo1HN3BgwRC19" target="_blank">Hooikade, Delft</a>, where a cycle street becomes a two-way cycle track. The cycle street is a two-way cul-de-sac for drivers needing to access residential streets. Proceeding ahead takes cycle traffic up a gentle ramp to a large road forming a ring road to the city centre, whereas a right turn drops the cycle track under the ring road to provide an alternative way to access the city, complete with a direct access to Delft Station (below).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi341B0fnB8tuHnmGWh6j3D-XEC3d4tm5pnUSPcYFEnSW42W6Ww3q8X356ajSO2puUlhNIWeu4oDUDxO6VjMv9ZIY8W3Tx_3GOq-_0vfwHW9wNnROt0vobUMi5sW1pcEpS_uYeUUf2obO2BMbHKiEfkF8w9F38f0QGitiNX3mpS7hB9h1UwQZmwQGSjMg/s4096/IMG_20221028_110535995_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A cycle track dips under a bridge. It is next to a canal to the right and a building to the left. There is a little slip road off the cycle track into an entrance." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi341B0fnB8tuHnmGWh6j3D-XEC3d4tm5pnUSPcYFEnSW42W6Ww3q8X356ajSO2puUlhNIWeu4oDUDxO6VjMv9ZIY8W3Tx_3GOq-_0vfwHW9wNnROt0vobUMi5sW1pcEpS_uYeUUf2obO2BMbHKiEfkF8w9F38f0QGitiNX3mpS7hB9h1UwQZmwQGSjMg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_110535995_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Below is <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/1z7FQYZxwa7UaFrn6" target="_blank">Noordlandselaan, 's-Gravenzande</a> (near Hoek van Holland). This cycle route follows National Road 211 to the east, but as it approaches the outskirts of the built-up area, it diverts to provide a more direct route which doubles up as a residential access road which is filtered half way along. The greenhouse in the photograph is vast and is accessed separately. The edge strips here allow drivers to safely overtake side by side cyclists.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQ47y0bRlY2KnnGbjc10jlqHe_kU7DS1xK3klJqV5umxcIHxisJ3nz9jFIvMaB_kyc3QBDPPV0mIfBeW4y4Ba3azEjancr5NBlT8demn4ovNpX96UShA6fTlVR9Q0dINrCW0tz_wrOLEbt8lwekw3sGcBRQscl9cGxf1mFOqtV-ftbPaxR-2Lpp0LrQ/s4096/IMG_20230402_161536083_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red road with a huge greenhouse to the left and houses to the left. People are cycling in the distance." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQ47y0bRlY2KnnGbjc10jlqHe_kU7DS1xK3klJqV5umxcIHxisJ3nz9jFIvMaB_kyc3QBDPPV0mIfBeW4y4Ba3azEjancr5NBlT8demn4ovNpX96UShA6fTlVR9Q0dINrCW0tz_wrOLEbt8lwekw3sGcBRQscl9cGxf1mFOqtV-ftbPaxR-2Lpp0LrQ/w400-h225/IMG_20230402_161536083_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>So, has the UK successfully deployed a cycle street? I only know of one example and that's the <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2019/07/cycling-embassy-of-great-britain-agm_27.html" target="_blank">Taff Embankment in Cardiff</a> which appears as a photograph in the Welsh Guidance.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XbHvRrbkhKrgGJPOPfnQkEFldGw-gtKtn3BlWUCikNnBEni8OP0v5cc_1kNX3Nj7g-GjmCEzobDKhiGVC6vlb6PbbE7BDOAQ4-mQJBgJFbQEhyWA0DIivwQOnMpG_1ncdNa9HhqKD4SoKaUtZF-ryCECfyaeVeoUCVS5G-CoM_Lp-EzNkPK6XnKmEg/s3280/IMG_20190720_150246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A road with a light grey central strip. A car straddles the strip as the driver goes to overtake a group of cyclists. There are trees left and houses to the right." border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XbHvRrbkhKrgGJPOPfnQkEFldGw-gtKtn3BlWUCikNnBEni8OP0v5cc_1kNX3Nj7g-GjmCEzobDKhiGVC6vlb6PbbE7BDOAQ4-mQJBgJFbQEhyWA0DIivwQOnMpG_1ncdNa9HhqKD4SoKaUtZF-ryCECfyaeVeoUCVS5G-CoM_Lp-EzNkPK6XnKmEg/w400-h225/IMG_20190720_150246.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above shows the central strip of the Dutch "carriageway separation and cyclists at the sides" (V14) approach with the strip being hard wearing light grey imprinted asphalt. So how does it shape up? On the positives;</div><div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>National Cycle Network Route 8,</li><li>20mph,</li><li>Cycle lane strip 2.1m wide,</li><li>Central strip 1m wide,</li><li>Layby parking,</li><li>Quality surface,</li><li>Humps (at junctions),</li></ul><div>The areas in which it doesn't quite meet the Dutch approach are that there isn't a 0.5m buffer to the car parking, the carriageway surface colour hasn't changed (although the central strip does provide a good visual cue) and there are no edge strips (although these are optional).</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2vrhm4OMV8XvEVC5guAfVQlMk6gHYj9Moz943Jfnkz2jU3_yMa-O7FL9LBG48aJWwhapJkFQxQqfCTK0UjHM6JwMilIkyYCocC54Yt7AFvm2STNXpZvxWRDE7QgjDelKA_2okqp9w0qL33qyBDh7woDXKhSqlflwvAhAhl9YCtvCWVRyG7KRIzJjvw/s3280/IMG_20190720_150418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A road with a wide grey strip with trees left and then parking and houses to the right." border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2vrhm4OMV8XvEVC5guAfVQlMk6gHYj9Moz943Jfnkz2jU3_yMa-O7FL9LBG48aJWwhapJkFQxQqfCTK0UjHM6JwMilIkyYCocC54Yt7AFvm2STNXpZvxWRDE7QgjDelKA_2okqp9w0qL33qyBDh7woDXKhSqlflwvAhAhl9YCtvCWVRyG7KRIzJjvw/w400-h225/IMG_20190720_150418.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>My understanding that the "cycle street" element was a bit of an add-on to the main purpose of the project which was a surface water flooding alleviation project, so it does perform a good secondary role. I haven't been able to find traffic or cycle flow data, but I suspect motor traffic flows are still a bit high because the area hasn't quite filtered out all of the through traffic which wouldn't be difficult given the parallel A-road.</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it. Cycle streets are definitely a tool for the UK as we can apply a design-led approach, but it must be noted that these are network tools and not really for the delivery of single route treatments because we need secondary networks feeding primary networks.</div></div></div></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-13745533592767428102023-05-14T14:02:00.001+01:002023-05-14T14:02:09.346+01:00I've seen things you people wouldn't believe: Redux Part 4 - Bendy Hamburger Floating Bus Stop Cycle Track Junction<h2 style="text-align: left;">I obviously enjoy cycling in The Netherlands, but it is always worth getting back on foot to gain other perspectives and in this post, I report on a junction in <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/H9TczNnv6YQdbmxk7" target="_blank">Leiden</a> that I walked around.</h2><div>My last two trips have involved cycling between places and so after a few hours in the saddle, it is nice to get off the bike to walk around. While cycling allows lots of ground to be covered at a (quick) human pace, walking allows us to pick up more detail, the nuances and sometimes the atmosphere.</div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/cMrsTg6NqMruH5RM6" target="_blank">junction of Koninginnelaan with Herenstraat and Leuvenstraat</a> isn't particularly atmospheric, but it's an interesting place to walk around and to observe. Situated in the <a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuinstadwijk" target="_blank">Tuinstadwijk</a> neighbourhood, it's just a kilometre south from the centre of Leiden, but is more suburban in nature and it's name is shared with a type of development <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tuinstadwijk" target="_blank">loosely based on the "garden village"</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The junction is actually a crossroads. The eastern arm is a dual carriageway with one lane in each direction with advisory cycle lanes and car parking beyond - just what we wouldn't want to see on a street like this. While it's a dual carriageway, it's more of a suburban boulevard which we can find in many places, include the UK and which has this garden village feel. </div><div><br /></div><div>To the west, the area is a filtered neighbourhood. South is a single carriageway road with advisory cycle lanes and parking beyond with left turn pockets within traffic islands which feels similar to the UK. North is street with a local centre feel, but which provides a direct driving route to the city centre and as such is traffic calmed, but probably more of a secondary traffic route as there are easier driving routes elsewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>As it stands, the eastern and southern arms are the main drag which changes from the dual to single carriageway, have zebra crossings and which also has to accommodate the quieter northern and western arms. If this were left as a bend in the road, then the two quieter roads would have awkward interfaces and left turns would be across traffic. Throw in the cycle lanes on each side, bus stops in laybys and pedestrian desire lines and we'd have quite a lot going on.</div><div><br /></div><div>In Dutch style, the junction appears complex, but it actually breaks things down into easy bites for all users. Even before the current layout, the northern arm of Herenstraat required drivers leaving to turn right, although a gap in the central reserve opposite the eastern arm appeared to allow drivers to chance a U-turn. Cycle traffic could turn left with some protection (but not prioritised) in the centre of the road (below, from 2014, being a bit clearer than 2009. From the north looking south). Leuvenstraat did allow left turns, but these would be far fewer.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R-W-Y2mBK5ZkX7449_pBzfYI2ECn5Y2zgAxWfT5J6SF5bYQDCqQfAsjlC0kJz9GYejPwqGsj44JSUE9RKPLhU3YDPp_n9yLR8Ii7SpcHDM8rUYfG8eVNgH6uJRSGAQ9aruJKhNkPwVUOXzvPrMmJJfbQQlS5YE8aeB_4FFvozJJoNcgdyPCJGsNpow/s1679/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Google Streetview image of the junction as it was with the main drag coming from the left and then going into the distance with edge cycle lanes and zebra crossings of the main roads." border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1679" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R-W-Y2mBK5ZkX7449_pBzfYI2ECn5Y2zgAxWfT5J6SF5bYQDCqQfAsjlC0kJz9GYejPwqGsj44JSUE9RKPLhU3YDPp_n9yLR8Ii7SpcHDM8rUYfG8eVNgH6uJRSGAQ9aruJKhNkPwVUOXzvPrMmJJfbQQlS5YE8aeB_4FFvozJJoNcgdyPCJGsNpow/w400-h206/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I don't know if this is the original layout from when the area was built, but requiring general traffic to turn right means that the quieter streets behind have a level of filtering to make them less about through traffic. This layout objectively creates some problems for cycling on the main road where the fairly tight turn required drivers to give proper space otherwise people cycling would be "pinched", especially north going west (below).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92QClbuSdm2LnlEnLsYn8QdpUibjKg_60fc5fHnx7KRFB5GMtGePIYTlfa2MvF66WifsboajMzlZ2ozqsIVy5p-csfIEgEM3P60f-wV1MYhYk9qSha5BmjOVnrdCwfBlFEObZnL9Wjyd1emrC1RjWUwueproNv7UZ8tmXGVeP7NTHo5B5AzVCE6_pkA/s1677/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Google Streetview image of the junction as it was form the south looking north over a zebra crossing. A cyclist on the right bending right is at risk from drivers bending left and cutting the corner." border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1677" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92QClbuSdm2LnlEnLsYn8QdpUibjKg_60fc5fHnx7KRFB5GMtGePIYTlfa2MvF66WifsboajMzlZ2ozqsIVy5p-csfIEgEM3P60f-wV1MYhYk9qSha5BmjOVnrdCwfBlFEObZnL9Wjyd1emrC1RjWUwueproNv7UZ8tmXGVeP7NTHo5B5AzVCE6_pkA/w400-h209/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I've not managed to get to the bottom of it, but from <a href="https://sleutelstad.nl/tag/fietsrotonde-herenstraat/" target="_blank">reading about the junction on the sleutelstad.nl website</a>, plans to change the junction in 2019 were controversial. Some citizens and business were concerned that changes meant further to drive because of further <a href="https://sleutelstad.nl/2019/06/18/tuinstad-staalwijk-ontevreden-met-ontwerp-fietsrotonde/" target="_blank">restrictions to where drivers could turn</a>. It just shows that even in The Netherlands, drivers are resistant to change and businesses are concerned about changes which make driving to them more awkward which is the mode they overestimate that people use to visit them.</div><div><br /></div><div>From what I can work out, a redesigned junction opened in stages, <a href="https://twitter.com/Cycling_Embassy/status/1276108592739946496?s=20" target="_blank">but for cycling in the summer of 2020</a>. Since then, the rumblings of discontent have continued with the <a href="https://sleutelstad.nl/2022/01/09/onafhankelijk-verkeersonderzoek-naar-veiligheid-fietsrotonde/" target="_blank">local residents' association complaining</a> about an increase in collisions and near misses along with damage to cars, and apparently an independent study is being undertaken. I clearly don't know the detail and nuance of this, but there is a pattern here familiar to the UK and perhaps the real issue in part is the new layout prioritising cycling and walking over driving.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbQq1p-y5xvaNfFWo2t6v020sE0_nM8VSFrPHQQGJris0Uxx-fPWG1FitTcmj5fA7bLZ_e5yASTab7CdAdpG45WCvwPSY45-7rDwHdQduRxtZbYq16l5hFfuBL4BwCaHR8sXb0hRar0M_bbexpGBaF7bt7xzZYDLtMpVI7Sb8Mzzzcn9I9p2_gWaHig/s4096/IMG_20230330_164917167_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view across the junction showing the bend with separate cycle tracks. A woman in the foreground cycles left to right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbQq1p-y5xvaNfFWo2t6v020sE0_nM8VSFrPHQQGJris0Uxx-fPWG1FitTcmj5fA7bLZ_e5yASTab7CdAdpG45WCvwPSY45-7rDwHdQduRxtZbYq16l5hFfuBL4BwCaHR8sXb0hRar0M_bbexpGBaF7bt7xzZYDLtMpVI7Sb8Mzzzcn9I9p2_gWaHig/w400-h225/IMG_20230330_164917167_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So what does the junction look like? In common with other parts of the country and elsewhere in the Leiden municipality, there is a push to prioritise cycle traffic over motor traffic in many urban circumstances and so the junction now has a <i>fietsrotonde</i> or cycle roundabout anticlockwise around the outside of general traffic with the eastern and southern zebra crossings maintained. The photograph above shows the layout from south looking to the east.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxNrIVlWmNCwWVMKjblEQ8e5GyB8N-nwGBQoSgWR5xfS2XzxYn9EdMY1LWoKjd7J7SQ6f2sUHzECCNuYtBO-x2rREYZIhLcWlBBXOREG7ypVF6Wdviqd9h5Me86uaY0ka--HHxgqii57jygClgBcfs1gFq1DZxak9zSULu4-kjXU_wghbUJdgWez-84A/s4096/IMG_20230330_164842255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A floating bus stop with a shelter on the passenger island and a mini zebra over the cycle track. There is then a separate zebra crossing of each traffic lane." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxNrIVlWmNCwWVMKjblEQ8e5GyB8N-nwGBQoSgWR5xfS2XzxYn9EdMY1LWoKjd7J7SQ6f2sUHzECCNuYtBO-x2rREYZIhLcWlBBXOREG7ypVF6Wdviqd9h5Me86uaY0ka--HHxgqii57jygClgBcfs1gFq1DZxak9zSULu4-kjXU_wghbUJdgWez-84A/w400-h225/IMG_20230330_164842255.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Cycling on the main south to east axis now has protected cycle tracks which removes the risk of people cycling being pinched and the bus stops have been floated which both creates space for cycle tracks and means stationary buses will hold following traffic so that there is no need for bus drivers to worry about rejoining the traffic stream. The road running through the middle of the roundabout is <a href="https://www.roads.org.uk/articles/roundabouts/future" target="_blank">reminiscent of a hamburger junction</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RSO00App2zFySH8TyydKv2rMTowwvmXCa41BpLmvMAssvlVAFO7M25xdkpkPVZzQGoJSLAfaIxgfi-rBnwngHZfXt21tAUAa5PH8MdrYBSVS2DspGUuJqahWpaWwhiJTtdZyomQlaShsTv4uQ6FVNNKI0dPC5zX8qbOHaqH59dpJnE947BpCxJ1YUg/s4096/IMG_20230330_164805343_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A woman on a cargobike swings left over one of the main arms on the priority cycle track." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RSO00App2zFySH8TyydKv2rMTowwvmXCa41BpLmvMAssvlVAFO7M25xdkpkPVZzQGoJSLAfaIxgfi-rBnwngHZfXt21tAUAa5PH8MdrYBSVS2DspGUuJqahWpaWwhiJTtdZyomQlaShsTv4uQ6FVNNKI0dPC5zX8qbOHaqH59dpJnE947BpCxJ1YUg/w400-h225/IMG_20230330_164805343_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The other thing is being a roundabout for cycle traffic, the flows crossing the main arms are prioritised as we'd see on a complete urban roundabout with the cycle crossings having priority next to the zebra crossings (above from the north looking south).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaebzbyt0nZ-IIj0ZXHAiXefxBadSChi26wKZbTFe_RzHGYD5FUc6vzZ3sfYmVAtJfhf-XOctAhRUEjhq4XpW7lFt6p0wVNeuNSqBY62JUCLKtrAqLNVoOkxxIqHd4ak8xNIK0I5YIzh7qKzv5JwgSWsw488Ib6HjCmf3xwbbBYx58h2pbwgjyGRulcQ/s4096/IMG_20230330_164721770_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="End view of a floating bus stop showing the road and cycle lane being split by the passenger island." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaebzbyt0nZ-IIj0ZXHAiXefxBadSChi26wKZbTFe_RzHGYD5FUc6vzZ3sfYmVAtJfhf-XOctAhRUEjhq4XpW7lFt6p0wVNeuNSqBY62JUCLKtrAqLNVoOkxxIqHd4ak8xNIK0I5YIzh7qKzv5JwgSWsw488Ib6HjCmf3xwbbBYx58h2pbwgjyGRulcQ/w400-h225/IMG_20230330_164721770_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The main roads still have their advisory cycle lanes, but the floating bus stops provide the place where the protection through the junction starts and ends with smooth transitions. Given junctions are where most collisions occur, it makes sense to invest there first.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvew-rAzLgDGNrN457-VfJ3ixeHpjwQNWiCaChpYpW38yL2uKnt3DhgLVj9VN5qkUe6GEPCTAf44F1zc27S3C4ysaX1niKL3uT_QVT6BMYvRBiCjteP9jh04A0A78-RFqGjddVG46mCoGeEfgIFd_cyhV7KU33NBOyuU9dsA0P_fTC9hThaOw-cnv6BQ/s4096/IMG_20230330_164958984_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="View from a quiet street over ramped kerbs to the footway with the cycle track beyond and the main road beyond that." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvew-rAzLgDGNrN457-VfJ3ixeHpjwQNWiCaChpYpW38yL2uKnt3DhgLVj9VN5qkUe6GEPCTAf44F1zc27S3C4ysaX1niKL3uT_QVT6BMYvRBiCjteP9jh04A0A78-RFqGjddVG46mCoGeEfgIFd_cyhV7KU33NBOyuU9dsA0P_fTC9hThaOw-cnv6BQ/w400-h225/IMG_20230330_164958984_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>For the minor arms, we have very familiar entrance kerb type treatments which are set up to allow people cycling to move from the mixed traffic arrangements of the quieter streets to the cycle tracks (above - view to the east from Leuvenstraat).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JwOA2WPaVrDieZDhBD1U0wEN4rBn77kF1OjQz2c0XuC2stubtVBGmG3AHu8MocsDwcnTV0KT7s0cADiK3NEcOLKYyZbypWD74LEa0xNeQeY1z5mJT62-ehTy38HLuSKXNK9IqzGhg8tQYCYXoJ-lfc0e40619oDcELwUntHpDKNTnOT5rS7pd2rEGg/s4096/IMG_20230330_165009170_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="View of a driver stopping on a wide paved area between the cycle track behind and road ahead in a white car. A cyclist appears just left of shot." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JwOA2WPaVrDieZDhBD1U0wEN4rBn77kF1OjQz2c0XuC2stubtVBGmG3AHu8MocsDwcnTV0KT7s0cADiK3NEcOLKYyZbypWD74LEa0xNeQeY1z5mJT62-ehTy38HLuSKXNK9IqzGhg8tQYCYXoJ-lfc0e40619oDcELwUntHpDKNTnOT5rS7pd2rEGg/w400-h225/IMG_20230330_165009170_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I spent a bit of time wandering around the junction and watching how people behaved. For my mind, it seemed to be working fine with features such as the paved aprons between the quieter streets and main drag given space for drivers to pause without blocking the cycle track (above). <div><br /></div><div>The key change for the two side streets the required right turn which could lead to some people driving south and bit and then performing a three point turn to head north and then east again. The only other issue was I saw a few people turn left from Herenstraat into Leuvenstraat on the footway which is problematic given the visibility there. My guess was they were avoiding drivers turning left into Herenstraat who were moving too quickly.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div>So there we are. A layout which looks quite odd and complex, but which as usual breaks it all down to control how people in the three modes cross each other. When viewed through that lens, it doesn't actually look that complicated.</div></div></div></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-66604548320672248192023-04-08T10:55:00.001+01:002023-04-08T10:55:04.162+01:00Cycle Gates - A Useful Tool<h2 style="text-align: left;">There are lots of tools out there which we can use to make cycling safer and while I can understand that people would love to transform their towns overnight, I'm afraid that we will often have to go for incremental improvements, especially if we are starting from a low base.</h2><div>There many are urban main roads in the UK which have left us with a legacy of motor traffic movement being prioritised. At best, pedestrians have green men crossings to negotiate the junctions but cycling has never been considered unless bolted on to pedestrian space or people left to mix with traffic. These roads have junctions running at capacity (sometimes over capacity) and so the slightest change will cause an increase in congestion which is often a politically unacceptable position.</div><div><br /></div><div>The challenge here is how can we add protected cycling infrastructure without immediately destroying junction capacity while not giving up on the protection in the junction. We could take the purist approach and say "tough" and just put in a brilliant new layout for walking and cycling, but in the real world where there is politics at play we just might have to do something now and come back with that great scheme once we have an actual functioning cycling network.</div><div><br /></div><div>That was a long-winded bit of scene setting for a look at what I think is an underused tool which we can use for that initial/ interim period, and that's the cycle gate. It's a subject I did look at for <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/10/tight-squeeze.html" target="_blank">dealing with pinch points at bridges</a> before, but which needs a more general airing. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjczgYa1AQpyrjLolHCUoxbBwJzc6iy1YK_TNQfQ-MSjQrd-phYb65NWZ36wAS3VOI4j23qyIxQpXYKKCCTcbVfnmVUCuVNZU-kgpSIraiNbYqbNwqCUNGfDeN0ozdM_zcV3EM6QlET0aQzMBCctKQZwF-OiVNeGgvL8vvNfrn0L-yY7Rh9yQiuflggw/s4096/IMG_20220430_081550853_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Two sets of traffic lights. The far set apply to the whole road width and are red. The nearest set have red on the right for general traffic and a green cycle signal for the left and is separated by an island." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjczgYa1AQpyrjLolHCUoxbBwJzc6iy1YK_TNQfQ-MSjQrd-phYb65NWZ36wAS3VOI4j23qyIxQpXYKKCCTcbVfnmVUCuVNZU-kgpSIraiNbYqbNwqCUNGfDeN0ozdM_zcV3EM6QlET0aQzMBCctKQZwF-OiVNeGgvL8vvNfrn0L-yY7Rh9yQiuflggw/w400-h225/IMG_20220430_081550853_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is an <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/4VGj9k5JUdZwPa1T7" target="_blank">example of a cycle gate at Bow, London</a>, which relies on separated cycling and driving space ending at traffic signals which separately control each flow and a stop line further ahead with its own separate signals (often called the reservoir signal). Cycles get a green at the first stop line while traffic is held at its first stop line. Then the far stop line gets a green a few seconds before the first traffic stop line which allows cycles to clear the junction before drivers catch up. I also found <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/04/ldn-cycle-safari-baylis-road-lambeth.html" target="_blank">a couple of examples down in Lambeth</a> when I went for a mooch about last year.</div><div><br /></div><div>The problem with the arrangement is when the traffic gets released from the first stop line (and then passes the second which has already a green signal), cycles are stopped at their first stop line which means the arrangement is going to be an "always stop" for cycles whereas in theory, general traffic can encounter a "double green" to pass through.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's also worth remembering that traffic signals are traffic management rather than safety devices. Cycle gates are going to be safer than cycle tracks just giving up at junctions (on a like for like basis) with the risk of left hooks and difficulty in turning right addressed, but they are clearly not fully separated cycling infrastructure. They also suffer from the usual rules-based problem of they only work properly when everyone follows the rules.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcGtJLUr6g-xZy2UGA2O-zmncxZ77r-NfI2VJ0kxfSRQ8luBlH9kjEBBIa4AlnPYIbbX_92JfPwRr5R_oXyY-HKBnz4wxibAXOr1IVV1-POlrlXNbHzBull2hmEb8w7ODqOYf7mQjlasesNVLkkCcZcbwPQoLZKI9Bl94og9Y4Ubjcnok8_ELUxwi5w/s792/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cars at a signalised junction. There are two traffic signals on the left both showing red. One is before the other. The first also shows a green cycle symbol." border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="792" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcGtJLUr6g-xZy2UGA2O-zmncxZ77r-NfI2VJ0kxfSRQ8luBlH9kjEBBIa4AlnPYIbbX_92JfPwRr5R_oXyY-HKBnz4wxibAXOr1IVV1-POlrlXNbHzBull2hmEb8w7ODqOYf7mQjlasesNVLkkCcZcbwPQoLZKI9Bl94og9Y4Ubjcnok8_ELUxwi5w/w400-h270/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At least from the bit of research I have done and from what my fellow geeks have said on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/nuttyxander/status/1639914135822450689?s=20" target="_blank">thanks Alex Ingram</a>), it seems that cycle gates are a more modern idea, but have their roots in the mid 1980's/ early 1990's when Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs) were being trialed. Barnby Gate in Newark is particularly interesting because it used to have separated traffic signals at an advanced stop line (above, <a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20090505152230/http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/165240/244921/244924/TAL_8-93" target="_blank">from Traffic Advisory Leaflet 8/93</a>). The blue sign in the photograph says "CYCLES when red light shows wait HERE. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUDQhD6mIFhKDXMejz22FA6caLZ7wd6dKmMKN1R1l3ohBtZZfrDpLrMEP5K9-CTAeEubQ4fgFCeXxOiPtBdcMsNNAjF-DOq8bgZlRdsMZvjSEKvA3wTaW9VZ0fH36nfPgCVwYfoXAVO4El5O0ww0wo5SPmzmOSsbrg6pKX6CsxhIh_UyMOVge9G_neQ/s1680/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Google Streetview showing the blue sign in the text in the main post." border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1680" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUDQhD6mIFhKDXMejz22FA6caLZ7wd6dKmMKN1R1l3ohBtZZfrDpLrMEP5K9-CTAeEubQ4fgFCeXxOiPtBdcMsNNAjF-DOq8bgZlRdsMZvjSEKvA3wTaW9VZ0fH36nfPgCVwYfoXAVO4El5O0ww0wo5SPmzmOSsbrg6pKX6CsxhIh_UyMOVge9G_neQ/w400-h208/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When you have a <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/bAtbv5iY6HbZ7VGv5" target="_blank">look on Google Streetview of the junction</a>, this layout has gone, but there's a tantalising nugget of another sign which says "MOTOR VEHICLES when red light shows wait HERE". The sign was there in 2020, but now appears removed. </div><div><br /></div><div>When viewed against the original layout, this very much appears to show that the two stop lines were under separate control and the fact the first signal is showing a green cycle symbol means that cycle traffic could advance to the second stop line and it also means that second stop line could run green before the first which would have allowed cycles to be released before general traffic and be through the junction.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not quite a cycle gate as we know them now, because from the first sign and the use of the green cycle symbol at the first stop line, cycles were never stopped at the first signal. It is therefore more likely that this was actually an early release style arrangement which eventually ended up a standard advanced stop line which are less favoured amongst those designing high class cycling infrastructure today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whenever I have a dig into the archives it always seems so sad that we were starting to try different things back in those days. Imagine if we had actually developed these ideas to become commonplace. We've lost a generation to carrying on down the motor-traffic first route, but let's wind it forward again to my first photograph which is of the Bow Interchange in East London.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2t3bZQwh9Vd8jl_qL9ZJHmEXR-DIQsiuElg8Wu-Q7htQKhr_JKHstB_HuB2vdDSS0MofdH_F8TdkHtZj7j95Y1QavY_Ab760WoVTqg8mfU7c5QmGznDJ6SrAJOWGG4DA8OfEwnGmteobx9vWWtxgIFICesWRV_Xm-f3SP5FXzQrHI5ApoADMeyHPk3g/s1680/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A road with three traffic lanes. Two going away and one coming towards the viewer. There is a large flyover to the right." border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1680" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2t3bZQwh9Vd8jl_qL9ZJHmEXR-DIQsiuElg8Wu-Q7htQKhr_JKHstB_HuB2vdDSS0MofdH_F8TdkHtZj7j95Y1QavY_Ab760WoVTqg8mfU7c5QmGznDJ6SrAJOWGG4DA8OfEwnGmteobx9vWWtxgIFICesWRV_Xm-f3SP5FXzQrHI5ApoADMeyHPk3g/w400-h208/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Prior to the cycle gate being installed (2008 above), there was no protection for cycling and the environment was hostile to walking and wheeling too. Then came Mayor Johnson who decided that painting blue stripes on busy roads would create the conditions where people would want to cycle. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31g-UyEsLt-DHT6_kJbxjA7NPZyU_A3dlbj2rsxb11GhyFFbFaWqOk73dFyoO5W2i0IWcu0MUc_AFRhFQa7AALhY82oEzNwnGdH_IWubYFJoOId3DtG6YgOVl-o5CxWRpvGvKHUBS5Icma_qKpFU05NODHlQZTMlLTp5lRtnKWJYSNA7jHflsV4SlrQ/s1680/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view towards a slip road with the main road entering from the left. There is a blue stripe of paint across the slip road." border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1680" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31g-UyEsLt-DHT6_kJbxjA7NPZyU_A3dlbj2rsxb11GhyFFbFaWqOk73dFyoO5W2i0IWcu0MUc_AFRhFQa7AALhY82oEzNwnGdH_IWubYFJoOId3DtG6YgOVl-o5CxWRpvGvKHUBS5Icma_qKpFU05NODHlQZTMlLTp5lRtnKWJYSNA7jHflsV4SlrQ/w400-h209/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>On the other side of the junction, a large ASL was painted in along with a nearside blue stripe which crossed a slip road and accessed an island separated cycle track (above). The approach to the ASL also had a blue strip, but no actual cycle lane. On this side of the junction, <a href="https://road.cc/content/news/96460-brian-dorling-inquest-coroner-record-narrative-verdict-bow-roundabout-fatality?qt-more_news=0&_=1534464000000&page=1" target="_blank">Brian Dorling was left hooked by a truck driver and killed</a> which led to a <a href="https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/bow-roundabout-the-first-of-many-changes-coming-to-londons-junctions/" target="_blank">rapid rethink and roll-out of cycle gates</a> on both sides of the junction because the layout contributed to Dorling's death.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XLrzowjgQwXM6L7JcPg0wY9IH0OqgbpThCuhMGHHC6oSxagyALLpmCDKXlndN0_8V4tzKBSAoKiiGbr-QjJ0brnbY5R2ktTDs9kcQbdgf23i7rxd91sDTT7DfX8_kyWAZgf3gOAV2z9br91YdkaJ9rUze8pRIHHDggtx8cxkpU2uqhZM2UTDE1bHCA/s965/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A plan of a cycle gate. There is a two lane traffic approach with a stop line. A red cycle track with a stop line further right than the traffic lane with an island separating. There is then a general stop line further right." border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="965" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XLrzowjgQwXM6L7JcPg0wY9IH0OqgbpThCuhMGHHC6oSxagyALLpmCDKXlndN0_8V4tzKBSAoKiiGbr-QjJ0brnbY5R2ktTDs9kcQbdgf23i7rxd91sDTT7DfX8_kyWAZgf3gOAV2z9br91YdkaJ9rUze8pRIHHDggtx8cxkpU2uqhZM2UTDE1bHCA/w400-h318/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The cycle gate design was incorporated into the <a href="https://content.tfl.gov.uk/lcds-chapter5-junctionsandcrossings.pdf" target="_blank">London Cycling Design Standards in Chapter 5</a> and it started to appear across the Capital and now it features in devolved national guidance and can be considered as a standard treatment. Above is a schematic from Scotland's <a href="https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/50323/cycling-by-design-update-2019-final-document-15-september-2021-1.pdf" target="_blank">Cycling by Design guidance</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Transport for London commissioned TRL to undertake a review of cycle gates and <a href="https://trl.co.uk/publications/understanding-bicycle-movements-traffic-light-controlled-cycle-gates" target="_blank">the outcome was published in 2018</a>. Two sites were reviewed to see whether and how cyclists used the cycle gate, including compliance with signals at different stages and to see if general traffic was able to clear the reservoir (the area behind the second stop line). The locations were on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/mAWFfCk9Kt1bRL3DA" target="_blank">Lambeth Road</a> and <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/qtFNaBAtag1D6eRKA" target="_blank">Queen Street Place</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first doesn't take users into protected space, although the ahead movement joins a quiet street which is part of Cycleway 6 and the approach to the cycle gate has no protection. The second leads from the well protected cycle track on Southwark Bridge (actually parapet protection done cleverly) via a short section of mandatory cycle lane. It then allows users to turn left or right onto Cycleway 3 or continue ahead into a quiet street and so is essentially a fairly protected junction for cycling.</div><div><br /></div><div>Given the two different contexts, the unsurprising result was on Lambeth Road, 38.5% of cyclists used the general traffic lane, whereas on Queen Street Place, just 3% did. This is because with the latter, it forms part of a local network whereas the former is a point treatment and so some people are choosing to grab a general traffic green rather than face the "always stop" nature of cycle gates and that's worth remembering when we deploy them. And of course, yes, there were some cyclists ignoring red signals because this is what happens with motor traffic management when applied to human scale movement. The study is mentioned in passing in TfL's <a href="https://content.tfl.gov.uk/new-cycle-infrastructure-monitoring-report.pdf" target="_blank">round up of cycling innovations in 2018</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, back to the use of the technique as an interim tool. We have a fully formed urban motoring network and as I mentioned above we don't often have spare capacity to play with at the junctions unless there is a strong political decision to move it to other modes. It is hard to retrofit a cycling network to such a system because in order to give as many people the option to cycle as we can, we need a good cycling network. Unless an area gets a huge and sustained investment over time, it's not going to happen quickly and so there's the chicken and egg of building stuff that won't be busy to start with because it doesn't form a network.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is fairly easy to drop in some light protection to give space for cycling on the links (the sections of road between main junctions), even if that loses traffic space or lanes because it's usually the main junctions which create the capacity constraints anyway. Signalised junctions which have been in place for many years will often have utilities woven around them which means a complete rebuild for cycling will be carrying a legacy of utilities which can really add to the costs. We should also <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/05/most-highway-infrastructure-is-for.html" target="_blank">remember that so much of the stuff on our roads and streets is motoring infrastructure anyway</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftIENhSF8mumgYPklenbIBNr-F-vaCIHQQG7_U8gWQSW8FSsf-7_SoO8Q4-WkvkrX3OqqCk9OBMgiegRQRlYGhM5cANvUfZZb8SxRuphihtGyFntbhAEnGHntD0sXOPO7KgA8ngCWEB7g6S8j5uY7jQqzMNPHLC-WFGGiQBplx92zS3lYIqq5LEx1ng/s1679/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A plan of a two-way road. The road heading right opens into two lanes before a stop line and a pedestrian crossing just beyond." border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="1679" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftIENhSF8mumgYPklenbIBNr-F-vaCIHQQG7_U8gWQSW8FSsf-7_SoO8Q4-WkvkrX3OqqCk9OBMgiegRQRlYGhM5cANvUfZZb8SxRuphihtGyFntbhAEnGHntD0sXOPO7KgA8ngCWEB7g6S8j5uY7jQqzMNPHLC-WFGGiQBplx92zS3lYIqq5LEx1ng/w400-h135/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The good thing about cycle gates is they can usually be fitted in before a lane flares to two or more at the junction, although the immediate disadvantage is lane and destination markings are not permitted in the reservoir. The sketch above is one main road approach to a T-junction roughly based on a junction I cycle through a fair bit. the sketch below is the same basic layout but with a cycle gate added.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9yyBCP75wGoFLnREMwN0yzQJJLkJTqjRgVMBqFEbXtTdmXg9wuqftl7VAyPv2xSkO80LQqyV-4HEAfncuuYjytYCr6TCDz5MPitHd6yt9PLJFj93-jEEIc1UBsGVEQtWZs8OIyZgvdfKp_zsW3SfWQhjJFwTqb9zALnf7zNP3Zrkyy7olLy4FHJheQ/s1679/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Same as above, but road space has been changed to add red cycle lanes. The road heading right has the cycle lane become a cycle track and cycle gate." border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="1679" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9yyBCP75wGoFLnREMwN0yzQJJLkJTqjRgVMBqFEbXtTdmXg9wuqftl7VAyPv2xSkO80LQqyV-4HEAfncuuYjytYCr6TCDz5MPitHd6yt9PLJFj93-jEEIc1UBsGVEQtWZs8OIyZgvdfKp_zsW3SfWQhjJFwTqb9zALnf7zNP3Zrkyy7olLy4FHJheQ/w400-h144/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The footways are untouched and so all changes made within the existing carriageway with utilities unlikely being impacted. There will be new and adjusted traffic signals, but this is about as low cost as we can get and so should be a very attractive way to deal with signalised junctions as we build networks.<div><br /></div><div>There will be a capacity impact though. Drivers won't be able to get side by side at the first stop line as they can with the untreated junction and so it means the length used for side by side queuing of about 5 car lengths in my example will add to the queue length if usually filled. On the flip side, once drivers get a green they can turn left slightly more quickly as they would be moving by the second stop line. The two won't balance out completely and so additional green time might be needed which itself impacts capacity elsewhere. From a pedestrian point of view, crossings simply run as they did before.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a penalty to motor traffic capacity, but it is far smaller than compared with a fully protected junction and it is far cheaper to deliver. For an emerging network, some light protection and cycle gates could help roll something out more quickly and allow adjustments to be made as cycle volumes grow enough to "justify" (in mainly political terms) of a more radical intervention. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlaAF9id-FxKBAnHNq70X5tt-bT6Udv1JmEw5dv-soiURJq7QDMBMG9Jqi8kkYch-hcHAzQ01UIZiNxJEts6Bnng538vu_E7gnp9xWggP_0oPbvG_HbFeO-KyDvrxUyB2uM30N76TCmIlILe-XmsFpZdq21L35YbHQJk5lhNJu1D1taYdCJALU0mPng/s1680/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A road goes into a tunnel with traffic signals close and more beyond the tunnel." border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1680" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlaAF9id-FxKBAnHNq70X5tt-bT6Udv1JmEw5dv-soiURJq7QDMBMG9Jqi8kkYch-hcHAzQ01UIZiNxJEts6Bnng538vu_E7gnp9xWggP_0oPbvG_HbFeO-KyDvrxUyB2uM30N76TCmIlILe-XmsFpZdq21L35YbHQJk5lhNJu1D1taYdCJALU0mPng/w400-h208/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So far, I haven't seen or heard any cycle gates being used outside of London and I'd be interested to hear of any that pop up. There are quite a few which have similarities with the Newark example such as the interesting layout <a href="https://twitter.com/revchips/status/1639949987776802816?s=20" target="_blank">spotted by Revchips in Gateshead</a> (above). There are two distinct stopping points, but the first signal doesn't totally separate out cycles and other traffic so that a cyclist arriving on a green is mixing with traffic going into the tunnel, <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/AusJ8dcKWr7jP3MK9" target="_blank">although when red, there is a steady cycle signal showing green</a> to get cycles ahead. There is loads of space here to convert this to a cycle gate if needed.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's interesting to see the hints of innovation from decades ago, although as is often the case, things didn't really develop. It is good to have another tool in the box, especially one which can be added fairly easily and means rolling out a network far more quickly and cheaply than having to reconstruct everything.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-62460773005015272772023-03-19T18:30:00.001+00:002023-03-19T18:35:02.499+00:00Cycling In The UK's Motor City - The Coundon Cycleway<h2 style="text-align: left;">At the end of September last year, I headed to Coventry, the UK's motor city to have a look at a project I had been following for some time - the Coundon Cycleway.</h2><div>The story for me starts back in the Summer of 2020 when I had a chat with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2020/02/10/motor-city-of-coventry-gets-britains-first-bicycle-mayor/" target="_blank">Adam Tranter, the Bicycle Mayor for Coventry</a>, about an exciting project which was being developed in the city. I think he is <a href="https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/mayor-appoints-region-s-first-ever-cycling-and-walking-commissioner/" target="_blank">still involved with active travel in the West Midlands</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/6130/coundon_cycleway_route_and_information" target="_blank">Coundon Cycleway</a> was a plan to connect the city centre to an area north of the city, via the Coundon local centre and on a route giving direct access to several schools and community facilities with a plan to start at the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/mZ4fQNjHcgQMrBUp9" target="_blank">Hill Street Bridge</a> (over the city's ring road) and end at Norman Place Road by the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/KhRrVxfhjkDjNuBh8" target="_blank">Bablake Playing Fields</a> which would provide a safe cycling route of some 2.8km.</div><div><br /></div><div>The reason the project was exciting was both because it was in Coventry, a city with a solid reputation as being car first to the point where it <a href="https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/nine-coventry-bus-lanes-scrapped-14804057" target="_blank">scrapped bus lanes in order to deal with traffic congestion</a> and where it's often referred to Carventry on social media; and that a high quality cycleway was being developed which had the potential to be one of the best schemes in the UK.</div><div><br /></div><div>I got to look at the plans and was asked if I could provide a bit of a design review. As I am never shy about giving views on design I was happy to oblige and the project manager for the scheme, <a href="https://twitter.com/pedropete99" target="_blank">Peter Howarth</a>, very graciously responded to the feedback and incorporated quite a few suggestions. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvHtkS0mG4oAAyK_i1r8IbJaTESHkh3qBV8rKL_usEyaaIjBZaufgW70rrVJPCQbHZkc9bRDzotjbffvyZy_2tKvRA-LJTTLQYTLrB5TG9PqER5eoeQE5ikCODDbBXy9RdLfIqODwXFhMQqw8KR6Fg6dP0_8gs0Kw_lCrDZT4tFo1zWWW4Fh5bfKHeA/s4096/IMG_20210413_142919380_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close up of a 30 degree sloping kerb between a grey footway (left) and a black, unsurfaced cycleway (right)" border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvHtkS0mG4oAAyK_i1r8IbJaTESHkh3qBV8rKL_usEyaaIjBZaufgW70rrVJPCQbHZkc9bRDzotjbffvyZy_2tKvRA-LJTTLQYTLrB5TG9PqER5eoeQE5ikCODDbBXy9RdLfIqODwXFhMQqw8KR6Fg6dP0_8gs0Kw_lCrDZT4tFo1zWWW4Fh5bfKHeA/w400-h225/IMG_20210413_142919380_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The council undertook public engagement and decided to proceed with construction which was fantastic news and in April 2021, I had a quick look at work in progress on the way back from a visit to Birmingham where I saw 30 kerbs being installed between the footway and cycle track on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/DZReh8MQW2xiKoEY8" target="_blank">Hollyfast Road</a> (above) as well as the very first use of the Charcon Entrance Kerbs being laid outside another entrance to the playing fields (below).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkUCazVU82sOc2W7rLgTaDmQzWp0wu8pGku8TF2f-VJ_GkcnVCwW1exQlsfl8wqpmvxqBcRWEFw0hSpp1FHXCViL1Sv80diRBS-oabj43fvTh23iiq8RUec81O6ArUrYyq9piMqzATcHHFc4aCxi_frTvJxk6Ilc4XDtZjelAnqVcA532YWs7aPdLuw/s4096/IMG_20210413_142200955.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A long view of large kerb units which slope down towards the road to the right. In the foreground, the first kerb is a special shape to transition between a standard road kerb and the sloped kerbs." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkUCazVU82sOc2W7rLgTaDmQzWp0wu8pGku8TF2f-VJ_GkcnVCwW1exQlsfl8wqpmvxqBcRWEFw0hSpp1FHXCViL1Sv80diRBS-oabj43fvTh23iiq8RUec81O6ArUrYyq9piMqzATcHHFc4aCxi_frTvJxk6Ilc4XDtZjelAnqVcA532YWs7aPdLuw/w400-h225/IMG_20210413_142200955.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I watched the progress of the scheme on social media and was eager to get back for a look, so when my son needed to have a look around Coventry University, I was given a pass to spend a couple of hours exploring.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQf1RSKwEqQr_OZRNipMmfaHlzDlYxKZkK784CifuxT1iOj8MmFMDV3wDjOhp5FxYcp--W75H4IvWeMiW7FN6jeO0GWmw2BAN90OcxbUAvUs0mCNlny4rbJO87hKQRPT2_Xv6KVs-srdqqJsCN-vG0ovVwqwycmpg5zkWXbisFfCq4WHeU7xwhi-Krg/s4096/IMG_20220924_093254186_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A green, grey and purple hire cycle sits in front of a bowstring style steel bridge crossing a large road." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQf1RSKwEqQr_OZRNipMmfaHlzDlYxKZkK784CifuxT1iOj8MmFMDV3wDjOhp5FxYcp--W75H4IvWeMiW7FN6jeO0GWmw2BAN90OcxbUAvUs0mCNlny4rbJO87hKQRPT2_Xv6KVs-srdqqJsCN-vG0ovVwqwycmpg5zkWXbisFfCq4WHeU7xwhi-Krg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_093254186_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I had planned on using <a href="https://www.wmcyclehire.co.uk/" target="_blank">West Midlands Cycle Hire</a> and I was pleased to learn that they had some e-bikes in the fleet and so after using one in Manchester a few months earlier, I found a suitable ride and headed to the Hill Street Bridge to start my ride and I have <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1GJvnESEeGiId1cX3bo1BNCgHtMU01Sk&usp=sharing" target="_blank">created a map to show the route</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbakdOnEn3hqpvvfEx68bsW8d_gjVTvwEiGc_rF7Se4Saoq8McC7GFTQe111qoWtlnxQA7B6vuEpiQ8jzmhIvA2MiF852TTl_A_WPM1P1JWT6LUfxYnb8N9qhsdysCwdzjfBvrOQ_eTC5Zo_HHY_Xd0bEtev7ge0dPDaQ19FVvJ94UTLRvO6VyhdRDuA/s4096/IMG_20220924_095735832_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A skinny traffic island set out from the left hand kerb of a street to start a carriageway-level two-way cycle track." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbakdOnEn3hqpvvfEx68bsW8d_gjVTvwEiGc_rF7Se4Saoq8McC7GFTQe111qoWtlnxQA7B6vuEpiQ8jzmhIvA2MiF852TTl_A_WPM1P1JWT6LUfxYnb8N9qhsdysCwdzjfBvrOQ_eTC5Zo_HHY_Xd0bEtev7ge0dPDaQ19FVvJ94UTLRvO6VyhdRDuA/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_095735832_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The first 250 metres of the route is still to be completed. The first section in Upper Hill Street is a cul-de-sac and so there's a 175 metre section which is left unprotected for now. It wasn't too busy, but it will be nice to see it complete to give a real sense of protection and continuity. The infrastructure starts just before the junction of Coundon Road with Chester Street and we immediately get a feel for the treatment of the project (above).</div><div><br /></div><div>The cycle track is a two-way affair on one side of the street which <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/07/got-any-salmon-sorted.html" target="_blank">presents opportunities and challenges</a> which is always the issue for debate in setting one's design approach for a project. The the Coundon Cycleway, the two-way approach responds to a localised opportunity and at the higher level it means car parking is largely maintained along the route. While the purist in me would love to tackle car parking, there is a political reality about actually delivering a project.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0HPgaHZQFeFIL903qwihEO_FVOZ1HHv2dL73OeBWummFniJIQh09fOdzc0WYd_stEQfeTeM3JxAgqqFIO7QZBf6RPZSKwWDkSBbGjNxL3Hmdnx8T05STq5DPx_ZSM91B7dIx5I1v6fds_miXRnCojh8T9qN6g_DM44FrgRsr2Lpd41YYEtgkKTklHg/s4096/IMG_20220924_095816991_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A side road junction which has a raised area surfaced red over which a shared pavement and cycle track crosses." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0HPgaHZQFeFIL903qwihEO_FVOZ1HHv2dL73OeBWummFniJIQh09fOdzc0WYd_stEQfeTeM3JxAgqqFIO7QZBf6RPZSKwWDkSBbGjNxL3Hmdnx8T05STq5DPx_ZSM91B7dIx5I1v6fds_miXRnCojh8T9qN6g_DM44FrgRsr2Lpd41YYEtgkKTklHg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_095816991_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>At the junction with Chester Street we immediately see the consistent approach taken with side road treatments and accesses with the use of continuous treatments (above) which carry the cycle track and footway across the side street which gives visual priority to walking, wheeling and cycling and which reinforces the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/introduction" target="_blank">Highway Code hierarchy</a> which gives those moving ahead priority (Rules H2 and H3). My message to designers is that this should be your default approach, unless location conditions dictate otherwise.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjGxT9nMr7zLzP_0OC1qp9xMxWOQQ7El1Bl2jtUUS-gofXi0Rgu7Fo_60LWdiVBJI4NqQPkyBlYkDe1PBR37BDS23qsfr9x44ksXkQLsxgYOdIHYabpsR-8EtODV6ceI-c_gOoXXmNtNJhEQOYOrX4yRabYGWhU2INTgLGgA7_Z9TZcP6bKp7RwrUhw/s1262/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A side road junction which has a raised area surfaced red over which a shared pavement and cycle track crosses. A white line to split the space has been added as well as a pair of rectangular yellow areas to represent tactile paving." border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1262" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjGxT9nMr7zLzP_0OC1qp9xMxWOQQ7El1Bl2jtUUS-gofXi0Rgu7Fo_60LWdiVBJI4NqQPkyBlYkDe1PBR37BDS23qsfr9x44ksXkQLsxgYOdIHYabpsR-8EtODV6ceI-c_gOoXXmNtNJhEQOYOrX4yRabYGWhU2INTgLGgA7_Z9TZcP6bKp7RwrUhw/w400-h225/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Personally, I would have preferred the separate walking and cycling space to have been continued across the side streets and for tactile paving to be used on the pedestrian side (above) which could be a simple white line with applied tactiles (which I'll cover later). The ultimate would have been to reconstruct the footway approaching and through the side streets, but investment isn't endless and the treatment does the job fine. Drivers cross someone else's space and the use of the entrance kerbs keeps that space at the walking, wheeling and cycling level.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBi9S7Mgk6pMaD0TukJV0ie_vPvsdVhwNcBvuGlu0eqgzpOxDjadVY4CNhERsuF0Y6ZpurbqgF5ad_SvywZXUpBCELSIIg5rXh8vBpIZ7FW0FVMBQ60CiyWQr-zGEVVQY0lavOZ-AsmGNYW6TbTuSfK1gF40DWYAYIVJ0g7ML5zOuggDeZcu4EZO4gw/s4096/IMG_20220924_100449354.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Close up of a large concrete kerb that transitions between a ramped entrance kerb and a standard kerb." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBi9S7Mgk6pMaD0TukJV0ie_vPvsdVhwNcBvuGlu0eqgzpOxDjadVY4CNhERsuF0Y6ZpurbqgF5ad_SvywZXUpBCELSIIg5rXh8vBpIZ7FW0FVMBQ60CiyWQr-zGEVVQY0lavOZ-AsmGNYW6TbTuSfK1gF40DWYAYIVJ0g7ML5zOuggDeZcu4EZO4gw/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100449354.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>While we're looking at the continuous treatment, let's pause a minute and admire the kerbs which have made it easy to design and deliver. The <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-british-entrance-kerb-ready-to-ship.html" target="_blank">Dutch Entrance Kerb by Charcon</a> (part of Aggregate Industries), a unit I have been specifying at every opportunity and which is appearing all over the UK now. Coventry got there first. The photo above shows the special end units which provide a transition between a standard half-battered kerb and the sloping entrance kerbs. Simple and effective.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcZCb-JCZql7E8z3HFjxSLGJjK1WmhOnoCm5zXyzfkTJlmEciANg0Mp8X3BYYMkRboWQj0g_AuTOJoq55USj0iZXm5g9oGPoBCWAKXY7Fc-HWdJe9s_UA1RoQT_fNnUjsVukpJD4KAoPfQled7l8JgKShn6iyV3Ww2wJp4pS4lb0O3tZ4byflP_-5cg/s4096/IMG_20220924_100308093_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Another red continuous junction treatment with a grey car leaving the side street over it." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcZCb-JCZql7E8z3HFjxSLGJjK1WmhOnoCm5zXyzfkTJlmEciANg0Mp8X3BYYMkRboWQj0g_AuTOJoq55USj0iZXm5g9oGPoBCWAKXY7Fc-HWdJe9s_UA1RoQT_fNnUjsVukpJD4KAoPfQled7l8JgKShn6iyV3Ww2wJp4pS4lb0O3tZ4byflP_-5cg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100308093_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A little further north at Stanier Avenue and I spent a bit of time watching drivers cope perfectly well with the continuous treatments (above). It is almost as if the design principles for this approach which is common in the Netherlands and elsewhere on the mainland are understandable regardless of language.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAEwCABXAHggIVZXtIk5F337iKjS2A568CYZ2dRpa-xZOXpafCLaNc0DHf04dGTCEUqSy_WpEW9NZ-zzFsyV-yZISqIXsnqx4WGgf3w5wRIu9MwT6ZMeKx4F4G5cnO0n5okQL3IRlXjSQFvZW6wCZL9-75BJY2skXCMY5HRL_VhmIbya5Msr2upQXMA/s4096/IMG_20220924_100531031_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A footway with a two-way cycle track to the right slopes down into a little arched tunnel." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAEwCABXAHggIVZXtIk5F337iKjS2A568CYZ2dRpa-xZOXpafCLaNc0DHf04dGTCEUqSy_WpEW9NZ-zzFsyV-yZISqIXsnqx4WGgf3w5wRIu9MwT6ZMeKx4F4G5cnO0n5okQL3IRlXjSQFvZW6wCZL9-75BJY2skXCMY5HRL_VhmIbya5Msr2upQXMA/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100531031_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>To the north of Stanier Avenue, there is a railway level crossing which features a tunnel right next to it (above). This is where the two-way cycle track works a treat because the tunnel is now filtered and part of the cycleway. Previously, this tunnel was open to general traffic (subject to the height limit), presumably to bypass the level crossing when the barriers were down.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ixyzxSWbGvPIARBtcpxUhCsl9thERawGL95K_vnRcHYZF8-W2EcrW-w8H3i1Sw1lF0-dbnIA0p5IHxWPQJOJcFPoqwX1o7KvEfJf6hyV0-LeSTtuTZmdhRjQwddJiNrA_W2-aG3K_GwR2eeZuQJuSZ7tgarK8QASASqYLHo9-7I2f8IteXvxfHs0TQ/s4096/IMG_20220924_100550145_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The arched tunnel made from stone blocks. The surround is marked in yellow and black squares following the arch." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ixyzxSWbGvPIARBtcpxUhCsl9thERawGL95K_vnRcHYZF8-W2EcrW-w8H3i1Sw1lF0-dbnIA0p5IHxWPQJOJcFPoqwX1o7KvEfJf6hyV0-LeSTtuTZmdhRjQwddJiNrA_W2-aG3K_GwR2eeZuQJuSZ7tgarK8QASASqYLHo9-7I2f8IteXvxfHs0TQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100550145_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The tunnel itself is compact, but see-through and this is a great example of a bit of opportunism. My only grip here is there are (I assume) original stone setts which are uneven and slippery. They need changing, but that means working by a Network Rail structure and Network Rail are a headache to deal with.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpXBdrVNUPOaO42klcsbUbOmzCEAu6gZ5efOVN7cafcmvhITfQ3gzAozApVFwmeBwSopB6rcvONberU-Xtfq-NH86HATrLMCATb-0CeUBWvd0Pqfux94KiycxNLIBSfbyq4Jvg437053ZUL88a4jNUQsf1TjJ1ulW_AH4n3OB8UMl-EUZ33XVbhc2_Q/s4096/IMG_20220924_100626478_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cycle track with a footway and flats to the left and a planted buffer to the right. There is a pedestrian crossing point with yellowish tactile paving units." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpXBdrVNUPOaO42klcsbUbOmzCEAu6gZ5efOVN7cafcmvhITfQ3gzAozApVFwmeBwSopB6rcvONberU-Xtfq-NH86HATrLMCATb-0CeUBWvd0Pqfux94KiycxNLIBSfbyq4Jvg437053ZUL88a4jNUQsf1TjJ1ulW_AH4n3OB8UMl-EUZ33XVbhc2_Q/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100626478_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>North of the tunnel the street turns from Coundon Road into Barker's Butts Lane and the separation from traffic increases with a tree-lined buffer. It's worth looking more closely at the tactile paving used at the new set of dropped kerbs because it's quite unusual.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyIlfmvLm5EL7BpJHLADe7T-3oQ_eTJs21M2SgGHsKJoYMtZmpYzPnARqLfV7_UUmowUV7ETJEafjlw2i4QSYkWaSLC4WyTGHE12SdDbSTVFgzqxwEjIOTg8F9mzZ_jxAl5Lpo21nVUzKOtJ5fSqeiqNfmSFo3qwVhuDUsmaszMWgsYYPvceIqxY1PQ/s4096/IMG_20220924_100742678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close view of yellowish tactile paving blisters in a grid pattern." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyIlfmvLm5EL7BpJHLADe7T-3oQ_eTJs21M2SgGHsKJoYMtZmpYzPnARqLfV7_UUmowUV7ETJEafjlw2i4QSYkWaSLC4WyTGHE12SdDbSTVFgzqxwEjIOTg8F9mzZ_jxAl5Lpo21nVUzKOtJ5fSqeiqNfmSFo3qwVhuDUsmaszMWgsYYPvceIqxY1PQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100742678.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As I suggested earlier, we have "applied" tactile paving on the project which doesn't consist of the traditional concrete tiles, but a clever system that uses a grid of bobbles to form the blisters, over which methyl methacrylate resin surfacing is applied to get the effect above. <a href="https://www.tacgrid.co.uk/" target="_blank">Supplied and installed as Tac-Grid</a>, the system does away with the need for installing slabs. I've heard good things about the system from a few people and I'll watch with interest to see what it's longevity is like, my guess is when used at junctions, it probably stands up better to any vehicle overrun if laid on a decent surface.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuymUEawGG2X2TGhojz4wSdsCr0Mb5wZ7IVjcDZeUUEv4nuGGFO0I1Z-4O67ljiDvDCFnzavSwZEJHzAescbzW0SUY29WvyBEixtFw51XLOB6cYdlC_X047m2jhNlWQNoWWG2ctamE7zJtE8Iug6RHKl3ctyEl8vvey1A9UN5nQjk4vXrSqXNLkiaag/s4096/IMG_20220924_100719938_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A floating bus stop with a shelter. The road is left and the pavement right with the cycle track between." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuymUEawGG2X2TGhojz4wSdsCr0Mb5wZ7IVjcDZeUUEv4nuGGFO0I1Z-4O67ljiDvDCFnzavSwZEJHzAescbzW0SUY29WvyBEixtFw51XLOB6cYdlC_X047m2jhNlWQNoWWG2ctamE7zJtE8Iug6RHKl3ctyEl8vvey1A9UN5nQjk4vXrSqXNLkiaag/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100719938_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A little further on and we have the project's first floating bus stop. I thought the space here was a little tight between the shelter and the crossing point, although the bus doors would stop in line with the crossing point. The shelter with it's back to traffic means alighting passengers have a good view of the cycle track which is edged by the old kerbline. It might have been nice to have forgiving kerbs here, but again, a pragmatic decision was taken to keep costs down and just look at how much space was there waiting to be found!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3CFTvchUo_mSSxKc2i2wNPp-z6bhalDnW4IOtV0ejC7WpU7XcT4XcpvesalEY2KGasWr288x9MeAe3BfELFNTjDRQY_NuOy7FCqXZWqZrLod3XimSMS7VE_8-qz6l3Cf11wzbZz6Wx-uB5Q_YNroKZXB4V5IvXd9B6rsVMS6WnoZFo1opokZi6rqiA/s4096/IMG_20220924_100842556_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="View of a red continuous treatment from the side road." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3CFTvchUo_mSSxKc2i2wNPp-z6bhalDnW4IOtV0ejC7WpU7XcT4XcpvesalEY2KGasWr288x9MeAe3BfELFNTjDRQY_NuOy7FCqXZWqZrLod3XimSMS7VE_8-qz6l3Cf11wzbZz6Wx-uB5Q_YNroKZXB4V5IvXd9B6rsVMS6WnoZFo1opokZi6rqiA/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_100842556_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is the exit of Duckman Court onto Barker's Butts Lane. It's a cul-de-sac, but with quite a lot of of flats and plenty car parking spaces. It's another example of the continuous treatment and because the side street is 7.3 metres wide, it is locally narrowed at the junction to shorten the crossing distance and so physically slow drivers in what widened to some 20 metres at the edge of the main road.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcsW7YpbTAoUI2QhIAeKIQr-XPkxmMzCUEOPtO_WqF1UoSBYsEbBuRcM6GyI4GGegxC_W0PcK_yDmLWwIPH3TbzEXewK49_dBpCHR9884VC2UqWx-Mewf2aT7JsaZzbWI2X9W-ofgcl8FiMwNtyrXdVa4F9V4KXtDRNKh56ICbNpppQHbW8O6pgYlOg/s4096/IMG_20220924_101025547_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A little T junction in the cycle track with the stem allowing access to the road opposite." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcsW7YpbTAoUI2QhIAeKIQr-XPkxmMzCUEOPtO_WqF1UoSBYsEbBuRcM6GyI4GGegxC_W0PcK_yDmLWwIPH3TbzEXewK49_dBpCHR9884VC2UqWx-Mewf2aT7JsaZzbWI2X9W-ofgcl8FiMwNtyrXdVa4F9V4KXtDRNKh56ICbNpppQHbW8O6pgYlOg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101025547_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A little further north and we reach the edge of the Coundon local centre at the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/yAHF8Rf6SZzx1RqQ8" target="_blank">junction with Thamley Street</a> (above). One of the problems with two-way cycle tracks is they only serve half of a street's frontage. One-way cycle tracks serve both sides, but you need crossing points to allow people to U-turn if they are heading the other way. One way to make access a bit more permeable is to have gaps such as at this location which is opposite the junction.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNS6EqkB1Vth3wEcCTG5Ewh82MZ3kP1k887Icd2NAY5krn0scWZTQmiNmipt2fo8RATnloHwpVa7-pxhxbY5sFgxD68BdytvInOnAP17HyW4d-EEfpcdMix68oxH-h7i6q9_Ip4lyQSpPSG_bMfvolXMruEprw4sT__dwqDY_G4w-xo3Ag2w-p4KJEXw/s4096/IMG_20220924_101142135_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cycle track meets a signalised junction with cycle traffic lights." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNS6EqkB1Vth3wEcCTG5Ewh82MZ3kP1k887Icd2NAY5krn0scWZTQmiNmipt2fo8RATnloHwpVa7-pxhxbY5sFgxD68BdytvInOnAP17HyW4d-EEfpcdMix68oxH-h7i6q9_Ip4lyQSpPSG_bMfvolXMruEprw4sT__dwqDY_G4w-xo3Ag2w-p4KJEXw/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101142135_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>At the centre of Coundon, the route is crossed by Moseley Avenue and here we see an advantage of two-way cycle tracks because they are easier to thread through signalised junctions unless you are actually rebuilding <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/05/traffic-signal-pie-innie-vs-outie.html" target="_blank">the whole thing as a protected junction</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7LFSWdB7dcs6B9ApvZd-RNp4Ok6holXq7uHxonqEspm-J0KB1wsJdF0TqcMT1KnQeWLHTn_ZrqCYLxS4YfON89O0gR1msQC9H5YXIX0FrR86ALwoUX1vvq3dcRixh6FbCBijsYIjpGG7THtUFf-i5rEd6Z96ZxdE8h0meq5fS4b-6Y3Zfc5Km22IJA/s4096/IMG_20220924_101253549_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A floating bus stop with red tactile paving and a rather too small passenger island." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7LFSWdB7dcs6B9ApvZd-RNp4Ok6holXq7uHxonqEspm-J0KB1wsJdF0TqcMT1KnQeWLHTn_ZrqCYLxS4YfON89O0gR1msQC9H5YXIX0FrR86ALwoUX1vvq3dcRixh6FbCBijsYIjpGG7THtUFf-i5rEd6Z96ZxdE8h0meq5fS4b-6Y3Zfc5Km22IJA/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101253549_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>North of the local centre, there's another floating bus stop. I think this one is stingy on space, even though it doesn't have a shelter (the original layout didn't either. Traffic on the other side is actually forming two lanes for the Moseley Avenue junction, so that's where the space is being prioritised. The stop could go further north, but then it would be further away from the shops. It could have been south of the junction, but that would have removed car-parking and sometimes it's about what can pragmatically be built.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3Zq5nUMoSbMZbOWiJJTcYye7krBBdxYo-_Vyi0NYSs21k4ZFnkhrLKiQDQMSWUxWBxRL3Rva4y4YnPh75B-S_7dLyIhVUOmvzy-alRVHmBgUWNUZf0tLfxiM_kygnB9NS3bfDb5u3_-g0Z9UoIayKl2ybWPcdlazKHNxmTdYPwtYkZ33zHv-64ZV5A/s4096/IMG_20220924_101335432_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A mini crossroads in the cycle track with access to a side road left closed to motors and the main carriageway to the right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3Zq5nUMoSbMZbOWiJJTcYye7krBBdxYo-_Vyi0NYSs21k4ZFnkhrLKiQDQMSWUxWBxRL3Rva4y4YnPh75B-S_7dLyIhVUOmvzy-alRVHmBgUWNUZf0tLfxiM_kygnB9NS3bfDb5u3_-g0Z9UoIayKl2ybWPcdlazKHNxmTdYPwtYkZ33zHv-64ZV5A/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101335432_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A bit further on and we meet the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/K4XH5V66k7xsPzuk9" target="_blank">junction with Pake's Croft</a> and a new modal filter. The filter means that drivers cannot use side streets to bypass the traffic signals at Moseley Avenue through some very narrow streets and as well as creating a new low traffic neighbourhood, it also provides a safe cycling connection to Moseley Avenue Park. Access is provided to the side street opposite and we end up with a tiny cycle track crossroads.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4oLn1-hVpF0xFCgIZfVruMaT0mWdGSdbtJsYnG72PBr0-cLFy7iboVL-9aXdAHjLAkoQcN0RylnMioLTWtEMEmnG0yf8kqqtYL94j9BB-X358Ovh-waOoy_BWJWJz1wyyygZefZvsoDo0z9jDKzAhR3T32HJCOFCpQ30ogaS7zJebNS5JpvN1jzIVQ/s4096/IMG_20220924_101502554_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Another red continuous treatment with a large give way marking just before." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4oLn1-hVpF0xFCgIZfVruMaT0mWdGSdbtJsYnG72PBr0-cLFy7iboVL-9aXdAHjLAkoQcN0RylnMioLTWtEMEmnG0yf8kqqtYL94j9BB-X358Ovh-waOoy_BWJWJz1wyyygZefZvsoDo0z9jDKzAhR3T32HJCOFCpQ30ogaS7zJebNS5JpvN1jzIVQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101502554_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Further north still and the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/YAbkCLw4UZaiGkfW9" target="_blank">junction with Browett Road</a> has been made exit only as part of managing local traffic and keeping through traffic on Barker's Butts Lane.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzX6qksBTn-kH0mDRe3BA-FHlVg7BHGtposHL7DgHSKIDt4OvgGbWaWkA9Vs6wD3O_Ca7AQHYqbL9qUOjDycGAdGcKHwWZ5azpfcZmjfZzbw8NPThiFXAQouikYmdpplI2E_sQFchMVGtGYuo9Hv8xAVeklAiGfWG9HY5ARIHXaGRC2Kpog-5OfQ4Zg/s4096/IMG_20220924_101551000_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cycle traffic lights with the cycle track bending across the road from left to right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzX6qksBTn-kH0mDRe3BA-FHlVg7BHGtposHL7DgHSKIDt4OvgGbWaWkA9Vs6wD3O_Ca7AQHYqbL9qUOjDycGAdGcKHwWZ5azpfcZmjfZzbw8NPThiFXAQouikYmdpplI2E_sQFchMVGtGYuo9Hv8xAVeklAiGfWG9HY5ARIHXaGRC2Kpog-5OfQ4Zg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101551000_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>A touch further up and the cycle track crosses from the west side to the east side of Barker's Butts Lane the photograph above shows the signals changing to stop traffic as I approach. The Audi is illegally parked on the buildout, but here you can see car parking has been retained on both sides. I would have liked to have seen a parallel pedestrian crossing here which seems to have been a missed opportunity. It would be fairly simple to add one in.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFTFjtk8RW37BKBXpei2EXhRHZZ-a5nyByHHdO_ElzH0zIIAsh9S70t5UC0Dj_rpySEwXyBkj55YKK5omRxjOa7SuZNAek0HoQ_D_wLMjePLMsQYqVP771XBvmd10VgsNGb87ZFQgEgM8kDy9j3v1zKhaNIjH_ynF5WlOyTYXatEtbWZE8ymDxR6DGQ/s4096/IMG_20220924_101613060.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A steep hill. The two-way cycle track is on the fright hand side of the street with car parking left and a footway with houses beyond to the right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFTFjtk8RW37BKBXpei2EXhRHZZ-a5nyByHHdO_ElzH0zIIAsh9S70t5UC0Dj_rpySEwXyBkj55YKK5omRxjOa7SuZNAek0HoQ_D_wLMjePLMsQYqVP771XBvmd10VgsNGb87ZFQgEgM8kDy9j3v1zKhaNIjH_ynF5WlOyTYXatEtbWZE8ymDxR6DGQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101613060.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As the cycle track continued, Barker's Butts Lane gets much steeper (above) and I was very glad to be on an e-bike which was a great combination with the car parking protected space - those using acoustic cycles are going to be wobbling a little bit to get up here!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJWcAGZF4rc3W0FGzMi9p6yUzmpuqrR1pzHQEliEIGSe4KHDjIBhtMzVNsE7TdfJIwXFOXsGDxn-a4fln-S0JNIWpMtAsSvywB8Az1M-8F4V2qr4EQ_mlsYuE5YcPNAiYvSBX3b1NGYe1Qubp6EkCCvR6OvyWB2ZUNWNQjFo_YOeP07tvspntB7LDEw/s4096/IMG_20220924_101911991.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cycle track continues up the hill with a gap to the left to access the opposite side road. There are large trees between the cycle track and pavement." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJWcAGZF4rc3W0FGzMi9p6yUzmpuqrR1pzHQEliEIGSe4KHDjIBhtMzVNsE7TdfJIwXFOXsGDxn-a4fln-S0JNIWpMtAsSvywB8Az1M-8F4V2qr4EQ_mlsYuE5YcPNAiYvSBX3b1NGYe1Qubp6EkCCvR6OvyWB2ZUNWNQjFo_YOeP07tvspntB7LDEw/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_101911991.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The hill goes on for a while and there are the now familiar gaps to access site streets opposite as we proceed just as here at Laburnum Avenue.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5KTw5MMPDoxhzGfVstYz7a0PPNCBV6k1s2VCvlrLNez_FVlzXdhduhiFmNPbRS87HHQ3kJnhFzEvlo6vObAWJyWK4I-XwV5BgZUjzw0jic5YMdaSyMnhrpFw0cvONaPSadYKP9EWdUok0LNR3JKFlpQoL93d9_E38QMzS62y1KnWQ2nrAyJpiWcfqg/s4096/IMG_20220924_102017136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A parallel zebra with a cyclist crossing the cycle side on the left. There are shops beyond." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5KTw5MMPDoxhzGfVstYz7a0PPNCBV6k1s2VCvlrLNez_FVlzXdhduhiFmNPbRS87HHQ3kJnhFzEvlo6vObAWJyWK4I-XwV5BgZUjzw0jic5YMdaSyMnhrpFw0cvONaPSadYKP9EWdUok0LNR3JKFlpQoL93d9_E38QMzS62y1KnWQ2nrAyJpiWcfqg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_102017136.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The cycle track then arrives at a roundabout <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/zLogUJmZjisfXiWR6" target="_blank">junction with Scots Lane where Barker's Butts Lane gives way to Westhill Road</a>. The cycle track crosses the Scots Lane arm on a parallel zebra crossing (above), although sometimes drivers were not that attentive and being a linear route, there isn't really cycling connectivity to the other arms.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI0o4t8m1VStn3Zyq69Ioj66UnhWc6j3_r8aaq7--rbBBDF-W_uQYoHRprvdeGAi026dmiqmdQGBELk-pASrl9I2YzJEmQDpOjkdYxY44kXFEzC_cC4CAax1pSKZmBXwsXwxwq0BqKkiXXBHhFWjUj0gsqpEupqsrV0IGIqcc_5aORFfrMYOe54VH8g/s4096/IMG_20220924_104037683_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A floating bus stop with a glass shelter. People are getting on a white bus with a blue cab, including a woman with a buggy." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI0o4t8m1VStn3Zyq69Ioj66UnhWc6j3_r8aaq7--rbBBDF-W_uQYoHRprvdeGAi026dmiqmdQGBELk-pASrl9I2YzJEmQDpOjkdYxY44kXFEzC_cC4CAax1pSKZmBXwsXwxwq0BqKkiXXBHhFWjUj0gsqpEupqsrV0IGIqcc_5aORFfrMYOe54VH8g/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_104037683_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Just north of the roundabout, there's another floating bus stop with a signalised pedestrian crossing just beyond to create a little local centre interchange for the shops around the roundabout (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-G8fnFD1EQsqA98Qsqaj-y_P3A0aokWNnxUWiGXKaJw3t0lHqptPHRC5S0n5C2uTgR0qZJnqPp9-JcgW6AG9DWPyYM_Cnpa0Dluh9yT0-XeRreJIlUK_Cjk8kslejLpPffgZrIcSY2uvuZGk9QA3ydz-kCZs6lLGD_sHhtXdLKR5N1fHvBV5ZhB6xww/s4096/IMG_20220924_104319048_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Same stop. A pair of children scoot past." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-G8fnFD1EQsqA98Qsqaj-y_P3A0aokWNnxUWiGXKaJw3t0lHqptPHRC5S0n5C2uTgR0qZJnqPp9-JcgW6AG9DWPyYM_Cnpa0Dluh9yT0-XeRreJIlUK_Cjk8kslejLpPffgZrIcSY2uvuZGk9QA3ydz-kCZs6lLGD_sHhtXdLKR5N1fHvBV5ZhB6xww/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_104319048_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As I watched the ebb and flow of people at the bus stop, a couple of children passed me going uphill on their scooters in perfect safety. This is the enabling power of protected cycling space (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnwoVlo2YVPLpdVgjOs2yiGOO6mMo53StzCGUU7FRbUhDCMlWcEPP2uh74Hdj8UXWem6xqFrOWX84weyYH4GzFsjXlSC_MzH6YDSpS_dHbVYiRxkB73Y1JpeLfY51MJkUo6jNZwbRz8WAengFX702K1KQX9-YBMpr99kAxPRRfaMTZk_fx99anDetnQ/s4096/IMG_20220924_102220154_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two way cycle track with a cycle dock to the right with two cycles and empty spaces." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnwoVlo2YVPLpdVgjOs2yiGOO6mMo53StzCGUU7FRbUhDCMlWcEPP2uh74Hdj8UXWem6xqFrOWX84weyYH4GzFsjXlSC_MzH6YDSpS_dHbVYiRxkB73Y1JpeLfY51MJkUo6jNZwbRz8WAengFX702K1KQX9-YBMpr99kAxPRRfaMTZk_fx99anDetnQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_102220154_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Just beyond the bus stop, there's a West Midlands Cycle Hire dock outside the Catholic church and school which are more community destinations served by the cycle track and a useful place to pick up or drop off a hire cycle (above).<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR9ppKXnRciNvkw-c-vjLrurvX5u9aeII34nD6gVmtseNEJXWPRNcozFID8BAjZG-WneOEDr8p_VnmsVF-_b8-WVV7H6Rx1F7-NXDMhBHNLzQqDGDMEhtj-POO83BS1FxeLtlJIkLOYhkJwQeUR-ZgRv3Z2anrxtDIRW3a0YUXLo04vN30hlMmBN0nA/s4096/IMG_20220924_102245759_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red continuous treatment over a vehicle access." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheR9ppKXnRciNvkw-c-vjLrurvX5u9aeII34nD6gVmtseNEJXWPRNcozFID8BAjZG-WneOEDr8p_VnmsVF-_b8-WVV7H6Rx1F7-NXDMhBHNLzQqDGDMEhtj-POO83BS1FxeLtlJIkLOYhkJwQeUR-ZgRv3Z2anrxtDIRW3a0YUXLo04vN30hlMmBN0nA/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_102245759_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The access to the car park to the complex uses a continuous treatment for consistency (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIs2jy4ZDZsEtGgagfBIq_AFEQAANPyELr58_vHNOfQgty8Lm_Xxgc6ggBbjgIjg-jq5YcMyxvnkPNFdS0qq5kbfQ3OFcl5crEt7NjyqvDz2s4KTjT2U2QM_m9aIa2Y4plxRTYGKR60rWWNzXoKXVBbb15IWhkddbtLcFgj-m6L6FadSjrLufEk5BQQ/s4096/IMG_20220924_102359093_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two way cycle track on the right side of a street with houses far left. The track is protected by a recently planted hedge. There is a grey footeay to the right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIs2jy4ZDZsEtGgagfBIq_AFEQAANPyELr58_vHNOfQgty8Lm_Xxgc6ggBbjgIjg-jq5YcMyxvnkPNFdS0qq5kbfQ3OFcl5crEt7NjyqvDz2s4KTjT2U2QM_m9aIa2Y4plxRTYGKR60rWWNzXoKXVBbb15IWhkddbtLcFgj-m6L6FadSjrLufEk5BQQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_102359093_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Westhill Road becomes Hollyfast Road and as the route serves and passes the Bablake Playing Fields, I got to see the finished version of what I saw being built in April 2001 (above) which is a really nice to use with a hedgerow protected cycle track (good for catching road spray when wet). Like the rest of the project, the surface was machine-laid smooth and great to ride. The 30° kerb and light grey footway really sets it off as a UK exemplar.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwjFChR0oZgptvz8rpW-puRtRXwS8PzhVDUZebAxICdRmyC5O_iQkdlENyKv3X3Voz-BfG_nQys-gFkWgbS2Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>Now the cycle track had it's final surface, I got to test out the kerb by riding up and down it (video clip above). This is why I constantly go on about "<a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/04/kerb-your-enthusiasm-forgiveness.html" target="_blank">forgiving</a>" infrastructure because here the slope meant I wasn't going to get thrown off and the 50mm height meant I wasn't going to catch a pedal. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitl0FqyoACJBuPxxNSfG7cXugv_2Z5hxgG5ec989Mixh4e6J0npkx8WYmGgcaWy3ziW7hnvr0dw-CTdaKlqtRSAB5iCtXs2Zb1qkGBX0CupPrS6dwJEA3dWvyjj8K2uPs3AddzqFBgwi0FYaqhpnq1T0chc9VDb1SciNnqQPFzvbVR7m8lNo9sW30DQ/s2991/IMG_20220924_102948434_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Close up of the 30 degree kerb." border="0" data-original-height="1683" data-original-width="2991" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitl0FqyoACJBuPxxNSfG7cXugv_2Z5hxgG5ec989Mixh4e6J0npkx8WYmGgcaWy3ziW7hnvr0dw-CTdaKlqtRSAB5iCtXs2Zb1qkGBX0CupPrS6dwJEA3dWvyjj8K2uPs3AddzqFBgwi0FYaqhpnq1T0chc9VDb1SciNnqQPFzvbVR7m8lNo9sW30DQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_102948434_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The kerb (above) is also going to be detectable to those needing the help and it allows mobility scooter users and others who cannot dismount their cycles to join and leave the cycle track where they want and not where the designer allows them. Perfection.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRVwJTohsaNtiBlUtVOrcUtHO4YiuoRVWxNOnzMjMHBKSs6-AKhTOCr_gusXRmOc2XHhB9BSsnuJl8d_t9Hq-P9pr95Uoe4ZbJ9k1QPXm1o4nfZeDEnBiRVYeiHRf_Qd6qYo7WPT0RCoZdsG-7JSa4Jf0L1pBkfRxXzIb01kB1YaMMuGZ9v0qHJA_Vg/s4096/IMG_20220924_103020299_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A parallel zebra crossing over the main road with the cycle track and then pavement to the right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRVwJTohsaNtiBlUtVOrcUtHO4YiuoRVWxNOnzMjMHBKSs6-AKhTOCr_gusXRmOc2XHhB9BSsnuJl8d_t9Hq-P9pr95Uoe4ZbJ9k1QPXm1o4nfZeDEnBiRVYeiHRf_Qd6qYo7WPT0RCoZdsG-7JSa4Jf0L1pBkfRxXzIb01kB1YaMMuGZ9v0qHJA_Vg/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_103020299_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>At the junction with <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/9awwXZEVJQoMBEYq9" target="_blank">Norman Place</a> (above), the cycle track bends from north to east into Norman Place itself, but a niftily laid out parallel zebra crossing allows people cycling to cross the road to continue north where they are safely reintegrated with traffic (I can't vouch for how much traffic). There is also way to access the cycle track to head south.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXf8Ln_82Ma87S6zIWIX6LBo0XZIEubIsB0fVj9JtPdCbc6zie3_DaYH66Fetiwxb2hFum3CS_ogFiYGInSXAtQYV2qdzRuCcrDAfmXPc-Clx7ZMo8Kms36z-ZXzTBlSyQQD_mPrMfNHbt3agNbFMsWios5n_AeV33ZAzwQ3pTxVDsOwhH73LUmshUA/s4096/IMG_20220924_102738702_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A pavement to the left, then the cycle track and a floating bus stop." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXf8Ln_82Ma87S6zIWIX6LBo0XZIEubIsB0fVj9JtPdCbc6zie3_DaYH66Fetiwxb2hFum3CS_ogFiYGInSXAtQYV2qdzRuCcrDAfmXPc-Clx7ZMo8Kms36z-ZXzTBlSyQQD_mPrMfNHbt3agNbFMsWios5n_AeV33ZAzwQ3pTxVDsOwhH73LUmshUA/w400-h225/IMG_20220924_102738702_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The route ends just after another floating bus stop which serves the playing fields (above) and where I had to turn around to head back to the city. And do you know what? When I got back to the Hill Street Bridge, I rode the project again because it is that good.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have picked up on a few compromises in this write up and one other thing I would have liked to have seen would be a some mid-block gaps in the protection to allow people to cross from the other side to access the cycle track to maximise customer access. But this really is one of my favourite projects and it is both locally useful as well as useful for accessing the city centre. I'll leave you with my second ride because I filmed it!</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ubBVmoU94UA" width="320" youtube-src-id="ubBVmoU94UA"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-89813052568567327132023-02-04T15:31:00.002+00:002023-02-05T09:09:55.741+00:00Bad Faith<h2 style="text-align: left;">There are lots of bad faith arguments around providing for active travel, reducing air pollution and frankly, any initiative which seeks to challenge the car-brained status quo.</h2><div>It is very easy to find those arguing in bad faith and in London, the expansion of the <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone" target="_blank">ULEZ</a> to the edge of the capital is one such project attracting no end of criticism, misinformation and frankly, hate. Now I have a vested interest in ULEZ being an Outer Londoner living where the local council has done little to deal with air pollution and giving people travel choices, so I'm quite enthusiastic at the promise of some cleaner air. </div><div><br /></div><div>On social media, my local neighbourhood groups are awash with comments from people who haven't read anything about the ULEZ because at the basic level, they don't like Sadiq Khan (yes there is often bigotry in there). Of course in some cases, the idea of charging them more for their lifestyle is pressing on some nerves because it's probably the first time they have had to confront the harm they are causing others, even in a small way.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it's more dangerous than that. Aside from the <a href="https://twitter.com/RantyHighwayman/status/1619762551641849858?s=20&t=sH_DDiJo9G1vV_jhR7OjFQ" target="_blank">rent-a-mob who turn up to oppose anything</a> that threatens the status quo, there are darker things going round on social media. For example someone posted this on a local community page that I subscribe to;</div><div><br /></div><div><div><i>Research c40 cities… this isn’t a conspiracy theory it’s conspiracy fact. </i><i>Sadiq Khan is working for international unelected, unaccountable technocrats. Our rights and freedoms have been sold-out.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>WEF, puppet Sadiq Khan, chair of the subgroup C40 cities with his puppet master Klaus Schwab, the unelected, unaccountable technocrat, steering the world. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>They have infiltrated the British media, hence why it’s biased. </i><i>Snap out of it people, we are being herded by technocrats who’ve bought-out our so called democratic representatives. </i></div><div><i>Time is crucial…</i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I subscribed to the group to find out when the baker is back from holiday and suchlike, not to have cranks shove this nonsense down my throat. I robustly called the poster out for peddling conspiracies only to be told how that I was trying to distract people from information and this is what the Nazis did in the 1930s. Me posting a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law" target="_blank">link to Godwin's Law</a> didn't exactly go down well.</div><div><br /></div><div>This poster also has a lot to say about vaccines, The Great Reset, the fact that The Authorities are coming for your energy inefficient homes next, plenty of Islamophobia and anti-semitism, and of course climate change denial - literally from a few minutes of scrolling. You'll never reason with a person like that and so it wasn't long before I wandered off. Perhaps this is an extreme example, but getting back to the ULEZ expansion it's not exactly helped by the discourse of some politicians in London in the way they attack the Mayor and while that's the rough and tumble of politics, you also see the cranks riffing off what they say because it supports their own tin-hatted position and there is never condemnation from the politicians as it serves their position.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the bad faith arguments around ULEZ, I recently advanced a hypothesis that the boroughs opposing it would be the ones who had a poor track record on delivering change on the streets they control for walking, cycling and buses. I took the <a href="https://www.healthystreetsscorecard.london/" target="_blank">Healthy Streets Scorecard</a> scores and borough rankings and came up with this table;</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAAmKYmvGESXiRYHDi-T-xUEDLDTYuSa9ktMoDonP436Hpgf0ETElj0cuHfgx0UWExbhQYsw0FBQYCzPyZmVS0pmw5y2RLu_KgfHs9efmYtukZvbnc5K5ZP2MJPw93brmwi-Css5m7l7TyzG3Ob6yaqreTIzsVycD1VlpWvYqsssS-48hj6P6K8Q-_Q/s591/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A table with the data: Borough HS Score Ranking (/33) CO2 Road Emissions Change 2016 to 2019 Richmond (delay) 4.71 15 -20% to -15% Kingston (delay) 3.29 22 -15% to -10% Croydon 3.21 23 0% to +5% Harrow 2.28 26 0% to +5% Bromley 2.20 27 0% to +5% Sutton (delay) 1.91 28 -5% to 0% Havering 1.77 29 +5% to +10% Bexley 1.74 30 +5% to +10% Barking & Dagenham (delay) 1.71 32 -5% to 0% Hillingdon 1.28 33 -5% to 0%" border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="591" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAAmKYmvGESXiRYHDi-T-xUEDLDTYuSa9ktMoDonP436Hpgf0ETElj0cuHfgx0UWExbhQYsw0FBQYCzPyZmVS0pmw5y2RLu_KgfHs9efmYtukZvbnc5K5ZP2MJPw93brmwi-Css5m7l7TyzG3Ob6yaqreTIzsVycD1VlpWvYqsssS-48hj6P6K8Q-_Q/w400-h185/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I added a CO2 column as an air pollution emissions proxy with data from <a href="https://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-15.pdf" target="_blank">Figure 18 of the Travel in London Report 15</a>. I have included links to each borough's position at the end of this post.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the outright objectors, 5 are Conservative and Havering (my borough) was also Conservative until May last year when the Residents Group took control, although they have an identical position as the Tories did. Overall and with the notable exception of Richmond wanting to delay, the rest of the objectors and delayers have a poor record of delivering local alternatives and in a few cases, these are boroughs who are also doing poorly on general transport emissions. It's actually hypocritical.</div><div><br /></div><div>For me, their performative pearl-clutching around the poor of their boroughs needing cars is particularly unpalatable, especially as <a href="https://www.centreforlondon.org/blog/car-ownership-census/#:~:text=69%20per%20cent%20of%20households,per%20cent%20in%20inner%20London.&text=Even%20across%20outer%20London%2C%20there,least%20one%20car%20or%20van" target="_blank">31% of households in Outer London don't have access to cars</a>. It's also interesting to view these positions against the new <a href="https://twitter.com/ianwalker/status/1615248156186247169" target="_blank">research by Dr Ian Walker and his colleagues around "motonormativity"</a> where even non-drivers give driving a free pass because it is what everyone is used to - the status quo. This will also explain to some extent maybe why the conspiracy theorists feel so threatened with a challenge to how they see the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>This brings me round to another subject which is always guaranteed to get the views polarised and that's floating bus stops. I realise that like a conspiracy theorist, I am shifting subjects a bit here, but I think to a greater or lesser extent, some of the same issues are at play. <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/10/floating-bus-stops.html">I wrote about floating bus stops in 2021</a> and if anything, in the last year or so my stance on them has hardened. This is mainly because there are groups out there who flat object to them and refuse to engage constructively on the subject and who won't offer any alternatives save to say people cycling should be back in the road with motor traffic.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am not going to rerun the arguments of my 2021 post, but I can't call out ordinary folks for having this position because they do not have enough knowledge and they don't come from a position of authority. However, professionals and organised groups do have the knowledge and authority (to varying degrees) and so by refusing to properly engage or give their alternatives I say they act in bad faith. At worst, they will eventually be ignored and this potentially harms the people they say they represent and advocate for.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can also bring the conversation round to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and the disingenuousness of the professionals and groups objecting to them. <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/08/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-injecting.html" target="_blank">I railed against this in 2020</a> and again, my position has hardened against those who who seek to delay or water down schemes, or suggest there is some otherwise unachieved ways of reducing motor traffic on our streets. I am not even talking about the "onesie*" groups and assorted internet cranks (many of who have similar views to the person as the start of this post). No, I am talking about properly constituted or organised groups and professional campaigners and politicians who are acting in very bad faith using people's concerns and worries to advance their own positions and campaigns.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, anyone could lay similar charges at my feet for my view of the world or the view that I'd like to see and that is entirely fair to a certain extent. However, what I continually object to is people who simply will not admit that they want the status quo because it suits their lifestyle. I'd have respect for that because it's honest, although that does then open a conversation around why they need an off road truck to take the kids to school when a hatchback would do the same job.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think this is really the nub of where we get to. People are used to living their lives in a certain way and change frightens them and <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-cycle-of-acceptance.html" target="_blank">maybe they are experiencing loss</a>. Someone not used to crossing a cycle track to a bus stop all of a sudden has that to cope with. Someone used to cutting through side streets in their car now has to stick to the main roads, and a tradesperson with a well-running but older diesel van is facing having to replace it or having to pay more operational costs.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think it is fine for people to be anxious or upset because they are humans after all. In some cases, they have experienced trauma which has formed part of who they are now. What counts is how professionals, politicians, organisations and groups react to this because anyone who does know better engaging in bad faith arguments don't deserve to be listened to. Even if they think they are helping, they are just helping to maintain the status quo and we can't afford to indulge them any longer.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Onesie - a term for the local groups who popped up on social media to protest at traffic management being used to get through traffic out of side streets and called themselves "One <insert your town>" because they wanted to drive everywhere, but who are now largely marginal cranks.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>ULEZ Expansion - borough positions</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://www.richmond.gov.uk/media/26004/response_to_ulez_expansion.pdf">https://www.richmond.gov.uk/media/26004/response_to_ulez_expansion.pdf</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.kingston.gov.uk/news/article/362/leader-calls-on-mayor-to-delay-expansion-of-ulez-and-invest-more-in-public-transport">https://www.kingston.gov.uk/news/article/362/leader-calls-on-mayor-to-delay-expansion-of-ulez-and-invest-more-in-public-transport</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://news.croydon.gov.uk/croydon-opposes-extension-of-ulez-to-outer-london-boroughs/">https://news.croydon.gov.uk/croydon-opposes-extension-of-ulez-to-outer-london-boroughs/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.harrow.gov.uk/news/article/11185/our-latest-statement-on-the-mayor-of-london-s-ulez-expansion">https://www.harrow.gov.uk/news/article/11185/our-latest-statement-on-the-mayor-of-london-s-ulez-expansion</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/download/443/bromley-council-s-response-to-tfls-ultra-low-emission-zone-ulez-consultation">https://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/download/443/bromley-council-s-response-to-tfls-ultra-low-emission-zone-ulez-consultation</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.sutton.gov.uk/-/sutton-calls-on-mayor-to-delay-rollout-of-ulez-scheme">https://www.sutton.gov.uk/-/sutton-calls-on-mayor-to-delay-rollout-of-ulez-scheme</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.havering.gov.uk/news/article/1134/ulez_extension_council_responds_to_consultation">https://www.havering.gov.uk/news/article/1134/ulez_extension_council_responds_to_consultation</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.bexley.gov.uk/your-say-on-plans-to-extend-ulez/response-ulez-consultation">https://www.bexley.gov.uk/your-say-on-plans-to-extend-ulez/response-ulez-consultation</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://twitter.com/CllrDRodwell/status/1618595421202583552?s=20&t=mif8dHKuoCTWibCVe-OyTQ">https://twitter.com/CllrDRodwell/status/1618595421202583552?s=20&t=mif8dHKuoCTWibCVe-OyTQ</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/council-response">https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/council-response</a></div></div><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-35312884022740064212022-12-31T11:08:00.000+00:002022-12-31T11:08:26.080+00:00I've seen things you people wouldn't believe: Redux Part 3 - Dutch Hills<h2 style="text-align: left;">As 2022 draws to a close, I thought I'd round off the year with a final visit to the Netherlands in the third and final part of a short series. This time, I'm going in search of some Dutch hills.</h2><div>Large parts of the Netherlands is pretty flat in terms of landform, although the east of the country would take issue with this. Anyone who has cycled there (especially nearer the coast) will also be able to attest to the wind which is often called the Dutch hill, but I'm on the hunt for infrastructure and my travels in the Rotterdam area didn't disappoint.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH51vB_Jbl4vmLSYWnWt9VbIZbpwvNAtDc24vTCe9G7mA81dZEuplHfc_Jep3Lys-dt2yZL5CZzwg-9LRKCq_Yfe1QTHHUfoqJ2tLu-807JPVGP7AEzsmbRP_L0BVRuGJQqwGl5R1TPifbewr3Y9FWpy9L2ZYLxcGX_bmlJptUahjRGVixgADGOz9cTw/s4096/IMG_20221027_130217197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A large lattice work arched bridge with very long concrete and steel approaches carrying a wide motorway. Viewed from the ground." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH51vB_Jbl4vmLSYWnWt9VbIZbpwvNAtDc24vTCe9G7mA81dZEuplHfc_Jep3Lys-dt2yZL5CZzwg-9LRKCq_Yfe1QTHHUfoqJ2tLu-807JPVGP7AEzsmbRP_L0BVRuGJQqwGl5R1TPifbewr3Y9FWpy9L2ZYLxcGX_bmlJptUahjRGVixgADGOz9cTw/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_130217197.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>You might recall that I mentioned the Van Brienenoordbrug bridge in the <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/10/ive-seen-things-you-people-wouldnt.html" target="_blank">first post of this series</a> and it's worth another mention given how high it rises above the Nieuwe Mass river. The photograph above was taken from the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/X5sAQ9Af963Dj3fP8" target="_blank">northeast side</a> and shows just how long and high the approach viaduct is. I shot a little bit of video to show the steepness as I struggled up on my three-speed bicycle in the wind.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSe-hQIf-9zQskKeiIq3mNtrAjmH7Vo_r8I4Ga_1SCWKf8AAsdgyC5FDjT06jadJgYFYWUO8REb3DF2IWtKg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>This is a theme for the Netherlands. For its apparent flatness, there are plenty of man-made and natural barriers which need to be crossed. From a cycling (and walking) point of view, the most comfortable solutions don't require a change in level, but where levels are more fixed, such as crossing railways, then localised hills (and dips) will need to be created.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPIrdA8_wT7dMD0fVQ3KzwSldZfJJ-h74twuLHmnTMfY3m3ylzUCzbcGjdqWvW5Me13aQA_N_IB70H4yW4UeuO3-IamXGZHbsuLCRQEeWCqDUZpk1P_va-bkyAO9pX1M69z4t-vtfQDb1vF9Gse7VAIMFVt6MDegZvJj71tHsCJ5DJIFKx96cy9h-Xw/s4096/IMG_20221026_100024995_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A white train with red doors passes over a bridge. To the left there is a road going under the railway and to the right, there is a cycle track and pavement, but they don't drop as far down as the road. There is a red car on the road." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPIrdA8_wT7dMD0fVQ3KzwSldZfJJ-h74twuLHmnTMfY3m3ylzUCzbcGjdqWvW5Me13aQA_N_IB70H4yW4UeuO3-IamXGZHbsuLCRQEeWCqDUZpk1P_va-bkyAO9pX1M69z4t-vtfQDb1vF9Gse7VAIMFVt6MDegZvJj71tHsCJ5DJIFKx96cy9h-Xw/w400-h225/IMG_20221026_100024995_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is a <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/LPbWDSY1TjPTJ7WG7" target="_blank">road-rail crossing on the edge of Maassluis</a>, to the west of Rotterdam. The underpass connects to a residential extension to the town and was under construction in 2010. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEJdY8XbLq1DwEg14q_txqtApw4c4lTENuospbEWDY7o1aiCgBAEie5zAsZSSfE_kaagOqFky22myafnUKkmTqQ3ff5qNQrm_5zD56N5ABUSFVfBQG3aufVIeR4h6bwxRBNIrM2pzWWvYa11pnc2geo2IYTKMM0ZfZ85H_8Q65HlANQLgINKnFqjjtQ/s4096/IMG_20221026_100053628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A cycle track going under a railway with a road to the left lower down." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEJdY8XbLq1DwEg14q_txqtApw4c4lTENuospbEWDY7o1aiCgBAEie5zAsZSSfE_kaagOqFky22myafnUKkmTqQ3ff5qNQrm_5zD56N5ABUSFVfBQG3aufVIeR4h6bwxRBNIrM2pzWWvYa11pnc2geo2IYTKMM0ZfZ85H_8Q65HlANQLgINKnFqjjtQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221026_100053628.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is a closer view of the underpass where you can see the road is dipped much more severely than the cycle track and footway simply because the latter require far less headroom. All being equal with levels more generally, the underpass approach means far shorter ramps and a smaller change in level for those travelling under their own steam than a bridge where all modes have to clear the obstacle in the same way.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVCtDNRM3kcv8IZGvI9g9owggfxalmNFjq0OzP1L40qFJTbPfkJsjWiAfLHxrYVWVu7-cYvzsBTuMF1G7tomgS0crLWAlvPI1mbiHRj8fAxJEg31L9QHClOxfc-z0UvbC7osJwDnpO4sHQ_AqBXJhWONSI8oHN8VdJs_wYMw37yF2fNdztCg8D20yQw/s4096/IMG_20221027_133824462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A cycle track enters an underpass with brick clad wingwalls sitting in grassy open space." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVCtDNRM3kcv8IZGvI9g9owggfxalmNFjq0OzP1L40qFJTbPfkJsjWiAfLHxrYVWVu7-cYvzsBTuMF1G7tomgS0crLWAlvPI1mbiHRj8fAxJEg31L9QHClOxfc-z0UvbC7osJwDnpO4sHQ_AqBXJhWONSI8oHN8VdJs_wYMw37yF2fNdztCg8D20yQw/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_133824462.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Sometimes the levels can be a little tricky to work out, but <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/WPjE8s2xBDsPEu9j9" target="_blank">the underpass above and the cycle track running through it</a> is pretty much at the original ground level. It is the tangle of roads of the Rotterdam-Feijenoord junction which are raised with the motors doing the work. What little slope there is in this little piece of the cycling network is very gentle and easy to use.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMs_E21aNFga3tU6VhLWBlTXLEIlLtFu8t2aEjwEQBBHoJ826WUU0MurzSQLm0UQT9CziwC5wzll2x_xR5h5IZ2e4w0b8Ev0weRs3YeDw5NY14KmhnuP8RVphOYqr5U_GAz6lsfly2vNnfL5epAvkcuiztWt3bOPIYpVPR7w-034lxyvGOZYIPDtaLA/s4096/IMG_20221026_112403268_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A square, squat station like building with "Benelux Zuid" written in large white letters along the roof line." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMs_E21aNFga3tU6VhLWBlTXLEIlLtFu8t2aEjwEQBBHoJ826WUU0MurzSQLm0UQT9CziwC5wzll2x_xR5h5IZ2e4w0b8Ev0weRs3YeDw5NY14KmhnuP8RVphOYqr5U_GAz6lsfly2vNnfL5epAvkcuiztWt3bOPIYpVPR7w-034lxyvGOZYIPDtaLA/w400-h225/IMG_20221026_112403268_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Sometimes, though, the change in level is so great and space is so tight that a bit of mechanical help is needed. The Benelux Cycle Tunnel (above), <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Qg7TUFDjtnTVpU5TA" target="_blank">runs next to the A4 motorway</a> and was <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/benelux-cycling-tunnel-rotterdam/" target="_blank">built in 2002 as part of a transport upgrade</a> which also saw a metro line added.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrPcD8mJiCRcgXReQlcmRdiVLaS-vlhRs6gJmSjkHHfzqEBLfjg3B5WFIdLFS9qHmZoSYW1VWi6QJRgoPk-mPX8Ezq7JaOiyGF04Nlmhp7jxWsQ_Ew9_TBvRm9DEEAHkaSbAb4JiAhXI1kRAFVVrL3zmJhFNB_hApM9B4UGoGxD-A6DbbynF2absHGw/s4096/IMG_20221026_112303086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An escalator looking down into a tunnel entrance which has a red cycle track leading away." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrPcD8mJiCRcgXReQlcmRdiVLaS-vlhRs6gJmSjkHHfzqEBLfjg3B5WFIdLFS9qHmZoSYW1VWi6QJRgoPk-mPX8Ezq7JaOiyGF04Nlmhp7jxWsQ_Ew9_TBvRm9DEEAHkaSbAb4JiAhXI1kRAFVVrL3zmJhFNB_hApM9B4UGoGxD-A6DbbynF2absHGw/w400-h225/IMG_20221026_112303086.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The tunnel is under the Nieuwe Mass river and has very prominent station-like entrances which give direct access to the employment and residential districts on both sides of the river. Rather than having very long ramps, the tunnel has lifts and escalators (above) for access under the entrances which take you down to the tunnel. As it heads towards the centre of the river, there is a long slope down, but inevitably, this turns into a long slope up which still takes a bit of effort (below).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeMtwQRn_rxu9l4kEQsQB-W2cvXO-doPfP6EwVOJMZqDmA_UOLUi4GC2rLFlmel5HZP-wdi2bO05oQVWgo_b4SbYMFZxHfKENYFm1evKdC8xYx1-GREGrPghQiWAI-ojVZS2oanPSRCBfcR5xPzH66_MwmT-Ks6Kw4QS6R0DtBntxrzvajKg_acoX6w/s4096/IMG_20221026_113132862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two way red cycle track in a tunnel clad with white tiles." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeMtwQRn_rxu9l4kEQsQB-W2cvXO-doPfP6EwVOJMZqDmA_UOLUi4GC2rLFlmel5HZP-wdi2bO05oQVWgo_b4SbYMFZxHfKENYFm1evKdC8xYx1-GREGrPghQiWAI-ojVZS2oanPSRCBfcR5xPzH66_MwmT-Ks6Kw4QS6R0DtBntxrzvajKg_acoX6w/w400-h225/IMG_20221026_113132862.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Without the lifts and escalators, the ramps would be incredibly long and for those wanting to access the land on both sides of the river, they would then have to cycle back on themselves for some distance. The mechanical help was very much appreciated!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdkHD1DTXGMV-i_DdKKTxKL1dAp7twG2HyFunHuTXUe5jQjgLaF1J6j4IHu5tNKzJsE2a0HVEBDwuFNCJxDPYtMAlZSA6uU5ZDl1GT2ESR6Fbf9KH3TN7NciwwScIrDb0rKQUhhGCuaJrb7Xl2NF4o59xWDLCtGxgNJFaaAm8tGtzSa1pB-xJC2RbvA/s4096/IMG_20221027_150754953_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A cable stayed bridge with a single high pylon carrying cables down to the deck. A cityscape sits behind." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdkHD1DTXGMV-i_DdKKTxKL1dAp7twG2HyFunHuTXUe5jQjgLaF1J6j4IHu5tNKzJsE2a0HVEBDwuFNCJxDPYtMAlZSA6uU5ZDl1GT2ESR6Fbf9KH3TN7NciwwScIrDb0rKQUhhGCuaJrb7Xl2NF4o59xWDLCtGxgNJFaaAm8tGtzSa1pB-xJC2RbvA/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_150754953_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>There is a long running and very boring trope we get in the UK that the Dutch cycle because it's flat. It is obviously nonsense. The real reason that the Dutch cycle is that there has been a continual plan of work to provide a cycling network which operates independently of the motoring network. Where the two meet, interactions are carefully managed or they simply share the same alignment such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erasmusbrug" target="_blank">Erasmusbrug in Rotterdam</a> (above and below) which was completed in 1996 and creates another hill over the Nieuwe Maas. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Uvr4rdMMg91v-kZcRA_y-PRHyn9b6X9c4D8gESEBEM7izcNHs0Pr6hqtCCwEMFYVYOFZ3bH4KOMWQsCiXNVT_v6YzLuO8JjyJdbmoudNPZHMv0zFx9kre91jayumgnHa-VUf-iW9M0QwyTGNjAu8ufB6T5VT0ntspD8cY4wQw2whXnBwQ4Xyl-nThA/s4096/IMG_20221027_151134478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The view on a bridge with a tramway, road, cycle track and pavement." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Uvr4rdMMg91v-kZcRA_y-PRHyn9b6X9c4D8gESEBEM7izcNHs0Pr6hqtCCwEMFYVYOFZ3bH4KOMWQsCiXNVT_v6YzLuO8JjyJdbmoudNPZHMv0zFx9kre91jayumgnHa-VUf-iW9M0QwyTGNjAu8ufB6T5VT0ntspD8cY4wQw2whXnBwQ4Xyl-nThA/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_151134478.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Well that's it for 2022 and my little Dutch series. This blog will be back in 2023 where I am looking forward to looking at more infrastructure, more places and testing a few more ideas and concepts. Happy New Year to you all.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTeFDsoe4exd6_ench14rNnfx_83xY-z8il1NNAJzArutt-vDHO7V8vU1uokbfDoqSDHQIqIHzh5AVkBb2_CqDdHHedTtHYQ7dnM_fhNv2xmPXzr0P221-VOnp06LDAAVcTIu8WMho_vd_ke1qSzSe1Zb3D-wu9zL8t33zkpCcqPiMhHhWOzmDdXkMQ/s4096/IMG_20221026_083620880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A big black bike with red panniers in front of a blue and white directional fingerpost." border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTeFDsoe4exd6_ench14rNnfx_83xY-z8il1NNAJzArutt-vDHO7V8vU1uokbfDoqSDHQIqIHzh5AVkBb2_CqDdHHedTtHYQ7dnM_fhNv2xmPXzr0P221-VOnp06LDAAVcTIu8WMho_vd_ke1qSzSe1Zb3D-wu9zL8t33zkpCcqPiMhHhWOzmDdXkMQ/w225-h400/IMG_20221026_083620880.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-27776605433280559772022-11-26T13:48:00.004+00:002022-11-27T07:52:48.073+00:00I've seen things you people wouldn't believe: Redux Part 2 - The Woonerf<h2 style="text-align: left;">In my last post, <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/10/ive-seen-things-you-people-wouldnt.html" target="_blank">I had a look at how the Dutch use modal filtering at the macro scale</a> to provide for cycling and this week, I zoom right in on one neighbourhood in particular where filtering is the bedrock of community-friendly streets.</h2><div>Although my blog posts are a little more sporadic these days, this one is very special because it was ten years ago that my first post posed the question "<a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post.html" target="_blank">What do we really want</a>?" It's a still a question the UK grapples with, but I know what <i>I </i>want and it's <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/fRNT9eUZGSpWF1ud9" target="_blank">places like the Westerstraat woonerf in Delft</a> through which I was able to walk on my recent trip. I've read that this was the first example of the concept in the country, but I've yet to find an official source; it's at least early vintage though!</div><div><br /></div><div>Westerstraat sits in the wider <a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerkwartier_(Delft)" target="_blank">Westerkwartier neighbourhood</a> to the southwest of the city and was built in the late 19th century as an expansion to Delft with the rest of the area springing up into the early 20th century. The streets are very narrow and over the years, they have had to face motorisation and modernisation.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the issues for the area was a lack of open space given the density of the buildings and the layout and so the community space for many residents was the streets themselves. The problem was that by the 1980s, private cars were dominating the space and through traffic was removing the important community function.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It's slightly tricky to pin down exactly when things changed, but it seemed that in the late 1970s/ early 1980s, through traffic was being removed from the wider neighbourhood <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2016/12/filtered-permeability-vs-necessary.html" target="_blank">using modal filters</a> consisting of a mix of one-way loops for general traffic and closures to general traffic. As you might expect, this allows two-way access for cycling throughout and full permeability for walking and cycling. I'll get onto the details later, but this actually one of the first <i>woonerven</i> (plural) developed in the Netherlands. A <i>woonerf</i> (singular) translates as "living street" or "living yard".</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYKXZBbYF5H-nAIljfRMts4VCpCKOBmRzboFuZiNSxCv3bA4nvjmYLh_8EdhfzBheFfzDBbUInIYHZ6BcnAkpiqCdzHTVZGZtmodpNU7LTNGezRI7oXyWU7-T5oQ0saoOAfwzffCsGUf14DO3xC5IK3To78G6uaKKWQRthiVh7wP0-mMgfFGSRbjvzQ/s4096/IMG_20221028_132320838_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYKXZBbYF5H-nAIljfRMts4VCpCKOBmRzboFuZiNSxCv3bA4nvjmYLh_8EdhfzBheFfzDBbUInIYHZ6BcnAkpiqCdzHTVZGZtmodpNU7LTNGezRI7oXyWU7-T5oQ0saoOAfwzffCsGUf14DO3xC5IK3To78G6uaKKWQRthiVh7wP0-mMgfFGSRbjvzQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132320838_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is the northeastern end of Westerstraat <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ENzY79go1rjPSWNY9" target="_blank">where it meets Coenderstraat</a>, a connector road which itself is actually modern because for many years it was also a narrow street fronted by the elevated railway which cut through the western side of Delft.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are some really interesting features at this junction. The main road has one narrow traffic lane in each direction (just out of shot) with a central verge which keeps driver speeds down, but as it is providing a connector function, cycling is separated onto a two-way cycle track skirting the residential side of the street. Westerstraat here is one-way for general traffic going into the neighbourhood (but two-way for cycling) and it's the start of a controlled parking zone (more on that later). you can also see <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2017/09/ive-seen-things-you-people-wouldnt_23.html" target="_blank"><i>inritbanden </i>the sloping concrete kerb units</a> designed to help reinforce the change in street use to drivers.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiY7I7FC5d3M5TDGXblq84gb7HVPWlCbzjeV9nhCQalzcY0K7vmF4WGJNheqfAx_wZPUUls6CGCrHW0QoTeawBjYGZMW4n1YD9q1DPuplnevn4WHYjud9VGccXR8H3ujs01t9UMV2Sl61gwxi2aSK2U7BnGI-3aGfxP8v28KZts7dsmxp42idJE5fffA/s4096/IMG_20221028_132336003_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiY7I7FC5d3M5TDGXblq84gb7HVPWlCbzjeV9nhCQalzcY0K7vmF4WGJNheqfAx_wZPUUls6CGCrHW0QoTeawBjYGZMW4n1YD9q1DPuplnevn4WHYjud9VGccXR8H3ujs01t9UMV2Sl61gwxi2aSK2U7BnGI-3aGfxP8v28KZts7dsmxp42idJE5fffA/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132336003_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is the view just entering Westerstraat where you can see the one-way sign (with two-way for cycles and small mopeds) plus a blue sign.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6oL08HjjO9E4m1lzEl98J4BpMw2_Zw1-Uri1hY4zNRoLCP42XTkOE1NLdDwODNEpJ-mFtme2oMqDAsCs_HHnDXWQWesnVnOeIIOHZGMW2AtTJLPPJxz7Q86cQgzxbzjvi_BhyyxtJCYtHjY5B6yvum43R9ONqAI_rJfLswwO59OPviYNCtzqwAuSig/s877/IMG_20221028_133152408_HDR%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="877" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6oL08HjjO9E4m1lzEl98J4BpMw2_Zw1-Uri1hY4zNRoLCP42XTkOE1NLdDwODNEpJ-mFtme2oMqDAsCs_HHnDXWQWesnVnOeIIOHZGMW2AtTJLPPJxz7Q86cQgzxbzjvi_BhyyxtJCYtHjY5B6yvum43R9ONqAI_rJfLswwO59OPviYNCtzqwAuSig/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_133152408_HDR%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is from a different entry point, but it marks the start of a woonerf and is covered by <a href="https://www.rijschooldenk.nl/uk_road-traffic-signs-and-regulations-in-the-netherlands-rijschoolDenK.pdf" target="_blank">Dutch traffic laws</a> and it means that pedestrians have priority over the full width of the street, drivers must proceed at walking pace. The design of the sign reinforces that this primarily a place for people and their homes. <a href="https://www.ciht.org.uk/media/8060/home_zone_residential_areas.pdf" target="_blank">In the UK, we have "home zones"</a>, except we don't have that many as the idea didn't get off the ground.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/38/section/268" target="_blank">UK Home Zones can be established under S268 of the Transport Act 2000</a> and include "use orders" which essentially can be used to replicate the Dutch approach. I think they never came into fashion mainly because early schemes were retrofitted and were quite expensive. Of course, a Dutch retrofit is also an expensive undertaking, but my perception is they care way more about it than the UK and residential public realm is seen as important.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDsc4NgUG6hz7Hy8qZZefjRj3RpxyXXnpgpL_yzFrU6uS4-vKXs88kBHs1qbFLc4lRVOltbKu1tH5L4o1DeW_S79boxQqU2fSwWQJKw9-X9IK6w7a289eKGS3EpV1luf7Vhf59n-s207gxJOhSFAV7ff7J32xqE-PQFo7Z5s2QhKusxK2StLo6rACvQ/s4096/IMG_20221028_132438913_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDsc4NgUG6hz7Hy8qZZefjRj3RpxyXXnpgpL_yzFrU6uS4-vKXs88kBHs1qbFLc4lRVOltbKu1tH5L4o1DeW_S79boxQqU2fSwWQJKw9-X9IK6w7a289eKGS3EpV1luf7Vhf59n-s207gxJOhSFAV7ff7J32xqE-PQFo7Z5s2QhKusxK2StLo6rACvQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132438913_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/3XsGavi7HEoLaZYV8" target="_blank">the junction with Hovenierstraat</a> which had just been reconstructed when I visited because one could still see the fine sand used between the block paving to "lock" the surface in place. When you look at Streetview, the old paving didn't exactly look shabby, but one of the key differences is that car parking has been removed.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlOVZ7X39YSpKp-D6DJju2pwuQhXkL4fXMPtZ9Vui8Rzv09gvBOQRVZByFNvXutKki9cqUcjKmPZZ54JPBfsdtFIaQe-VOSa7FWRfrbaq06zf525NLCmY7l4-0bnVDqtMdlyYNg4nIfSrtGSCQhNYOdQ4ReVrbHuvBHCoAVzIMjr7A0E3cuST1i_x3A/s4096/IMG_20221028_132454260_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlOVZ7X39YSpKp-D6DJju2pwuQhXkL4fXMPtZ9Vui8Rzv09gvBOQRVZByFNvXutKki9cqUcjKmPZZ54JPBfsdtFIaQe-VOSa7FWRfrbaq06zf525NLCmY7l4-0bnVDqtMdlyYNg4nIfSrtGSCQhNYOdQ4ReVrbHuvBHCoAVzIMjr7A0E3cuST1i_x3A/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132454260_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is a different view of the junction and it shows that although the area is a woonerf covered by the entry signs, it is actually the design which encourages people to walk and cycle where they wish and it is drivers who are the guests. </div><div><br /></div><div>This does mean that the street is being shared, but it is more like a pedestrianised shopping area with occasional access and without removing through traffic, it simply couldn't work. What you can also see is space has been given to cycle parking to try and control it's positioning in planned blocks and a chance has been taken to squeeze in a street tree. You can also just see in the grey and white blocks a ramp leading to the junction to further require slower driving.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKGtoApTcwrkIE97FzzGSSsqSgAmqlKZQQeeCNYVOIEXGZ_G3U_qkcwP2BKkN3Ovx-9mjbTZ5HAJeYyY-Cyn5ghXU_De6d2ziglVp5_b9Z1RZXK5Tz44N2QCuIaCE2t2KFmNRLOVXohi9yURLQ9rfI_W9gMQPXyr6HqAB631_NsLa7CL73Qpl5qRyZw/s4096/IMG_20221028_132533012_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKGtoApTcwrkIE97FzzGSSsqSgAmqlKZQQeeCNYVOIEXGZ_G3U_qkcwP2BKkN3Ovx-9mjbTZ5HAJeYyY-Cyn5ghXU_De6d2ziglVp5_b9Z1RZXK5Tz44N2QCuIaCE2t2KFmNRLOVXohi9yURLQ9rfI_W9gMQPXyr6HqAB631_NsLa7CL73Qpl5qRyZw/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132533012_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/kNrwmQ5i42UU4wqK8" target="_blank">junction with Tuinstraat</a> and the layout is a little different because there are footways here. I am not quite sure why this is the case but just beyond the building on the right there is a little playground and a refuse collection facility (with underground bins) where a little bit of loitering space may be desirable. I filmed this junction so you can get an idea of how it feels to stand in the middle of it.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyXUgy-pHTWCdr2IZ2mz-F9BUDS8p_Aj3_sdFsvLUp-q3KbFnjLHqjfxGa0S_a5w3JwUz3_Z7H5jwYoYpBHxQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>The photograph below is the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/hSeENfqf2E511vcn8" target="_blank">junction with Handboogstraat</a> to the left which itself is a no through road for driving, but fine for walking and cycling.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTOrqRRqHycK9IZP1FvPB3lovxTsAScZJA-smAidS8NjCmSlD1aoq3k0O6mGaquwlYubA0NL7okkVOMpZDNGEQwhaDFMG04FjGm3NhSgWxJWWfWoXSw5ewnI0c5_Vmk_akEBKS6S-76UbJeWU1FMQblzNhTyWzA1R393KUMeGwqziTbMNJ6YfmscMtA/s4096/IMG_20221028_132726366_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTOrqRRqHycK9IZP1FvPB3lovxTsAScZJA-smAidS8NjCmSlD1aoq3k0O6mGaquwlYubA0NL7okkVOMpZDNGEQwhaDFMG04FjGm3NhSgWxJWWfWoXSw5ewnI0c5_Vmk_akEBKS6S-76UbJeWU1FMQblzNhTyWzA1R393KUMeGwqziTbMNJ6YfmscMtA/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132726366_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The interesting thing here is that again there has been a rebuild and car parking has been removed in favour of planting in the street and an adjustment in the horizontal geometry. The previous layout had a very narrow and virtually unusable footway to the right with a car parking bay in front. From a driver's point of view, the space ahead was a straight line. The rebuild now requires drivers to actually steer.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXT-HNLrenxR5ST-DVsY9s3fdH52tn8vG-F9Ead_EemWBlffDJsd0rbhXE_U-zizu2mwGb87r-U033Gi8TEzXwyyv5rryf7XViV-ds0B0-7ph2rdikEN44KkwEamtzrT0QLxKZhei0xgCQgr3V1_tMDk6tUCIesw34dn4x6p5U2Nt6aU0qteX-f347HA/s4096/IMG_20221028_132811289_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXT-HNLrenxR5ST-DVsY9s3fdH52tn8vG-F9Ead_EemWBlffDJsd0rbhXE_U-zizu2mwGb87r-U033Gi8TEzXwyyv5rryf7XViV-ds0B0-7ph2rdikEN44KkwEamtzrT0QLxKZhei0xgCQgr3V1_tMDk6tUCIesw34dn4x6p5U2Nt6aU0qteX-f347HA/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132811289_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Turning north from Westerstraat, the photograph above shows <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/DBBpW9cxcS5VE1mm9" target="_blank">Graswinckelstraat at its junction with Plateelstraat</a> which has also been recently reconstructed. Here, the footway on the left is new and replaces what was a fairly open junction.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpnAWJiBR6X3N7KnrXBoB5aIgAANT9XDCom__XbUIR0uAhd2gBPYBMDYJNUMlGPVq7JhioES88bQ8VHoywhOQKE_s3FDYFBiXnZaYl6rcDqKvNITh9FIUaiEptL2AqEN7LZt5Mt_07LJPiCPIfs9bZ-BF3XvCvGT-ZMJ0yRWX6qDW6p8NriAdZ41wZA/s4096/IMG_20221028_132823575_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpnAWJiBR6X3N7KnrXBoB5aIgAANT9XDCom__XbUIR0uAhd2gBPYBMDYJNUMlGPVq7JhioES88bQ8VHoywhOQKE_s3FDYFBiXnZaYl6rcDqKvNITh9FIUaiEptL2AqEN7LZt5Mt_07LJPiCPIfs9bZ-BF3XvCvGT-ZMJ0yRWX6qDW6p8NriAdZ41wZA/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_132823575_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is Plateelstraat itself and perhaps the new footway on Graswinckelstraat provides both another speed reducing feature and a bit more dedicated walking space to transition to the side street.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaauQ77UrYz4ncdoGXJWXa4NM3tAw4S_41KJAP8K2yUWPs1RlvLkIw0d-DMsGeqK8SSkSANHv5kRrrBWTVaKoOY93HKk9FCYDG2tqw-W45Ve_4mQUb4t7x3geb6GIIC4Q0r8JpWbaO0Yk3j5f-zpdkHx53Zdcw2_3n9evRP6P5KL3eya2k4QZYbjY6Q/s4096/IMG_20221028_133015597_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaauQ77UrYz4ncdoGXJWXa4NM3tAw4S_41KJAP8K2yUWPs1RlvLkIw0d-DMsGeqK8SSkSANHv5kRrrBWTVaKoOY93HKk9FCYDG2tqw-W45Ve_4mQUb4t7x3geb6GIIC4Q0r8JpWbaO0Yk3j5f-zpdkHx53Zdcw2_3n9evRP6P5KL3eya2k4QZYbjY6Q/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_133015597_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>At the northwestern end of Graswinckelstraat, we meet Buitenwatersloot and it's from here, the photograph above looks back into Graswinckelstraat, but we are now outside the woonerf. The buildings either side are a fabric shop and a butchers and in fact there is a little cluster of local shops here.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVCtxFVyW7k0XhKR3iFtvDiqVXp1INOTI5dnyXsuS4pRciG5UZkaSxVvVlMss7YG8Igx-AAIuXJ2OOmR6nBZrULy_XDI6uPcNTwg5oFdocra4XuvfaiuuPetL1lZMoI4jI01YqxpKxvgL1g6Y2y03peMjRaty8Rb3m32bFw46hxxjdu2TjMgJkl4HNg/s4096/IMG_20221028_133233610_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVCtxFVyW7k0XhKR3iFtvDiqVXp1INOTI5dnyXsuS4pRciG5UZkaSxVvVlMss7YG8Igx-AAIuXJ2OOmR6nBZrULy_XDI6uPcNTwg5oFdocra4XuvfaiuuPetL1lZMoI4jI01YqxpKxvgL1g6Y2y03peMjRaty8Rb3m32bFw46hxxjdu2TjMgJkl4HNg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_133233610_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Buitenwatersloot is an interesting street in its own right. There's a canal running down the middle of the street. On the southeastern side, there is one-way motor traffic access and two-way cycling. In fact this street is part of a cycle route which eventually take you to the Hook of Holland. The photograph above is taken <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/69qj9TFDUVGMkckQ8" target="_blank">from a bridge over the canal</a> looking back at the junction with Van Bleyswijckstraat which connects back to Westerstraat. The bridge is S-shaped with long ramps on each side of the canal and so is accessible to all.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1f4j4zvCPpZIgkFG-rbL7_XUvthXiT9zNUW1PE86X6z3TYwKv1s9ageHXRKvKdv5K3O2yFa1cVedQn_kc1f5G6M_27lTRJGjTxAT8ykBiGn5nX_I3fzGG6TI7zZqqlJkg3C2Z-hoRZhDXPLZUXbdvZU4L8dE5nkLfDtdhMqZ3FioYEMIAKZ-W6ta4A/s4096/IMG_20221029_090816470.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1f4j4zvCPpZIgkFG-rbL7_XUvthXiT9zNUW1PE86X6z3TYwKv1s9ageHXRKvKdv5K3O2yFa1cVedQn_kc1f5G6M_27lTRJGjTxAT8ykBiGn5nX_I3fzGG6TI7zZqqlJkg3C2Z-hoRZhDXPLZUXbdvZU4L8dE5nkLfDtdhMqZ3FioYEMIAKZ-W6ta4A/w400-h225/IMG_20221029_090816470.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>If one continues southeast on Buitenwatersloot a little further, there is no route through for general traffic (above). It turns out that Westerkwartier is actually a low traffic neighbourhood in its own right with several woonerven within. In Dutch design guidance, the woonerf is a sub-cell of a low traffic neighbourhood (give or take).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Cr0p-h922J89LIxI6W18cUbOSQpb_EaoWlgZJbHYm8xQpTIMTcZ6d9bvvNWtcMIEy2YfEEpuzx6bRpD8Za5-j8OwoZcwyskAD-JMonGU384gvc6Ot6B06M-HgFku1d4roJ7HyID1vu_VElEoQLw25BPZQNIwlB2j76-cyHI3iO1hRCgHH5Q9zA02tA/s4096/IMG_20221028_133316495.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Cr0p-h922J89LIxI6W18cUbOSQpb_EaoWlgZJbHYm8xQpTIMTcZ6d9bvvNWtcMIEy2YfEEpuzx6bRpD8Za5-j8OwoZcwyskAD-JMonGU384gvc6Ot6B06M-HgFku1d4roJ7HyID1vu_VElEoQLw25BPZQNIwlB2j76-cyHI3iO1hRCgHH5Q9zA02tA/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_133316495.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>On the northwest side of the canal, the street is pedestrianised and strictly speaking, not for cycling (but people do). The shop on the left in the photograph above is a bakery which serves the local area - this place is already an <a href="https://www.15minutecity.com/" target="_blank">15-minute city</a>!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYB5kOsnyrSag0_UMstw4rwww9z80Ou3u6D0_RjwyedFNoURwDeRxSd-WLbPzy8ukbhlzSaZER7ifps4VyJhHBe1QARESfM5lCcp7EdnSARMvi6_fpCAqhjd3C6xG4HoV1G2qpSlYl4Y7KCWjYKtD4HphKRiBSsDBznQfPmsf2F453PA61Bko6S7BjQ/s2969/IMG_20221127_073155148.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1865" data-original-width="2969" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYB5kOsnyrSag0_UMstw4rwww9z80Ou3u6D0_RjwyedFNoURwDeRxSd-WLbPzy8ukbhlzSaZER7ifps4VyJhHBe1QARESfM5lCcp7EdnSARMvi6_fpCAqhjd3C6xG4HoV1G2qpSlYl4Y7KCWjYKtD4HphKRiBSsDBznQfPmsf2F453PA61Bko6S7BjQ/w400-h251/IMG_20221127_073155148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>There is design guidance on the design of woonerven in "<a href="https://crowplatform.com/product/asvv-recommendations-for-traffic-provisions-in-built-up-areas/" target="_blank">Recommendations for traffic provisions in built up areas</a>" which is sort of like the general Dutch road and street design manual. It has been around since the 1990s and in some parts feels a bit long in the tooth, but it is an interesting reference guide and it can certainly help us unpick the design elements of a woonerf. Above is an example where car parking is used to create a chicane (but of course this could be anything other than car parking) and below is an example of where the centreline can be shifted at a crossroads. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsOyghGBUsc2kXC3A0OTDImhcSgH7kLlbpH7_fuICHO-H6z6V9m4cK2eGizsHJvwdp36Esl9Umo_RdP2z28eRWMrWBtobzWFUuyG4ngjgVgE3j17Q5N1-MiuFr-0odVTqyr97GEyT0BMqoezX4uMPvYTkxV_PZYQujv03ozSdYkQNc7Ar7SzuBhdxtw/s3240/IMG_20221127_073218174.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="3240" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsOyghGBUsc2kXC3A0OTDImhcSgH7kLlbpH7_fuICHO-H6z6V9m4cK2eGizsHJvwdp36Esl9Umo_RdP2z28eRWMrWBtobzWFUuyG4ngjgVgE3j17Q5N1-MiuFr-0odVTqyr97GEyT0BMqoezX4uMPvYTkxV_PZYQujv03ozSdYkQNc7Ar7SzuBhdxtw/w400-h254/IMG_20221127_073218174.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The guidance also talks about the motor traffic flow needed to be under 100 vehicles an hour which is roughly the threshold below which people start to take control of the street on foot and crucially, there's guidance on the maximum size a woonerf should be which reinforces the idea that it's a subcell of an LTN. If you want to learn more about the details, I recommend the short (free) course from <a href="https://urbanmobilitycourses.eu/product/creating-livable-streets-exploring-the-woonerf/" target="_blank">Urban Mobility Academy "Designing a Livable Neighbourhood: The Woonerf Concept"</a> which takes about half a day if you undertake the exercises. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the start of this post, I mentioned that Coenderstraat used to be a narrow street facing an elevated railway. Until 2015 this was the case, but the <a href="https://thecityateyelevel.com/stories/spoorzone-delft-a-new-space-in-a-historic-city-centre/" target="_blank">Spoorzone (railway zone) project buried the railway</a> as it went through Delft. The project released land on the surface for redevelopment including a new station which is easily accessible to Westerkwartier and helps reconnect this part of the city to the whole.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other interesting thing is around car parking in the area. There was a backlash from residents when <a href="https://www.bjornd.nl/en/districts/westerkwartier" target="_blank">permit parking was proposed in 2001</a> and a residents' association was formed. Then as part of the railway zone scheme, lots of car parking was removed which prompted residents' groups to commission the <a href="https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:8c9407fc-092a-4a8f-8785-ffde9c8975d0/datastream/OBJ/download" target="_blank">Delft Technical University to undertake a study</a>. This was generally a short lived problem as new underground parking was built.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been interested in wresting places back from the utter dominance of the car for a decade and my walk around Westerkwartier and in particular Westerstraat has well and truly cemented that interest. While the streets here are narrow, interesting, beautiful, quiet and community-facing, their operation are underlain by simple traffic management techniques. None of this is technical. It is all political.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-34438835136338927382022-10-30T14:54:00.003+00:002022-10-30T14:55:49.527+00:00I've seen things you people wouldn't believe: Redux Part 1 - All the filters<h2 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2017/11/ive-seen-things-you-people-wouldnt_18.html" target="_blank">My last trip to the Netherlands was in the Summer of 2017</a> and because of both Brexit and Covid, I've not been able to visit since. It was therefore fantastic to be able to visit again over the last few days and explore another corner.</h2><div>My visit was with my son which fulfilled a promise to take him on a Dutch cycling tour, and being car-free, we took out bikes on Greater Anglia to catch the Harwich to the Hook of Holland ferry. From the mainland, our trip would then be on two wheels covering 130km to Rotterdam, Delft and back with a few diversions along the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was a little anxious about the trip after not being on my bike for nearly three weeks after having Covid myself and whilst it has been tiring, the cycling for transport environment is (mainly) great and so I didn't have expend a whole load of energy dealing with drivers and noisy environments (two issues which are almost ignored in the UK).</div><div><br /></div><div>In the first of a mini-series, I'll have a look at modal filtering on a macro basis which is where you'll discover that the technique is critical to the country's success. Let's start with the obvious - urban areas. Now Rotterdam and Delft couldn't be any more different. Rotterdam is a sprawling and modern city which embraced the car after the <a href="https://wederopbouwrotterdam.nl/en/articles/post-war-reconstruction" target="_blank">Second World War as part of reconstruction</a>, an approach which was probably seen as a bit of a failure by the 1970s and so the city has been trying to reinvent itself, especially in terms of how transport it dealt with every since.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdJa-BMHEuhiXAp10ELAQWipUS4Glni-f1ZmGgCFj4xlQhJ_Ht80uPoe86qFIMB4TvF0BpnHxveoRc1SwnL63DhuuSASlFomouiY5brlorwORXkETGdNuctVZ281JtXud0OEwRaDz66SnxlVM55KKwfiQpRgm2gV13H9judrWzeMfXBK-fAPAJSw-LA/s4096/IMG_20221027_173043451_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A wide street flanked by shops with flats above, footways and cycle tracks on both sides." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdJa-BMHEuhiXAp10ELAQWipUS4Glni-f1ZmGgCFj4xlQhJ_Ht80uPoe86qFIMB4TvF0BpnHxveoRc1SwnL63DhuuSASlFomouiY5brlorwORXkETGdNuctVZ281JtXud0OEwRaDz66SnxlVM55KKwfiQpRgm2gV13H9judrWzeMfXBK-fAPAJSw-LA/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_173043451_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Rotterdam is very much a motor city with wide streets carrying multilane carriageways with large junctions. <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/aRYxd4i8o3gX9ftF7" target="_blank">Above is Westblaak</a>, the street we stayed on which is a dual carriageway complete with a large traffic underpass at its eastern end. It's a busy street at rush hour and it cuts a swathe through the fringe of the city core making access between the Cool District and the area to the south somewhat awkward for walking and cycling. However, once you get off the main roads, you'll start to see that traffic management measures have been deployed to keep through traffic out. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-uIadFbOlzyrufT4UqpEa_704XVjrQ0Crt2XObYNhNyrpKuXtOKywG4cRjpVi_QUyVNJNxZzatMGrUR5FIBfev0FdVtEJHubzAk7ovotLmUBzpY5rgbEKvM2P-KMh17eLNvFjaJ843D2P0z5bL-ekrbXxD2Pp7PBJsmAeRydq1DlctL7VRbXMRaBXQ/s4096/IMG_20221028_084941513.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two way cycle track between two lines of trees with a wide footway to the right and a plaza to the left." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-uIadFbOlzyrufT4UqpEa_704XVjrQ0Crt2XObYNhNyrpKuXtOKywG4cRjpVi_QUyVNJNxZzatMGrUR5FIBfev0FdVtEJHubzAk7ovotLmUBzpY5rgbEKvM2P-KMh17eLNvFjaJ843D2P0z5bL-ekrbXxD2Pp7PBJsmAeRydq1DlctL7VRbXMRaBXQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_084941513.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/8DZ4pxTek2PrHAzB6" target="_blank">Karel Doormanstraat</a> connects to Westblaak and runs north. What starts as a 2-way street for general traffic quickly becomes one-way (two-way for cycling of course) and it is only really of use for accessing car parks and for deliveries. The street is then pedestrianised with a two-way cycle track providing clear space for cycling (above) - for those who would say this would be terrible for business, I'd say that the packed restaurants say otherwise. To the east of this area there is a pedestrianised shopping centre as well as quiet (and filtered) residential streets.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtmD_aBZz_A1Oov4GP0hx3RzpVSmHts4JZCJajxA28q6nBWzC50zUUathktJvUDrW9HNkzGkXesSvtscT32VTM-o26si_SxQJReEcdKPYIck_1McDpKMoe1Gfnzfae7nXac6cuiqA-c3TuAOqOS6ENG2iaMk7DmrZEctAsrnRJAVyeODrLlkT9NG8Bw/s4096/IMG_20221027_090151292.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two way cycle track between tall buildings which has signs allowed limited motor vehicle access." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtmD_aBZz_A1Oov4GP0hx3RzpVSmHts4JZCJajxA28q6nBWzC50zUUathktJvUDrW9HNkzGkXesSvtscT32VTM-o26si_SxQJReEcdKPYIck_1McDpKMoe1Gfnzfae7nXac6cuiqA-c3TuAOqOS6ENG2iaMk7DmrZEctAsrnRJAVyeODrLlkT9NG8Bw/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_090151292.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Running west from Karel Doormanstraat, <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/C2TNQp8vuSkQ9xAx9" target="_blank">Mauritsplaats</a> provides local access to a car park, shops and residents and the street becomes another cycle track providing a filter to <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/a7QFeuUe7gwo5Xj39" target="_blank">Mauritsweg / Westersingel</a>, a busier through traffic route straddling a canal. In fact, the first section of cycle track permits very limited traffic access (above) before becoming a cycles only section. Yes, the city's engineers have created a low traffic neighbourhood using one-way streets (with two-way cycling), limited access areas, pedestrianisation, short sections of cycle track and modal filters. This model is replicated all over the city and so while the main roads are busy, the impacts are mitigated away from them.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLYSeb-Z-7GptWPqAOboJ7UZeLH3K-1hcp_IYTK95ujXu0aUpigkhAUs42WsSamXvJY9kVAram4zZU108h7IFRF2YsBhpFRfpakZ8L_Kk6TIiKDTdQSaImtLekRJVQ_s-6fi1BjMA8jsNz93zurzHiFCb8L2gPCAB9Us8bRjckiaWPn474eBm5ayKMA/s4096/IMG_20221027_132857061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two way cycle track on a bridge which is attached to a motorway bridge to the right. A control tower can be seen in the distance and a river can be seen through guardrail to the right of the cycle track. The motorway bridge is held up by large latticework arches above the road deck." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLYSeb-Z-7GptWPqAOboJ7UZeLH3K-1hcp_IYTK95ujXu0aUpigkhAUs42WsSamXvJY9kVAram4zZU108h7IFRF2YsBhpFRfpakZ8L_Kk6TIiKDTdQSaImtLekRJVQ_s-6fi1BjMA8jsNz93zurzHiFCb8L2gPCAB9Us8bRjckiaWPn474eBm5ayKMA/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_132857061.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The main roads in Rotterdam connect to a motorway box which is roughly rectangular and 11km wide by 8km deep and as roads generate (motor) traffic, it wasn't surprising to see traffic jams where the main roads met the the motorway box. One just location was just north of the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/wTuyxRtHfqGTKLe67" target="_blank">Van Brienenoordbrug bridge</a> (above) where the extremely busy A16 meets arterial roads to the city. I mention the bridge because it's a great example of where the Dutch use the opportunity to add cycle crossings to existing infrastructure which can be seen below with the additional cycle crossing attached to the side of the road bridge.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fSoobQk0cEdHVTfZU4wLZTFUevCdkk6YqHf-vckgsijbt6RTBAnsaNRecewjPIE41UvL9wtr9S5eF0Ad905M3tPWNkxRb6tkcGGVDvpQvxdafRV2GcUfc-axoJiCobDsNhfcFOPnZ6obN7v1m8zhzW8souYMHoCc_unza0vzLefIkXMmpUebKHyUlg/s4096/IMG_20221027_130247862_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The underside of a huge motorway bridge. There are additional steel columns and a narrower bridge attached to the motorway bridge here." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fSoobQk0cEdHVTfZU4wLZTFUevCdkk6YqHf-vckgsijbt6RTBAnsaNRecewjPIE41UvL9wtr9S5eF0Ad905M3tPWNkxRb6tkcGGVDvpQvxdafRV2GcUfc-axoJiCobDsNhfcFOPnZ6obN7v1m8zhzW8souYMHoCc_unza0vzLefIkXMmpUebKHyUlg/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_130247862_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I mention this because from a filtering point of view, the cycle bridge connects the areas either side of the Nieuwe Mass river in such as way as to make cycling a convenient mode of transport with general traffic having to go a much longer route to reach those same places. The cycling distance from places either side is about 3km whereas the driven length is double (and assumes there are no traffic jams).</div><div><br /></div><div>This is where the driving and cycling networks are unbundled and in essence, this is using modal filtering at a much larger scale than we might expect at a neighbourhood level, but the result is the same with access being provided for motors, but by a less convenient route than for cycling. You can walk over the bridge in this case, but the distance is more appropriate for cycling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The other interesting thing we saw in Rotterdam was linear filtering where service roads have been constructed next to the main roads so that interactions between side streets and main roads are managed. This reduces the "friction" caused by people joining and leaving the main roads and lowers collision risk from drivers slowing down to turn off or having to quickly speed up when joining a main road. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViRYOne8cQyhHJoL03RLfJiLWWJGacYFUrMHZb6MnByHlaXBaEKXb5VtkOaLBSCr4YpiDfiptXX24Qwu8YimQaoMSHa2vt5OsWVDVK4o8Sx4sm3rO-XyM45y9VsmXSEsGlY1NG5Z6bvAU1SbuQ-G-ozjUtIXNh6xdI6p0KYZaroWjp9LBFtbKMlCxmQ/s4096/IMG_20221027_150251343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red-paved road with shops and flats to the right and a wide road to the left separated with a verge. There are cars parked to the right and there is an exit to the left. For cycles, a cycle track connects to traffic signals ahead." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViRYOne8cQyhHJoL03RLfJiLWWJGacYFUrMHZb6MnByHlaXBaEKXb5VtkOaLBSCr4YpiDfiptXX24Qwu8YimQaoMSHa2vt5OsWVDVK4o8Sx4sm3rO-XyM45y9VsmXSEsGlY1NG5Z6bvAU1SbuQ-G-ozjUtIXNh6xdI6p0KYZaroWjp9LBFtbKMlCxmQ/w400-h225/IMG_20221027_150251343.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This technique <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/qFW5MU9tNxeHJzuW9" target="_blank">is shown above on Laan Op Zuid</a> which is to the south-east of the city. A one-way service road provides access to shops and homes as part of a wider neighbourhood which uses filters and one-way loops to stop through traffic, or at least makes it undesirable to drive through because of the route you would have to take. The service road here ends with drivers having to join the main road, but cycle traffic continues onto a cycle track and through a protected junction.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhIwBm04vkgcEh0-BnnaGDwqBmQ5EMRCH6mwj8-ucEoE9jxUH5_i9tChHyrmsDaMN4ce68E1GWKTqKRonk57fc7XQ5ZB-Z7UCgFmwqajpffWvJfZp5rgwJR7H6DYqo4MND5XE-6Ohd3GLSu5VeVTrfujY1zpg9_5obQzuXdFoyLliGY6mWnFt8lQl1Q/s4096/IMG_20221028_093906564.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A blocked paved residential road with a wall of vegetation to the right, parked cars to the left and housing to the left of that." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhIwBm04vkgcEh0-BnnaGDwqBmQ5EMRCH6mwj8-ucEoE9jxUH5_i9tChHyrmsDaMN4ce68E1GWKTqKRonk57fc7XQ5ZB-Z7UCgFmwqajpffWvJfZp5rgwJR7H6DYqo4MND5XE-6Ohd3GLSu5VeVTrfujY1zpg9_5obQzuXdFoyLliGY6mWnFt8lQl1Q/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_093906564.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So much for the city where it's easy to filter, what about the countryside? Well, our ride from north from Rotterdam to Delft provided plenty of filtering interest. Of course, there were cycle tracks on main roads, but while long distance traffic would be pushed onto the A13, we were able to use sections of residential streets which were filtered long ago <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/h9ccHoLmkhQ88o7J7" target="_blank">such as West-Sidelinge</a> (above) and via cycle tracks through parks such as below where such a layout is joins <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/mx4NXS116ZcJJQKu5" target="_blank">Willem Hedaweg</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr4-8c7SeMcksTf8FaWq0O66yUYT3YhL3R5fJtaoVOUNCFuCfO-Vfk6p2MRwTd9rEc2IpGNiOND_OcYmEGvfigvhs3kVmcP23gs7utqrCmS6P_Iofm3Etho28z0Sk8y6ML7l6UJT9j6XVTRtVxMqd7lMo50k39IKB6RLXXVAo7MvL0ezI6Ptotzo8Ng/s4096/IMG_20221028_094150760.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A two-way red cycle track joins a residential street with a similar layout to the previous photograph." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr4-8c7SeMcksTf8FaWq0O66yUYT3YhL3R5fJtaoVOUNCFuCfO-Vfk6p2MRwTd9rEc2IpGNiOND_OcYmEGvfigvhs3kVmcP23gs7utqrCmS6P_Iofm3Etho28z0Sk8y6ML7l6UJT9j6XVTRtVxMqd7lMo50k39IKB6RLXXVAo7MvL0ezI6Ptotzo8Ng/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_094150760.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As we left the suburbs, we joined Deftweg which is a key route for cycling between Rotterdam and Delft. Even here, there evidence of network-level filtering to keep through traffic on the A13.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlpi0AdaTg2aTR7v1qgaBEiEuS1FcuwqsGZyZkme8nxtKmg5wkX_0JqLqvMmjJYRFmCj3CEU8fpVxcnM19xlODcvIO4j_wj1sVF7WLB_exwM68toQFgNT8SN8mOMeaLKITeKbLrwSEn80hfE5bmwl4ZawqO826AicckoPESRbRSWqU97jn162kXV_Cw/s4096/IMG_20221028_094815110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red block paved road with smooth cycle lanes on each side. There is a canal to the left crossed by a dark blue truss bridge." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlpi0AdaTg2aTR7v1qgaBEiEuS1FcuwqsGZyZkme8nxtKmg5wkX_0JqLqvMmjJYRFmCj3CEU8fpVxcnM19xlODcvIO4j_wj1sVF7WLB_exwM68toQFgNT8SN8mOMeaLKITeKbLrwSEn80hfE5bmwl4ZawqO826AicckoPESRbRSWqU97jn162kXV_Cw/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_094815110.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/LSzsDv21hYQuuHjr7" target="_blank">Defltweg</a> itself has rougher block paving with smooth asphalt cycle lanes, the idea being drivers stay in the central (two-way) area and only move into the cycle lanes when they need to. This was probably one of the areas that felt a little more exposed to traffic, but the traffic calming and low flows made it pretty quiet and it felt safe enough, even with a 30mph speed limit. In fact, there were people of all ages cycling along enjoying the countryside.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVCt_5fnbt_YDsfqHgOu_1IpcblgtbbafpgUpTomB74GFdcIG3qOA1UH6EoRwRDZkG7gaphyIITytz6AIkX3TB-EhBLrXtuqOwF0aPBjtKNr1VqDerxrerMV8dXlDuMXImJPfcTIpZRJwJto63w9oQAHLy8Z9N-GNShN909yo9AqUElTHefnrNJoT3w/s4096/IMG_20221028_095017827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red cycling lane passes to the right of a bus stop island to become a cycle track." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVCt_5fnbt_YDsfqHgOu_1IpcblgtbbafpgUpTomB74GFdcIG3qOA1UH6EoRwRDZkG7gaphyIITytz6AIkX3TB-EhBLrXtuqOwF0aPBjtKNr1VqDerxrerMV8dXlDuMXImJPfcTIpZRJwJto63w9oQAHLy8Z9N-GNShN909yo9AqUElTHefnrNJoT3w/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_095017827.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>A little further north and we reached the city limits of the Rotterdam municipality and before the speed limit increased to 50mph, the cycling infrastructure <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ASm7XfdttiVwEFZ1A" target="_blank">changed to become a two-way cycle track at a "gateway" treatment</a> where drivers entering give way to drivers leaving the area. You can see this in the photograph above in the distance, which also has a floating bus stop serving a small industrial area and you can see the cycle track getting priority over the access to the site. The two-way cycle track after the gateway is shown below.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-I0AJP0wytyN_YlE3I9PuIRjefL7zXWh6XAUqntVmWDNB0gBV8gZGfIPTyNcxRxLOd9iVi742ZR4G5lXwEFymN8jhadAf6icD4JbLxTVn3YI4AEj-vo1dz1IWLOx6VdOKpqj0YE963EFy5QLXjIs67NCe3HHadkBVU6nriJjUG2ixZClieRy-LOPvw/s4096/IMG_20221028_095054469.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A road to the left and a two way red cycle track to the right. They are separated by a grass verge." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-I0AJP0wytyN_YlE3I9PuIRjefL7zXWh6XAUqntVmWDNB0gBV8gZGfIPTyNcxRxLOd9iVi742ZR4G5lXwEFymN8jhadAf6icD4JbLxTVn3YI4AEj-vo1dz1IWLOx6VdOKpqj0YE963EFy5QLXjIs67NCe3HHadkBVU6nriJjUG2ixZClieRy-LOPvw/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_095054469.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Then we get to another filtering technique where <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/AtoyGhcBR8uxnpws5" target="_blank">Delftweg gives way to Rotterdamseweg</a> at a curious set of traffic signals (below). At this location, we had just joined another two-way cycle track after another on-road cycling section after passing through a hamlet where buildings constrained highway space.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXeHWrpjLzskzrksTDZeGBPPsQKM7tC0pl8-y_Y_I_weKGqJTYL2B5eYMLeA47ThIkTMbmPWOz1scdVzSMMkcuyZKXd4fdo_g3O-NSt9PJLMujh7Td_byw1VWy-nEUSgSLgetT0IWA1gIKRC5c__Kb9-rm2m7_lzYmopSuAkOWPMccNrF0b4cBykq7A/s4096/IMG_20221028_095826152_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Traffic signals which resemble a pedestrian crossing with a skinny island between each traffic direction. There are detector loops showing in the surfacing and a triangular metal feature set flush to the road on each approach." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXeHWrpjLzskzrksTDZeGBPPsQKM7tC0pl8-y_Y_I_weKGqJTYL2B5eYMLeA47ThIkTMbmPWOz1scdVzSMMkcuyZKXd4fdo_g3O-NSt9PJLMujh7Td_byw1VWy-nEUSgSLgetT0IWA1gIKRC5c__Kb9-rm2m7_lzYmopSuAkOWPMccNrF0b4cBykq7A/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_095826152_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>These traffic signals come with tilting bollards which can be used to restrict traffic flow. I don't know how these ones are specifically set up, but my assumption is they are probably used at peak times in the week to make it is waste of time trying to use this rural route to bypass the A13. Alternatively, they might be just needed when there is congestion on the A13. The point is, this is a dynamic filter which allows access for those needing it and which could be set at a maximum flow threshold to provide an appropriate level of risk exposure for people cycling in the area where they have to mix with motor traffic.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYNnQhLsyfyRcKCXB_LtKr2W7MlZBxtnilRtrt_0N2Esk4hXgqCzJRBHhI0XH_xfY1sEYP4-TovKVahEg68WYPhD64C0b0Y7xwGQMzYYSyNjXmU6V8xsm0N75uqBNtZaRql11xlib3dZOOorlb-uReOkEZ6rLhTVOMBvMxsSWC29DRuwPwJECRd4-gg/s4096/IMG_20221028_095810160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close up of the triangular metal feature. A white triangle with the word stop in red within a red circle." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYNnQhLsyfyRcKCXB_LtKr2W7MlZBxtnilRtrt_0N2Esk4hXgqCzJRBHhI0XH_xfY1sEYP4-TovKVahEg68WYPhD64C0b0Y7xwGQMzYYSyNjXmU6V8xsm0N75uqBNtZaRql11xlib3dZOOorlb-uReOkEZ6rLhTVOMBvMxsSWC29DRuwPwJECRd4-gg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_095810160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Further north and as we approached Delft, we experienced more of the same with a cycle network which sometimes coincided with the motoring network. Sometimes there were cycle tracks next to the main roads and sometimes we were on filtered streets, mixing with what little traffic there was.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdseNOmWzXXpPZJE0G7gvTO6AN6jtWoVkdPwNnb0j7XtD73vXHa9bLnbtdi0PuJ37WnymIAhz_X21gKxN9jegFFfPHB6-SlA10JmuGjBUPLm-LXJp3vVF0KWuJHH-jRU6myMxwdxkkCC5VYFdme9PaKF5u1xw68MhN4Xjg1gmlu78_S_9_hIJ3bJkUAg/s4096/IMG_20221028_103756376.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An underpass dips under a railway. There is a red two way cycle track with a light grey footway to the right. There is a Dutch Railways logo and the words Delft Campus on the overbridge." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdseNOmWzXXpPZJE0G7gvTO6AN6jtWoVkdPwNnb0j7XtD73vXHa9bLnbtdi0PuJ37WnymIAhz_X21gKxN9jegFFfPHB6-SlA10JmuGjBUPLm-LXJp3vVF0KWuJHH-jRU6myMxwdxkkCC5VYFdme9PaKF5u1xw68MhN4Xjg1gmlu78_S_9_hIJ3bJkUAg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_103756376.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>At the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/P2ziQhMd8DqvnL4N8" target="_blank">Delft Campus railway station</a>, we found a brand new walking and cycling underpass (above) which has been built as part of an <a href="https://www.prorail.nl/projecten/aanpassingen-station-delft-campus" target="_blank">ongoing rail capacity upgrade in the area</a>. The underpass provides direct access to the station as well as reconnecting the areas either side of the railway and providing a better entrance point (the previous being from near a noisy main road. In this case, the underpass is the filter, with motor traffic having to go a different route.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQElh9jOSPK8hbhhPevPZzNfWYpchGGqO-hy2E77cvRRIHFs6yXrcbE-9mlUWUidiQ1OPCoMRb8LoHSBe499QU2PoVare2xqpi_RQIdgX82tXAeefEkY5ABAwkWgi2sbOdjqkUtc5b0AKAlXCFXC7xG1Ns7-UJG0gucH9e5xcK_wH8nnnGpR7QoTNzGg/s4096/IMG_20221028_104534798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A road with red cycle lanes and people cycling. There is a canal to the right and industrial buildings to the left." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQElh9jOSPK8hbhhPevPZzNfWYpchGGqO-hy2E77cvRRIHFs6yXrcbE-9mlUWUidiQ1OPCoMRb8LoHSBe499QU2PoVare2xqpi_RQIdgX82tXAeefEkY5ABAwkWgi2sbOdjqkUtc5b0AKAlXCFXC7xG1Ns7-UJG0gucH9e5xcK_wH8nnnGpR7QoTNzGg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_104534798.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>We then cycled along <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/i5TtKSLdxfBdjLuH9" target="_blank">Schieweg</a> (above) which was undoubtedly the worst piece of our trip for feeling exposed with close passes and lots of HGV traffic. Fortunately it was a short experience and a bit further along, the street changed to a filtered neighbourhood which made use of a cycle street (fietsstraat) shown in the photograph below.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWnUGfhZ_pmnhhxUFx2bO-L-FYD5s8sXI8vkqlT8Eio_topz-289ijKEdILNJJ2QIXkuGJjuFcIy6UvluVkzIB_Cg7sMMefF7Evu0TXCRYa8VelwcWDUsyPrdFrFBLRdM2Z3C7Vls-HyJhoCEj2-_LbkThvM5ELx4HG5trAYkPDA0QJ3EwXzye6yy6A/s4096/IMG_20221028_104657189_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red road with a footway and flats to the left and a canal to the right. There is a traffic sign which explains that motors are guests." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWnUGfhZ_pmnhhxUFx2bO-L-FYD5s8sXI8vkqlT8Eio_topz-289ijKEdILNJJ2QIXkuGJjuFcIy6UvluVkzIB_Cg7sMMefF7Evu0TXCRYa8VelwcWDUsyPrdFrFBLRdM2Z3C7Vls-HyJhoCEj2-_LbkThvM5ELx4HG5trAYkPDA0QJ3EwXzye6yy6A/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_104657189_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>This is essentially a two-way cycle track that can be used for motor vehicle access. The red asphalt signifies the cycle route and provides visual continuity and although the sign says that motors are guests, a cycle street will only work where cycle traffic flows are maybe 3-4 times the amount of motor flows. We turned right across the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/UmSMJC3ahifzXFk8A" target="_blank">Abtswoudsebrug</a> bridge which is for walking and cycling only, so yet another filter used to separate out the motoring and cycling networks.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ29AtpYHSu6sjWWKIetoyk068dODLIn5vuFaaw3wxAZUdjvsClbCGC5Ae1ajYImc56FyCAcy3pAhQWnTWFgs1c9XQ6M4SpJpUJNHhcHTGpp06n84I62e-gIsYluP84NJGtYOipjMQ_7VtNIDsHn_q8slVGQBTiuZaSHXhzOzsze1BhiIVjSPdQNGeg/s4096/IMG_20221028_105205895_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red cycle track crosses a bridge with white railings. There are people cycling over the bridge. There are also red and white barriers which can close the bridge." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ29AtpYHSu6sjWWKIetoyk068dODLIn5vuFaaw3wxAZUdjvsClbCGC5Ae1ajYImc56FyCAcy3pAhQWnTWFgs1c9XQ6M4SpJpUJNHhcHTGpp06n84I62e-gIsYluP84NJGtYOipjMQ_7VtNIDsHn_q8slVGQBTiuZaSHXhzOzsze1BhiIVjSPdQNGeg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_105205895_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As with Rotterdam, there is lots of filtering going on in Delft and I will cover one particular neighbourhood in a separate post. I started <i>this</i> post with a very wide street and so I shall end it with a very narrow street - <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/2fKj1jXvgjpJawfk7" target="_blank">Dirklangenstraat</a> - a street giving access between a main road and the centre of Delft, but again it is filtered so the only motors here are those of residents and deliveries/ visitors.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscla24_tcOHMf4J0eKCxWw0mkDtCToQiv20IQg5vNoClHYDppUTvljCe6_Coa5Uis8B7XyXGbhfrnrX36kwLOj3eo4HU1YRyOrA-FraBCRU3sajw1huhkjDwTM9IKO9rF6ujnsKpJyEOIgjt6IUUGN4YgLwWizm34hoRCQ2qZbE6HA3e_yAZ_mDqeYg/s4096/IMG_20221028_112325731_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A narrow road with a buff block paved surface with narrow red footways and buildings on both sides. There is an orange bollard in the centre and a cycles only sign." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscla24_tcOHMf4J0eKCxWw0mkDtCToQiv20IQg5vNoClHYDppUTvljCe6_Coa5Uis8B7XyXGbhfrnrX36kwLOj3eo4HU1YRyOrA-FraBCRU3sajw1huhkjDwTM9IKO9rF6ujnsKpJyEOIgjt6IUUGN4YgLwWizm34hoRCQ2qZbE6HA3e_yAZ_mDqeYg/w400-h225/IMG_20221028_112325731_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Streets like this make me smile. So often in the UK people tell me that one of the reasons the Dutch do well with cycling is their wide streets where they can fit things in. Dirklangenstraat is a case study in why that is complete nonsense and all it takes to make a little area of city quiet for cycling (and wheeling and walking) is a single orange bollard. Oh, and the political will to do it.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-22745499355455834672022-10-02T11:02:00.002+01:002022-10-02T11:08:26.154+01:00Filtering The 1980s<h2 style="text-align: left;">One of my favourite pieces of streets geekery is finding old layouts and features which have been long forgotten, but are back in fashion as something "new".</h2><div>For me, the contemporary idea of Local Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) is such a thing and so it is always a delight to find old examples of the concept from the days when it was <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/01/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-back-to.html" target="_blank">simply known as "traffic management"</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I recently paid a visit to <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/cKeroqH5nnDWJC3M9" target="_blank">East Ham</a> in the London Borough of Newham in order to tick off a particular design of modal filter I had seen mentioned on social media. For those that don't know, a <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2016/12/filtered-permeability-vs-necessary.html" target="_blank">modal filter</a> is simply a catch-all term for a range of interventions which allows only certain types of road transport modes through an area or past a point - literally filtering out the modes which may pass.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The curiosity that I wanted to tick off my list was the crossroads junction of <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Z84xLVTkCiSukpZNA" target="_blank">Wellington Road with Market Street</a> where the northern and eastern arms of the junction have been filtered. The features form part of a wider network of filters and one-way streets which removes through traffic from an area bounded by the A124 Barking Road, A117 High Street South, Flanders Road and the A406 North Circular Road. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dTflTcW02rCD5JzfJ5I1C5vpKwnYY5BQ7PyHW2Y8Oqk-Y1UKutzOTFFwOzyihuii9sEi8ggx9Z8Yf6s24Ir3f_3N2FeeuBGH_zbvkdvat6cEXGpQqtoqj9c-VpgTMpTXivjLvv9ZeW1jIzqW2ebRyd7P3M4EFZ6NaJC7njf5iuXIHart2lgpikSnIQ/s966/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A street maps with a pink area showing low traffic neighbourhood. There are two markers representing modal filters." border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="966" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dTflTcW02rCD5JzfJ5I1C5vpKwnYY5BQ7PyHW2Y8Oqk-Y1UKutzOTFFwOzyihuii9sEi8ggx9Z8Yf6s24Ir3f_3N2FeeuBGH_zbvkdvat6cEXGpQqtoqj9c-VpgTMpTXivjLvv9ZeW1jIzqW2ebRyd7P3M4EFZ6NaJC7njf5iuXIHart2lgpikSnIQ/w400-h225/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The map above broadly shows the area of the LTN, although in theory, the area to the south of Flanders Road is another big LTN and could also be argued to be part of the one I have shown with the A13 Newham Way to the far south. The two purple markers are the filters I went to see. There are bus routes running through the area which is interesting because the filters that allow them to pass, but ban other vehicles pre-date the use of cameras and so have to be physical measures, as were the filters I looked at.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_sWrX37DepHf0pCjU_SQZqjZ91N0pEexBpJkTkrtaflrS_98gsFecRwVBQ5UCr6EzaCSF19_iKgsIT-Tdz1MNIgSb-jjAC0SEFXu8Uh5jtsHOyfLoQbY86JioAKdLTp3TJzULXsUxdPH_1X8LUL4Cq2QP5wQYJiZhKyEStRyQNIak-x9E3_it0kusw/s4096/IMG_20220917_082205972_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A side road junction where the surface has been raised to footway level with a gap running through for cycles. There are traffic signs, trees and houses in shot." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_sWrX37DepHf0pCjU_SQZqjZ91N0pEexBpJkTkrtaflrS_98gsFecRwVBQ5UCr6EzaCSF19_iKgsIT-Tdz1MNIgSb-jjAC0SEFXu8Uh5jtsHOyfLoQbY86JioAKdLTp3TJzULXsUxdPH_1X8LUL4Cq2QP5wQYJiZhKyEStRyQNIak-x9E3_it0kusw/w400-h225/IMG_20220917_082205972_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is a view from within the crossroads to the east at the filter in Market Street which creates a 60 metre cul-de-sac. The design of the filter is interesting and don't let the modern camera enforcement traffic sign fool you - this scheme predates the use of CCTV for enforcement.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmA0FJ5P4sdkXe3oJck53KzcK3GRb4PyC751l2qKuMhd0yYmGgthIn-XSeHpuHBkyiuJjHpR8R0CH90V5cg7mLfl39s94ouV58ps2nCX3EVm3O93R4PLChf5C2y-qt6w4wxJoEtuQ8PBM_TN-xKgupXb2ygudhf5_CtuuH08wzUhFkeOuQRfdxjtp-0Q/s4096/IMG_20220917_082102697_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The view along a narrow channel between two paved areas. At the end there is a ramp for cycles to access across an area at pavement level running across," border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmA0FJ5P4sdkXe3oJck53KzcK3GRb4PyC751l2qKuMhd0yYmGgthIn-XSeHpuHBkyiuJjHpR8R0CH90V5cg7mLfl39s94ouV58ps2nCX3EVm3O93R4PLChf5C2y-qt6w4wxJoEtuQ8PBM_TN-xKgupXb2ygudhf5_CtuuH08wzUhFkeOuQRfdxjtp-0Q/w400-h225/IMG_20220917_082102697_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The filter was created by building the footway out on both sides (above). From there, a further pair of buildouts were constructed, but rather than having a smooth surface, they received "deterrent" paving which in this case are pyramid shaped concrete blocks, <a href="https://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/product/tactile-lambeth-paving" target="_blank">a product still available today</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2_9jYJwFx620bNkN3egl4F8JWwDb2mCazSwwjXqeyDCxuynoU7ry_37QcD1AYaoMi9UPy0l_SPYXTrhFtO7bzIHTRPy9YEtoHbZq0cQsxQK9Xt_wAkTdiRF445Y9gWRVW7ExbpWzf_G5dkWLEjJjwrYDB4eK2LQEH0xQXHcPG1Qpf-0qbJJzBWgvVQ/s4096/IMG_20220917_082109399.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A more detailed view of the previous image showing pyramid shaped deterrent paving." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2_9jYJwFx620bNkN3egl4F8JWwDb2mCazSwwjXqeyDCxuynoU7ry_37QcD1AYaoMi9UPy0l_SPYXTrhFtO7bzIHTRPy9YEtoHbZq0cQsxQK9Xt_wAkTdiRF445Y9gWRVW7ExbpWzf_G5dkWLEjJjwrYDB4eK2LQEH0xQXHcPG1Qpf-0qbJJzBWgvVQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220917_082109399.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At each end of the deterrent strips there is a ramp and in the central channel which is left, there is a short section of smooth paving where people cross the side street and to allow for cycle access (above); although at 750mm wide and with full-height kerbs on the approach, it's pretty tight and many types of cycle won't get through. It's a product of its age.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dgjdj-38A5Wpwu3ntkv-efYrdMNs6geMs_lOEL89xiraha2ZL7a0tkQATre63Wd-XYqCktvk7vdB1GkqUqDXq0sHAAMW67QOo29OYOmTtI8mBA8uU7ZSyb2JgXfvGsBpm98UdBifSeSFoqJ-HRsnvGxK4Pmp8SDtSTYE7txr148oxRRkhnasIjblLA/s4096/IMG_20220917_082240799_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Another street with a pair of buildouts from the footway with a skinny central gap for cycling. There are signs and trees and houses in shot." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dgjdj-38A5Wpwu3ntkv-efYrdMNs6geMs_lOEL89xiraha2ZL7a0tkQATre63Wd-XYqCktvk7vdB1GkqUqDXq0sHAAMW67QOo29OYOmTtI8mBA8uU7ZSyb2JgXfvGsBpm98UdBifSeSFoqJ-HRsnvGxK4Pmp8SDtSTYE7txr148oxRRkhnasIjblLA/w400-h225/IMG_20220917_082240799_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On the northern arm of the junction on Wellington Road, we have a similar layout, although the total length of the feature is nearly 17 metres, about 10 metres longer than Market Street (above, looking north from the junction).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4bE_co6eS1tGH0_FNPIxnUX18kqR_e6R4oarVmDfJtGNwf5P09GFI-kizRn-M68H2qeTSCa9bFW_-Moepyz26_94EW3tjD16kwC2IjR1lkDVc23IC5odUp8S1GeI3wBW6AlIzUBMgMizIhcEdkHj-vBQ_CuMo-cIyoHnbND1G9a0zVn1WfTbofHppQ/s4096/IMG_20220917_082247824.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A slightly closer view of the previous image." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4bE_co6eS1tGH0_FNPIxnUX18kqR_e6R4oarVmDfJtGNwf5P09GFI-kizRn-M68H2qeTSCa9bFW_-Moepyz26_94EW3tjD16kwC2IjR1lkDVc23IC5odUp8S1GeI3wBW6AlIzUBMgMizIhcEdkHj-vBQ_CuMo-cIyoHnbND1G9a0zVn1WfTbofHppQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220917_082247824.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I imagine this feature is longer because Wellington Road comes directly down from the A124 Barking Road and it needed to look really intimidating to drivers because we are essentially relying on traffic signs, the physical layout and (at the time it was installed) police enforcement.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this brings me to the age of the scheme. Well, it was implemented as an experimental traffic order which came into effect on <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51143/page/14977" target="_blank">15th December 1987</a> when "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDe60CbIagg" target="_blank">Always on my Mind</a>" by The Pet Shop Boys was at No.1 one in the UK. A permanent traffic order came into effect on <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51752/page/6564" target="_blank">15th June 1989</a>, when "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Qf2c1xr2I" target="_blank">Sealed With a Kiss</a>" by Jason Donovan was at No.1 (no, me neither).</div><div><br /></div><div>This time-frame has the scheme being made permanent at the very end of the 18-month maximum experimental period allowed for in the legislation and in reading the permanent order, we can see there is an exemption for the emergency services and the prohibition is on motor vehicles (so allowing cyclists), two things missing from the provisions in the experimental order, but permissible to allow in making it permanent. It's worth noting the ambulance station on Wellington Road, north of the filter.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll leave you with a little video of the filters with me managing to cycle through. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3VU8MTsukdc" width="320" youtube-src-id="3VU8MTsukdc"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-35232779916791495912022-09-18T10:26:00.002+01:002022-09-18T10:26:51.441+01:00Glorious Govanhill<h2 style="text-align: left;">Over the summer I found myself in Glasgow on a city hire bike grabbing a couple of hours for a look around before a work engagement. My ride took me to the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Jewu82t5yA52WYEn9" target="_blank">Govanhill</a> neighbourhood to the south of the city.</h2><div>It's worth <a href="http://govanhill.info/about-govanhill-community/history-of-govanhill/" target="_blank">acknowledging the history</a>, the diversity and indeed the problems the area has, and those are things one cannot possibly absorb while riding through an area. One of the most interesting things from an urbanism point of view is the neighbourhood is one of the most densely populated areas in Scotland, a feat achieved without the use of tower blocks. </div><div><br /></div><div>The secret is the use of 3 and 4 storey homes on a grid street pattern, often referred to as "gentle density". While tower blocks often have large areas of open space around them, developments such as Govanhill don't, instead relying on communcal courtyards and gardens to provide outdoor space as well as the streets themselves and sometimes with small parks (such as <a href="https://www.fieldsintrust.org/FieldSite/Govanhill-Park" target="_blank">Govanhill Park</a> in this case).</div><div><br /></div><div>Glasgow has a <a href="https://www.understandingglasgow.com/indicators/transport/vehicle_availability/uk_cities" target="_blank">2011 census car ownership</a> of 0.64 per household and the <a href="https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=22500&p=0" target="_blank">Southside Central ward</a> (which is much bigger than Govanhill) has 0.38 per household or that's 62% of households in the ward which don't have access to cars. Despite this, Govanhill has plenty of cars that residents wish to park on the street and so this is a pressure on public space. </div><div><br /></div><div>Fortunately, in the late 1980s/ early 1990s, there was a forward thinking plan to manage traffic and car parking in the neighbourhood which looking back at from the 2020s still seems quite radical. Some parts of the street network have been filtered and a couple of the connector streets were made one-way. This falls short of what we'd consider to be a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, but it isn't that far away.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvazzxwjdZnAyJUo9AF7zIUEFTEAYifIIrl7euT2zYRPype_Ni2bHqwufi-C8rzdeHq7OeGlL4O7PkkvDyFlnVeCcKioKAf0gNUE60Fp6w_oM_rB3wZi1cF9f60E37dMhIAiH6dfQ03yT52Jv2f9BHgNtmBn99PWF4yIiWG61f-Ch1IvWGYGdfJmN4OQ/s4096/IMG_20220901_091659183_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view across a junction protected by bollards towards a 4 storey brown stone block of flats." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvazzxwjdZnAyJUo9AF7zIUEFTEAYifIIrl7euT2zYRPype_Ni2bHqwufi-C8rzdeHq7OeGlL4O7PkkvDyFlnVeCcKioKAf0gNUE60Fp6w_oM_rB3wZi1cF9f60E37dMhIAiH6dfQ03yT52Jv2f9BHgNtmBn99PWF4yIiWG61f-Ch1IvWGYGdfJmN4OQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220901_091659183_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The most interesting thing about the area for me is in the oldest streets. The retrofit has quietly brought some order into what could have been a pretty chaotic car parking arrangement. From the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/znqvhwTgGxVeEnr69" target="_blank">junction of Govanhill Road with Langside Road</a> (above), one can survey a range of interesting design details.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeZa0mAGbGWKfCRaXDGMU0QQfURbXA2xM_ZEkuAIZ5_YoUhq9tjAAFgCimrMISsy6jsm77_qR2pAIIDRzMLCay6B_6Y1uNpQuejTbXv87IKQXlANhgxa-uHP0HCexiAvF1oHaKC_qmQgHkYZ_15mF5pO2DxuDFgwAsvJoTtJrcMktbOuGH27Ahj36Cg/s4096/IMG_20220901_091537931_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Another view through the same junction from a different angle. There are trees on paved buildouts which are also edged with black bollards on the light brown paving." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeZa0mAGbGWKfCRaXDGMU0QQfURbXA2xM_ZEkuAIZ5_YoUhq9tjAAFgCimrMISsy6jsm77_qR2pAIIDRzMLCay6B_6Y1uNpQuejTbXv87IKQXlANhgxa-uHP0HCexiAvF1oHaKC_qmQgHkYZ_15mF5pO2DxuDFgwAsvJoTtJrcMktbOuGH27Ahj36Cg/w400-h225/IMG_20220901_091537931_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first thing to note is that the junctions have been narrowed with fairly tight radii and placed on road humps (speed tables) with some surfaced in block paving (some are asphalt). The kerbs are flush here and bollards stand sentinel keep drivers off the footway and help pick out the "safe area" behind the carriageway edge. These days, we'd be looking at the walking desire lines at the junctions and providing appropriate tactile paving.</div><div><br /></div><div>The extra space at the often includes space opposite at T-junctions (below) which helps keep car parking away from all parts of the junction as well as releasing public space which is often used for tree planting and in the example below, some of this space could be used for other features such as secure cycle parking. The built-out areas mean that car parking is either arranged in parallel to the kerb or perpendicularly, depending on the location.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQitN5iZuBxDanHWRrTwmUXHs7-57F-2sz5LNZN6Y-VKghIwmNuuKmDycpqUmwZdznbw5gsrNOGrWxYJBrc5fwGsWFeNqHod5fKlD2UpQ5rfIshsBtmjYnijU-_2--IkMZKMwOaSwQV8Ml43A5aYJU5Z2Ge-ZhvzBRpSQZU7tDToxEETAYCu4K3WvO4w/s4096/IMG_20220901_091701088_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A wider shot of the first image showing car parking beyond the buildouts." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQitN5iZuBxDanHWRrTwmUXHs7-57F-2sz5LNZN6Y-VKghIwmNuuKmDycpqUmwZdznbw5gsrNOGrWxYJBrc5fwGsWFeNqHod5fKlD2UpQ5rfIshsBtmjYnijU-_2--IkMZKMwOaSwQV8Ml43A5aYJU5Z2Ge-ZhvzBRpSQZU7tDToxEETAYCu4K3WvO4w/w400-h225/IMG_20220901_091701088_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The simple junction treatments and the use of small element and block paving give a slightly warmer feel to the footway and built-out areas than asphalt and given its age, things are wearing very well indeed. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbN1qK_8yJWFV-o8Ysnxe9wApVrdBUuHNrE9bQLXV8Pe4j84GY3YZzqBwpvIhqVuCqhPzCaXoHQVxfaA1OclKU44bkHI7bcCFvMrVWTshQ1Sd7DB7BgFGnhiPKkLR0OUz_ojv5aE0B0zVbUMOrPajwtAI9z1DOhe8tSjyga47fldLfv5p2_ZI7ayjHjg/s4096/IMG_20220901_091559720.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A person riding a bike away from the camera. Junction buildouts can be seen on borth sides of the street with trees and bollards." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbN1qK_8yJWFV-o8Ysnxe9wApVrdBUuHNrE9bQLXV8Pe4j84GY3YZzqBwpvIhqVuCqhPzCaXoHQVxfaA1OclKU44bkHI7bcCFvMrVWTshQ1Sd7DB7BgFGnhiPKkLR0OUz_ojv5aE0B0zVbUMOrPajwtAI9z1DOhe8tSjyga47fldLfv5p2_ZI7ayjHjg/w400-h225/IMG_20220901_091559720.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>There are probably some things I might have liked to see done a little differently such as swapping the car parking bay layouts every so often to interrupt the straight carriageway runs (above) and perhaps angling the perpendicular bays in such a way as it encourages (as far as possible) drivers to reverse in as they have a better view as they emerge. I would also have liked to have narrowed the carriageway a little more to push driver speeds down further.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-BcfWclyaZGW707J9tQxxnVoSn4RIJHccvnimg-j9DUF2bDZ3s5vbSfoFgYwX5H8xG09CBbIwEunpzd-Jrpasb1OoKthUB7plvDASvlXf7lUjRX3BPi5MMEu3ZzSKXses4FwzOLSzVpkaIPobAOK1-pCEpxDKUWDl_jaI0ORoHJt5bpj6sF2CsxJ1Q/s4096/IMG_20220901_091614907_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view along a large buildout to car parking beyond." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-BcfWclyaZGW707J9tQxxnVoSn4RIJHccvnimg-j9DUF2bDZ3s5vbSfoFgYwX5H8xG09CBbIwEunpzd-Jrpasb1OoKthUB7plvDASvlXf7lUjRX3BPi5MMEu3ZzSKXses4FwzOLSzVpkaIPobAOK1-pCEpxDKUWDl_jaI0ORoHJt5bpj6sF2CsxJ1Q/w400-h225/IMG_20220901_091614907_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The thing that struck me most as I cycled through the neighbourhood was just how familiar it all seemed. The gentle density, combined with the junction layouts (complete with bollards) felt very familar from my trips around Denmark and The Netherlands where managing car parking in this way is fairly common and it has to leave me wondering if this is where the designers got their inspiration?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOKaVxj4Sr3wxyjl7vgx-LzxqM9_V81dW3qGJhJiPBlhjkY5RlUyuttMdAmO6aZ1OvxuckxUT3vsylQYS89B4BUN7HrytAqAoRE3TulBctcZGYdQJh6CnFBkZwVG9bVUeF010AT9YRjSFLumuHioo29JtSkSEeEc3e5ykxe9vB7swDY8sh2X9CNO0uw/s3657/IMG_20220918_095158746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A drawing of a cross roads where the junction has been made smaller than the approach roads." border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="3657" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOKaVxj4Sr3wxyjl7vgx-LzxqM9_V81dW3qGJhJiPBlhjkY5RlUyuttMdAmO6aZ1OvxuckxUT3vsylQYS89B4BUN7HrytAqAoRE3TulBctcZGYdQJh6CnFBkZwVG9bVUeF010AT9YRjSFLumuHioo29JtSkSEeEc3e5ykxe9vB7swDY8sh2X9CNO0uw/w400-h225/IMG_20220918_095158746.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>That's not just idle thinking, the techniques used in Govanhill can be found in the Dutch design manual "<a href="https://crowplatform.com/product/asvv-recommendations-for-traffic-provisions-in-built-up-areas/" target="_blank">Recommendations for traffic provisions in built up areas</a>", a huge tome which I love thumbing through for inspiration. Raising junctions is something the UK has done for years, but it appears on the Dutch manual showing the narrowing of the junction complete with bollards and inset car parking bays (above). There's also use made of the perpendicular parking as part of integrated traffic calming which in the image below is used to create a centreline shift at a junction, which is a great technique for breaking a dead straight run.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIpkhsUZcxcZgcVFTFJSyseYGpMsI9wOCZAmB5LaCIrubCn3MUm7pH7KPK4Ni5LmcYyXC5W8a9pnj8d1P92ut0D1glNqMAtG1Xd5Wf9iXDXis4_3m8VkeA3wAfbjumA9u-_McGraUQzKaHaw7eLWfTSrgPBy_5CK3zjgW6UU6QFLfpWqRf7GfeGS4xA/s3610/IMG_20220918_095208034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A drawing showing perpendicualar car parking and buildouts to break straight lines of the roads through a crossroads." border="0" data-original-height="2031" data-original-width="3610" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIpkhsUZcxcZgcVFTFJSyseYGpMsI9wOCZAmB5LaCIrubCn3MUm7pH7KPK4Ni5LmcYyXC5W8a9pnj8d1P92ut0D1glNqMAtG1Xd5Wf9iXDXis4_3m8VkeA3wAfbjumA9u-_McGraUQzKaHaw7eLWfTSrgPBy_5CK3zjgW6UU6QFLfpWqRf7GfeGS4xA/w400-h225/IMG_20220918_095208034.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The final piece of interest for me was trying to date when the layout was built. There won't be a traffic order for the build-outs, but the local traffic filtering can be dated with a traffic order which was <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/23265/page/3710" target="_blank">proposed in October 1992</a> and <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/23381/page/2111" target="_blank">made in May 1993</a>, which means this layout has probably been there for about 30 years. As ever, nothing in highways and traffic engineering is new.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll leave you with <a href="https://youtu.be/rOquNJ1rQCU" target="_blank">a little video of a cycle through the area</a> and I would like to thank <a href="https://twitter.com/AlistairMcCay" target="_blank">Alistair McCay</a> for being my local guide and given me so much insight into the area.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rOquNJ1rQCU" width="320" youtube-src-id="rOquNJ1rQCU"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-13493457247751499462022-08-27T11:53:00.003+01:002022-08-27T11:53:51.367+01:00Summer CYCLOPS Safaris: Part 2 - Cambridge<h2 style="text-align: left;">In my last post, <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/08/summer-cyclops-safaris-part-1-manchester.html" target="_blank">I had a look at the first and third CYCLOPS junctions built in the UK in Manchester</a>. In this post, I head 200km southeast to look at the UK's fourth, in the City of Cambridge.</h2><div>This scheme at the junction of the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/3EMyiYYknjP7zTkb8" target="_blank">B1049 Histon Road with Gilbert Road and Warwick Road</a> was opened in October 2021 just over a year after the first one in Manchester. It came to fruition thanks to the efforts of the local cycling campaign, CamCycle, which had been pushing Cambridgeshire County Council to go with the <a href="https://www.camcycle.org.uk/blog/2018/11/segregated-lanes-restored-at-gilbert-road-junction/" target="_blank">design after seeing the original Manchester plans</a> and is part of the <a href="https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/sustainable-transport-programme/other-transport-schemes/histon-road-1" target="_blank">Histon Road transport scheme</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbO4ZHbUh-IXRHZTfUR13UAr56qVSpTkCUBsXDri3L_uBE3JZEl1HcwOHz-7-l0QfY0d6MnI2ZeMUQeclpqnYY52WfjlR3zgTtJg7A4bnZK0ej_-0LCczrTWO8xqUzNlASw9_qoQBXddKaekOWi0ChXwOyxmkT3_hG2tTfeZUbLjahakArc-MIEM5Rg/s4096/IMG_20220611_102635645_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A CYCLOPS junction which is a crossroads with a pedestrian crossing island on each of the four corners with an orbital red cycle track running behind them. There are crossings from the footway over the cycle track onto the crossing islands with mini-zebra crossings." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbO4ZHbUh-IXRHZTfUR13UAr56qVSpTkCUBsXDri3L_uBE3JZEl1HcwOHz-7-l0QfY0d6MnI2ZeMUQeclpqnYY52WfjlR3zgTtJg7A4bnZK0ej_-0LCczrTWO8xqUzNlASw9_qoQBXddKaekOWi0ChXwOyxmkT3_hG2tTfeZUbLjahakArc-MIEM5Rg/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_102635645_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The layout of the junction is simpler and tidier than the Manchester examples because the designers have eschewed the plethora of fiddly islands in favour of corner islands which have pedestrian space set at footway level (above), together with splitter islands for each approach and exit between the carriageway and cycle track (so a total of eight). The footway level corner island means the push buttons for the pedestrian crossings are much easier for wheelchair and mobility scooter users to reach than the Manchester version which sit on islands.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lJgioXgSNTsYWqU9_H-6yq7teZ0uhXFToXkIjmiPOZwi0rTbPg7ma0pzoMwkIEoBIXO90ez2z5WRVKA1BAf9NpiFEidcZVfSn2kpms_a4WVt5oQDPJBmcmgWjburxFh9Qnv5hznhdfKc7RtRRVNdeUxOHHFsM6QBXezLPj9afggcSgqLeadIPEGWcw/s4096/IMG_20220611_103329541_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view towards the junction showing a red cycle lane splitting into two. To the left, the cucle lane peels left behind a pedestrian crossing island. The the right, the cycle lane ends at an advanced stop line for cycle traffic." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lJgioXgSNTsYWqU9_H-6yq7teZ0uhXFToXkIjmiPOZwi0rTbPg7ma0pzoMwkIEoBIXO90ez2z5WRVKA1BAf9NpiFEidcZVfSn2kpms_a4WVt5oQDPJBmcmgWjburxFh9Qnv5hznhdfKc7RtRRVNdeUxOHHFsM6QBXezLPj9afggcSgqLeadIPEGWcw/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_103329541_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Each approach has an Advanced Stop Line (ASL) and for the Histon Road arms, access to the ASL is from a cycle lane. For the northbound direction, a section of stepped cycle track ends and becomes a cycle lane and for the southbound direction (above) this is from a mandatory cycle lane which runs for a significant distance approching the junction and so does offer as much protection. </div><div><br /></div><div>The layout is tidy and for those going ahead who see the advantage, reintroduction to traffic is simple, but it does of course put people cycling at left hook risk and if one were turning right, then the CYCLOPS provides a safer option. This "hybrid" approach using ASLs is a symptom of traffic flow being maintained as with the first Manchester example.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvGlnY9FUxFiXobEq16xZ2AZdz3evpqKKlI6P4MrKpBVx7INZEMfg7an0LmB3DrHrCGzYsxHHPc2sD78MH1KcNnkg1I95GkaBUU5yJyD2bk4zxWxixBg_ZnBw7edzc2AIjLOQfBid9zf05JLdDHbqsZQGPmG6CoprJZGRO8lV8G0Dl7I1dgcjFS3JHQ/s4096/IMG_20220611_102922852.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A closer view of a red advanced stop line area." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvGlnY9FUxFiXobEq16xZ2AZdz3evpqKKlI6P4MrKpBVx7INZEMfg7an0LmB3DrHrCGzYsxHHPc2sD78MH1KcNnkg1I95GkaBUU5yJyD2bk4zxWxixBg_ZnBw7edzc2AIjLOQfBid9zf05JLdDHbqsZQGPmG6CoprJZGRO8lV8G0Dl7I1dgcjFS3JHQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_102922852.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The ASLs on the side roads are fed by advisory cycle lanes and so are the exits. If we ignore the ASLs for a second, these advisory cycle lanes feed into (above) and exit from the junction (below) on the side roads and with the positioning of the splitter islands (in a nice contrasting colour), people cycling have a protected entry to and exit from the junction. This is a really important safety feature and with junctions being the collision risk, investing there with simpler link protection is a pragmatic approach and can be upgraded later,</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_HUcsRT5ezM8rSqmVIlxF6LAKQcJpMyIOl0vLsumYFVwX6rhUaMAYn8SWGHdPBSOjnmrE1rELG9EmTzEfAV3EUET38qVsV2nXM7bJiLEJd6OGRnVMxejwyEW4Mkov27isOgrbxebaIhWnNy0rcs0MWv9CNxaTVxvNAOYBWAno1SDOD0Aybg2uz3OkQ/s1221/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red cycle track with grass to the left and a traffic island to the right. The cycle track peels left and ends at a carriageway which heads off left." border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1221" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_HUcsRT5ezM8rSqmVIlxF6LAKQcJpMyIOl0vLsumYFVwX6rhUaMAYn8SWGHdPBSOjnmrE1rELG9EmTzEfAV3EUET38qVsV2nXM7bJiLEJd6OGRnVMxejwyEW4Mkov27isOgrbxebaIhWnNy0rcs0MWv9CNxaTVxvNAOYBWAno1SDOD0Aybg2uz3OkQ/w400-h225/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The pedestrian arrangements for the junction are very clear. There are mini-zebra crossings onto the corner islands which I prefer and there is a very shallow hump to give a more level crossing experience (below). For some reason, the designers have marked the humps as if it were a two-way cycle track which seems to be a mistake. It's not vital, but I would have quite liked to have seen the corner islands surfaced in the same light colour blocks as the splitter islands to break up the asphalt and to provide some contrast to the carriageway, but it's not vital to the design.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2nK2UVCSZ3Q2pSHUlFbA6L7AvMduFH_Bdy3OsbjT1dislm1C1R_tfdqosyzXDQV8TbgkiZlNlD9ooRpky2W454ZzLRCd3jsHnlJ_nb8-R6QX7e67vDHPP8p3iXly4Bn592yzOpZLvbDjTrB91FFOLueD9MZ4IbJVfIlLvNH5nbYnE7wBfTM-NMxNdg/s4096/IMG_20220611_102604378.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close up of a mini-zebra crossing over a red cycle track. A child is on a crossing island to the right pressing a crossing push button. A man carrying a child's scooter follows. Behind the man on the mini-zebra crossing, a small child scoots." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2nK2UVCSZ3Q2pSHUlFbA6L7AvMduFH_Bdy3OsbjT1dislm1C1R_tfdqosyzXDQV8TbgkiZlNlD9ooRpky2W454ZzLRCd3jsHnlJ_nb8-R6QX7e67vDHPP8p3iXly4Bn592yzOpZLvbDjTrB91FFOLueD9MZ4IbJVfIlLvNH5nbYnE7wBfTM-NMxNdg/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_102604378.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>One thing which is an issues is the use of tactile paving. Mini-zebra crossings require the use of red tactile paving (almost always) whereas buff is reserved for non-controlled situations. At Histon Road, the designers have used buff with the mini-zebras which is incorrect. They have used red with the signalised crossings which is correct, but the use of the 'L' shaped layout could give the impression that this is the complete crossing.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIC-wB0j9onB868oG7R2gPBYjoyzsdjX6pPDhnx0cbKFll_xw8qKqHxLpjE05nawTDVgYlKiMiLU9KIHMGYmgyJNS8MR2Hie7co-1c8uYQ2cDSursxnxdOatmM0ndBp8WpM-sovFDH0rlLCZOAghHAXQbZa6lthOMImYU7Fjzyx72PaTehiUb8nYTsDw/s971/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A diagram of half a CYCLOPS junction showing grey footways and red cycle tracks. The mini-zebra crossings from the footways to the two of the crossing islands is shown. L shaped tactile paving in dark red is shown on the outer edges of the junction with rectangular tactile paving within." border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="971" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIC-wB0j9onB868oG7R2gPBYjoyzsdjX6pPDhnx0cbKFll_xw8qKqHxLpjE05nawTDVgYlKiMiLU9KIHMGYmgyJNS8MR2Hie7co-1c8uYQ2cDSursxnxdOatmM0ndBp8WpM-sovFDH0rlLCZOAghHAXQbZa6lthOMImYU7Fjzyx72PaTehiUb8nYTsDw/w400-h225/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-mobility-using-tactile-paving-surfaces" target="_blank">guidance explains</a> that we should be providing red tactiles at controlled crossings (zebras and signals). It says we should provide the 'L' shaped arrangements at the start/ end of complete crossings (circled blue in the sketch above) and where islands are part of the overall crossing, then the intermediate tactile paving is rectangular (circled pink above). This is important as it is all design to provide information to visually impaired users and I cannot understand why we keep getting this wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPSEy8TtbcM7FgOQUPGgHMtRfDL_7HCSuu5YL94IYXyoh25gmjnznyYqgq4KkxvdCsteI8FY9WIP_4A4ZqaBUXoHjKE5Q87lnIEOxhe6WzckB0cm-MU3a1sYeWN5Dgw95hXDVTrzGvqCSQMyhrzMzQSDu4XQFewYjWw2OG9YYV22NNeqg8V0tU5RwAA/s4096/IMG_20220611_101120814_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red cycle track with a pair of mini traffic signals either side of a stop line for cycle traffic." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPSEy8TtbcM7FgOQUPGgHMtRfDL_7HCSuu5YL94IYXyoh25gmjnznyYqgq4KkxvdCsteI8FY9WIP_4A4ZqaBUXoHjKE5Q87lnIEOxhe6WzckB0cm-MU3a1sYeWN5Dgw95hXDVTrzGvqCSQMyhrzMzQSDu4XQFewYjWw2OG9YYV22NNeqg8V0tU5RwAA/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_101120814_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>As with Manchester's layout, low level cycle signals have been used in pairs - I would like to see a large signal to be viewable approaching the junction. The cycle demand is from a push button and I am not sure if any other detection is being used because I either pressed the button or others were using the junction.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQ8N2qPF-5hbFZ6mh3kdPdf057aeYqH7VYurSKK0F_-Lp_mnPLSdgW65ZtOm3JHk21LPU9atZU9W-_PhAGeFtwbQCs6n_oWWibpyV6u_S91hn1RPmPTRkAEOSGsESTLWw3ou9MZcyBJ7xefsdCfSizwC4vvfv_scxfezNfgy4JKPWyxxsy7gOW_UX7Q/s4096/IMG_20220611_101651496_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of a red cycle track with a mini zebra crossing between the footway and a crossing island, a man is cycling on the cycle track followed by a small child on a cycle." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQ8N2qPF-5hbFZ6mh3kdPdf057aeYqH7VYurSKK0F_-Lp_mnPLSdgW65ZtOm3JHk21LPU9atZU9W-_PhAGeFtwbQCs6n_oWWibpyV6u_S91hn1RPmPTRkAEOSGsESTLWw3ou9MZcyBJ7xefsdCfSizwC4vvfv_scxfezNfgy4JKPWyxxsy7gOW_UX7Q/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_101651496_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I do prefer Cambridgeshire's layout compared with Manchester's, because the island detailing is simply tidier. I also prefer the red surfacing which consistently applied across Cambridge because as well as being a warmer colour than the green of Manchester, it is also inlaid by machine for a superior finish. I also like the cycle crossings surfaced in the same material as it helps explain the orbital nature to users (above).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhuS-ipcIJXrziKGZhx6xhDaj3ci5xXMyV5AkNEmzsXgN9QQKuBOvShYfkJPn7iMIqu5Y6wod9EoidT6C-B25bbBichysjKABXZVGEgR6oH3T-YU8JH4-d7MPPSxJFaLz3y5nrtUm3hTC0fIEWTYgUW1076i57gD240G9MGmc0kEznKN1XOgl6NHWZA/s4096/IMG_20220611_102915067_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A woman is cycling on a red cycle track and is turning left just before a mini-zebra crossing between a footway and a crossing island." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhuS-ipcIJXrziKGZhx6xhDaj3ci5xXMyV5AkNEmzsXgN9QQKuBOvShYfkJPn7iMIqu5Y6wod9EoidT6C-B25bbBichysjKABXZVGEgR6oH3T-YU8JH4-d7MPPSxJFaLz3y5nrtUm3hTC0fIEWTYgUW1076i57gD240G9MGmc0kEznKN1XOgl6NHWZA/w400-h225/IMG_20220611_102915067_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>There are other nice touches. The designers have kep the kerb heights a little lower than those in Manchester so there is far less risk of catching one's pedals or wheels on them, and the Cambridge scheme has slightly wider cycle space which makes all the difference.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the final analysis, it's great to see places copying each other, tweaking the design, and delivering safer junctions. As I said in my last post, the official guidance doesn't go into the nuts and bolts detail of this type of junction and so being able to visit schemes is going to help designers going forward. Aside from the tactile paving mistakes and the ASLs, I'd say that so far, Cambridge is the design I would probably copy because it is so much tidier in layout.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are dozens of these junctions being planned and built in Greater Manchester, a second is <a href="https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/news/work-to-upgrade-walking-cycling-and-bus-journeys-along-milton-road-to-begin-this-month" target="_blank">under construction in Cambridge at Milton Road</a> and they are appearing in plans all over the country, including several I have helped with the design of in my day job. It's funny really, because <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/05/traffic-signal-pie-innie-vs-outie.html" target="_blank">despite Waltham Forest bringing the Dutch approach to the UK</a> where cycles are the inside of pedestrians (the "innie" design), it seems the CYCLOPS approach is the one we'll see most with its "outie" design. It seems that having something named allows people to conceptualise what something is, even if they don't understand the details, and because this is all aimed at the user, it's fine by me. I'll leave you with a video of the Histon Road CYCLOPS.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rs2z2iJIQ3A" width="320" youtube-src-id="Rs2z2iJIQ3A"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-39661451941248068102022-08-15T16:58:00.005+01:002022-08-15T16:58:56.171+01:00Summer CYCLOPS Safaris: Part 1 - Manchester<h2 style="text-align: left;">At long last, I have manged to get out to go and experience the CYCLOPS junctions which are starting to be rolled out across the UK.</h2><div>I have covered the Cycle Optimised Protected Signals junction designs before <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/05/traffic-signal-pie-innie-vs-outie.html" target="_blank">with a comparison with the Dutch approach</a> and I have seen plenty of photographs and <a href="https://youtu.be/fv5ouU7REZs?t=2653" target="_blank">videos of the design</a>. However, there's nothing like seeing infrastructure in the flesh and so in this post, I will have a look at the first and third examples of the arrangement which were built in Manchester.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsv-kS81fPD8HQI5998mgrSCYMD1qCCSXpSQ-csr3y3Bhri_P04ryQV3E-5G92a6N4Jd_alYlg9FyvkUY4uiWp3QDBwCwElbQmN3o4vBwRSPgDVBlwoXOgRraQZzW7nblCljcQ_uYiPQB5XjkuxH_w4b6eAhXdyEWGAMK4R5vh7LTSR0sf1_ApceozA/s1063/444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A crossroads junction with grey footways, red cycleways and then a black carriageway. There is a pedestrian island at each corner of the junction with a mini-zebra crossing over the cycle track to get to the corner islands. The cycle crossings of the side roads are outside of the pedestrian crossings." border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1063" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsv-kS81fPD8HQI5998mgrSCYMD1qCCSXpSQ-csr3y3Bhri_P04ryQV3E-5G92a6N4Jd_alYlg9FyvkUY4uiWp3QDBwCwElbQmN3o4vBwRSPgDVBlwoXOgRraQZzW7nblCljcQ_uYiPQB5XjkuxH_w4b6eAhXdyEWGAMK4R5vh7LTSR0sf1_ApceozA/w400-h386/444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>First, let's have a little recap. The sketch above is a general arrangement of the CYCLOPS junction. The red shows a series of cycle tracks and in this case, they are all with flow. This means that cycle traffic circulates around the junction in a clockwise fashion. The light grey is footway and island areas and the dark grey is the carriageway. You'll notice the mini-zebra crossings over the cycle track which in this case are placed on small speed humps and the dark red is tactile paving. </div><div><br /></div><div>The 'L' shaped tactile paving essentially shows the start and end point of a complete crossing of the junction and personally, I prefer this to leaving the cycle track crossings uncontrolled. The little speed humps are not about slowing cycle traffic, they are more around giving a level crossing point. Some visually impaired users do prefer having dropped kerbs as the slopes help show they are entering a crossing area.</div><div><br /></div><div>In terms of guidance, Local Transport Note 1/20 "Cycle Infrastructure Design" uses a catch-all term of <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951074/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-1-20.pdf" target="_blank">Circulating Cycle Stage Junction</a> in S10.6.21 for signalised junctions where walking and cycling run together orbitally around an entire junction of which CYCLOPS is a style. It is possible to use two-way cycle tracks with the design, but I'll cover that another time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Probably down to timing of publication, but LTN1/20 doesn't include a CYCLOPS junction, and the section on circulating stage junctions is very brief for what, in my view, is going to become a very important design tool in the coming years - as an aside, LTN1/20 doesn't go into enough detail on design generally, but that's another post. Here's a <a href="http://www.jctconsultancy.co.uk/Symposium/Symposium2018/PapersForDownload/CYCLOPS%20Creating%20Protected%20Junctions%20-%20Richard%20Butler%20Jonathan%20Salter%20Dave%20Stevens%20TFGM.pdf" target="_blank">more detailed technical document explaining the concept</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA3W6E_Xey42K3su1FV88H5jYS0n5x-Iqt_4mZuotUqtNGJv_6PlWyvnmPcu2KBvzimcI5pdSQan0T-EsdLT8pyyiEZK2DdipOE01OIU9kMsY4_V41wMQreEx4OKQu1D1gVFSOEGCuCBrojotZOkXqYKCD6yjJ5_an_BGU08fr3ijv_ZRrVIV2F2zZw/s4096/IMG_20220704_173644242_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A CYCLOPS junction with a cyclist crossing one of the side roads on a green cycle track." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA3W6E_Xey42K3su1FV88H5jYS0n5x-Iqt_4mZuotUqtNGJv_6PlWyvnmPcu2KBvzimcI5pdSQan0T-EsdLT8pyyiEZK2DdipOE01OIU9kMsY4_V41wMQreEx4OKQu1D1gVFSOEGCuCBrojotZOkXqYKCD6yjJ5_an_BGU08fr3ijv_ZRrVIV2F2zZw/w400-h225/IMG_20220704_173644242_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The first CYCLOPS junction was delivered in 2020 on the Manchester to Chorlton Cycleway <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/nhSqZBYjrwmnWybi8" target="_blank">at the junction of the A5067 Chorlton Road and Royce Road</a> (above). In the photograph above you can see one of four pedestrian islands on the left (one at each corner) with the pedestrian crossing in red. On the right of that, there is a the one-way cycle crossing (green) running in parallel.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFZ2HLxZgpNZPcr-nloSLhY0ZPKo2Y1VHAJdEPDkylqAiPUsvY3UbmfXafbvOZiLk-2LtKWI6SavTg9SuqwhQ1NGi6gMUxuokUqcLfHj7AVFCIU0B1M9UcG0TL-A2z2zNpNaN0KuNkKlBLhJ7nj20ItJm-FWTPdB7IMpBCJFTJrHaGW7oMx9y30Cb6g/s4096/IMG_20220704_173632135_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A CYCLOPS junction with a pedestrian island shown prominently with various islands, kerbs, coloured surfacing and road markings." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFZ2HLxZgpNZPcr-nloSLhY0ZPKo2Y1VHAJdEPDkylqAiPUsvY3UbmfXafbvOZiLk-2LtKWI6SavTg9SuqwhQ1NGi6gMUxuokUqcLfHj7AVFCIU0B1M9UcG0TL-A2z2zNpNaN0KuNkKlBLhJ7nj20ItJm-FWTPdB7IMpBCJFTJrHaGW7oMx9y30Cb6g/w400-h225/IMG_20220704_173632135_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Above is a slightly different view of the junction, this time showing more of the corner island and the traffic signals. Transport for Greater Manchester has elected to use a pair of low level cycle signals - personally I like to see a full-sized signal plus a low level sign with the former being more easily seen from a distance back. There is a push button, but that's a back-up because there is detection and it's too close to the stop line for my liking (coming at it from a non-standard cycle user's perspective. It is nice to see the button light up to show you are detected.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHTkPoljllShi-jKDuUa1qkuvwBxs9sWY7CKoUbr_nEgxXo2kl1edYO9vi1maFaB96rU6nFLMS5kp7EPY3kXmkmJOVaiMzsR3cRTa2H1nX_R9sCv98gkIrgEFeyV22o87qph3xOd37hZBEPhCaplw0Fn0JauzD0hJgDAJ19xIzhr1n5_XPgGQhH34GQ/s4096/IMG_20220704_173442361_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Another view of a CYCLOPS pedestrian island." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHTkPoljllShi-jKDuUa1qkuvwBxs9sWY7CKoUbr_nEgxXo2kl1edYO9vi1maFaB96rU6nFLMS5kp7EPY3kXmkmJOVaiMzsR3cRTa2H1nX_R9sCv98gkIrgEFeyV22o87qph3xOd37hZBEPhCaplw0Fn0JauzD0hJgDAJ19xIzhr1n5_XPgGQhH34GQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220704_173442361_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>For pedestrians, there is no priority onto/ off from the island and I personally would have preferred a mini-zebra crossing. The island is quite complicated as it is really three small islands forming a larger space which sits at carriageway level and the further island (in the middle of the three in the photograph above) helps to keep left turning drivers out wide. </div><div><br /></div><div>The islands provide a vertical upstand to help cane-users to navigate, but they create a problem for wheelchair and mobility scooter users who cannot get close to the push button. A better approach would have been to place the posts at the same level as the walking surface. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because the access to the island is not in line with the signalised crossing of the road, people have to turn through 45° to move between the crossing points. This means that it is less likely that visually impaired people will mistake the crossings as single movement as can be the concern with in-line crossings. This is something DfT worries about in LTN1/20 (10.6.22) where mini-zebras are used with signals over the road, although I think this is overstated to some extent. However, it address some issues, so I am not against it.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JQjGs5SeZLDeT0rL_Tm1OEwPiLrnZPhbPZLkSQGHpG5mLYvzSHDgitBuwe9Obfxo-tVqS1ymrI2-EKcE98cwDTHPr7-aHs9FzRhfonH_0Eaed0hx0sXfi7Qeb1vXUtA6xVbxK6b_Zte87VBsFqnXKEDD3wYkP0WZZLwQmssCKE3Lr6ChXBkBqy1lbQ/s4096/IMG_20220704_173646708_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Two cyclists crossing a side road. One on the CYCLOPS cycle track and one on the road." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JQjGs5SeZLDeT0rL_Tm1OEwPiLrnZPhbPZLkSQGHpG5mLYvzSHDgitBuwe9Obfxo-tVqS1ymrI2-EKcE98cwDTHPr7-aHs9FzRhfonH_0Eaed0hx0sXfi7Qeb1vXUtA6xVbxK6b_Zte87VBsFqnXKEDD3wYkP0WZZLwQmssCKE3Lr6ChXBkBqy1lbQ/w400-h225/IMG_20220704_173646708_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The other design decision was to provide a gap in the approaching cycle track protection to allow cycle traffic to move out of the cycle track into general traffic, complete with an advanced stop line (ASL). This means that some cyclists may elect to move into traffic if the signals are showing in favour if that movement. The photograph above shows someone who has chosen to do this. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was the first CYCLOPS and so there was concern that people cycling wouldn't want to wait for a green signal, so the access to the ASL was an adjustment to counter the problem. The real problem of course is how much time we give to general traffic verus how nimble and efficient cycling is given that the CYCLOPS junction is <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/05/most-highway-infrastructure-is-for.html" target="_blank">motoring infrastructure</a>. The signals engineers have been tweaking the detection and so it isn't a huge issue and in theory, the all round green for walking and cycling could be run twice per cycle.</div><div><br /></div><div>225 metres south of the first CYCLOPS, we have the UK's third, which is part of the same scheme, this time at the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Zfc2M3z9X7HNetTYA" target="_blank">junction of Chortlon Road with the A5067 Stretford Road</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuif-LxP5mLq7TGhhZIt5zpZw9Y3VSXjMSMeNaaydMBg5jZNtH_8GvSQXoRaCRIwHvQh981DyDmo7saC9mw9kuew0tb4rtxeIOjOdDx9RNPEp01S-BCgujN7T0epNxbe-epQ22nYM217Q18N2FctYDuymLEgDA_UtllLbb__o5Ojn_AfMm9t_iqKtgg/s4096/IMG_20220704_172822655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A corner island with a diagnal crossing point surfaced in red." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuif-LxP5mLq7TGhhZIt5zpZw9Y3VSXjMSMeNaaydMBg5jZNtH_8GvSQXoRaCRIwHvQh981DyDmo7saC9mw9kuew0tb4rtxeIOjOdDx9RNPEp01S-BCgujN7T0epNxbe-epQ22nYM217Q18N2FctYDuymLEgDA_UtllLbb__o5Ojn_AfMm9t_iqKtgg/w400-h225/IMG_20220704_172822655.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>In many ways, it's the same layout as the first, but an immediate difference is the addition of a diagonal pedestrian crossing between the southeast and northeast islands (above). The junction is skewed which means one of the diagonals is quite short and because walking and cycling run under a single green, the diagonal is easy to accommodate. In fact, had the junction been designed in the Dutch way with the cycles on the inside, then the diagonal wouldn't have been possible.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0d1yXYnFYqCvKJGQ_-CH6G5-We5Mlo4_WY8MJk6mGLxjlfGTtD-cR8CQJrcHQcW0lD4VPCTWMxYm9wvXvBEID91Vc3gUpvIjppCu417gzdeJICij8LKiuxbfGv-Ap6SWXS9YDKxFMMRELLhZ7mVSiC7Xk_pqNpcloHAzLJFjNIOXRoo2qUs_bgfJhZA/s4096/IMG_20220704_172851552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A wider view of the crossing and orbital cycle tracks." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0d1yXYnFYqCvKJGQ_-CH6G5-We5Mlo4_WY8MJk6mGLxjlfGTtD-cR8CQJrcHQcW0lD4VPCTWMxYm9wvXvBEID91Vc3gUpvIjppCu417gzdeJICij8LKiuxbfGv-Ap6SWXS9YDKxFMMRELLhZ7mVSiC7Xk_pqNpcloHAzLJFjNIOXRoo2qUs_bgfJhZA/w400-h225/IMG_20220704_172851552.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The walking layout on the diagonal islands is a little more complicated with two crossings of the cycle tack each, but as things are offset as with the first scheme, it all works very intuitively. There are no ASLs on this scheme, but there are gaps in the kerb protection if one feels the need to move out. When I cycled the two junctions I didn't have to wait too long and as you'll see in the video below, a complete U-turn is easily possible within the green which is a very important feature to allow people to change direction if they didn't want to cross the road to turn right at a proceeding junction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The CYCLOPS junction is interesting because on the face of it, we get fully protected intersections which feels very familiar to anyone who has used such in other places, especially northern europe. However, at the same time, they are very much British and have a look and feel that will be familiar to politicians and designers (including signals engineers) as well as the public and that is why we'll see them all of the UK in the coming months and years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, I think the cycle tracks are a touch narrow, there are perhaps too many fiddly kerbs and islands, and the colour scheme is a bit garish, but the junctions work well and most importantly, they give a great sense of protected and action protection from traffic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll leave you <a href="https://youtu.be/3foqNFDk7MM" target="_blank">with a video</a> of a bit of cycling in the general area, including these two new junctions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3foqNFDk7MM" width="320" youtube-src-id="3foqNFDk7MM"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-22969289677692637062022-07-31T11:17:00.000+01:002022-07-31T11:17:01.816+01:00Hare-Brained<h2 style="text-align: left;">I do enjoy discovering highway engineering relics which turn out to be clever little interventions that we have forgotten to do and in this post, we head to Peterborough to look at such a relic.</h2><div>On the one hand, it's great to see old layouts that make walking, wheeling and cycling easier because it shows that we've always been able to do this stuff. On the other hand, it's also sad, because rather than rolling them out everywhere, it reminds us that the UK chose the wrong path to mass car use which is so difficult to face today.</div><div><br /></div><div>To the north of the city of Peterborough, the A47 and A15 meet with both roads amusingly called parkways. Just south of this junction we have <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/x5wNxg4FhaA8iXqj7" target="_blank">Harebell Close</a>, part of the larger Dogthorpe part of the city. The suburbs of Peterborough being a product of it becoming a New Town in 1967 with lots of low density development surrounding the historic city centre. </div><div><br /></div><div>In common with many New Towns, there is also a network of walking and cycling routes which are separated from the road network, but like the others, it's low density development and where driving was made far easier. Over the years, the quality of the separate networks has been allowed to degrade and it hasn't really been expanded. <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/738305/ppr776-sustainable-travel-towns-final-report.pdf" target="_blank">The 2011 cycling commute mode share was 5.7%</a>, compared to the national 2.7% and so at least being fairly compact, flat and with some cycling infrastructure, it gives the place something to build upon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, Harebell Close has an interesting junction where a cycle track meets the road (below). It is a junction because cycles are vehicles and the cycle track is meeting a carriageway.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhECbnX2EwqCtvoe1qKadBQGRduRyKsV9vYs3SQPLqY2Fh1-hW2Fs5pcQdJPJyYRGz1JXQQzFMNB0c91qlG4t00WDGuoysyS237E3uQGDsrsMCvhCLV1EaX3_SoMVqMoI1X-xm3NEceEruM8RHdzm3RjVgUY7TCpq9dIGWO_K6er2vbojoHPm-DYvnrA/s1504/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of a street where the road is narrowed at the place a cycle track crosses from each side. there is a footway on both sides with bushes behind those. The paving changes type and colour at the junction." border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1504" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhECbnX2EwqCtvoe1qKadBQGRduRyKsV9vYs3SQPLqY2Fh1-hW2Fs5pcQdJPJyYRGz1JXQQzFMNB0c91qlG4t00WDGuoysyS237E3uQGDsrsMCvhCLV1EaX3_SoMVqMoI1X-xm3NEceEruM8RHdzm3RjVgUY7TCpq9dIGWO_K6er2vbojoHPm-DYvnrA/w400-h225/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I'll go through the details shortly, but the the location came to my attention through tweets from the local MP, Paul Bristow (Con, Peterborough). Who had apparently been <a href="https://twitter.com/paulbristow79/status/1552339082252009474?s=20&t=G_DYXXrtpJbNcc5jIpOeLw" target="_blank">campaigning for barriers</a> to be placed across the cycle track.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKKhAkjQ3apIqu2TBUdIoJQH4y11La2WaG19v1cDwCn4jsSi_DzdjkZb9CxKDTX0Sd2iMYU_xPPu1FSt4GjUTeBQyIAMrrU8L5HOYJ2QVKOZZnNELWTs03NFzG7KrgK7b-vFU1qvlN3n5o4gFHz3JbQOWGKKsu8vXcVPtZhhGPElLNK85SLcjzQSgVg/s785/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tweet from Paul Bristow MP sent on 27/7/22 at 6.04PM "A year ago I went to see the residents of Harebell Close in #Peterborough about putting in some kissing gates where the cycle path meets the road 👍 This is about safety. Officers agreed with me and promised action. We have e messed around for year. This is not good enough." The tweet has a photo of the MP standing by the cycle track which runs off into the distance." border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="555" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKKhAkjQ3apIqu2TBUdIoJQH4y11La2WaG19v1cDwCn4jsSi_DzdjkZb9CxKDTX0Sd2iMYU_xPPu1FSt4GjUTeBQyIAMrrU8L5HOYJ2QVKOZZnNELWTs03NFzG7KrgK7b-vFU1qvlN3n5o4gFHz3JbQOWGKKsu8vXcVPtZhhGPElLNK85SLcjzQSgVg/w283-h400/2.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><div>As you would expect from Twitter, the MP received a schooling in access issues and the Equality Act 2010, but even when noting comments from the Peterborough Cycle Forum, he doubled down and <a href="https://twitter.com/paulbristow79/status/1553068769299267585?s=20&t=G_DYXXrtpJbNcc5jIpOeLw" target="_blank">wrote to the council's chief executive</a> about the issue.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaMoD9S6QPmjhZjJ_JqOWolVQGmz5W7akLOks6E3xbi4avdKWguERtD0Et88tMd0iV4JUL0Wd4spILCIRMt_Vt5Iq2jROVmz-ZoAG9ofhBF0qmTtPC7VHkqGOPfdxbwmK3TYSbMqQUQkfUmKURCvjH5gQ1fOuiKTkss7sbr9I7q-E6LWHJLGcOAZ-Lw/s1711/FY2bz-VXoAMpvV2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Text from the MP's letter of 29th July 2022. "PAUL BRISTOW MP, PETERBOROUGH HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SW 1A OAA Matt Gladstone Chief Executive Officer Peterborough City Council Sent via email Dear Mr Gladstone, Re: Harebell Close 29 July 2022 Around a year ago I went and met with residents at Harebell Close regarding the cycle path crossing near the entrance to the close. Residents expressed concern that cyclists can not easily see that a road crossing is coming up and as a result cross the road at speed which creates risks for all road users - pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike. There is also a children's play area near by which means many families are using the road in close proximity to the cycle crossing. As a result of my visit last year officers agreed that it was a dangerous situation and some sort of gate or barrier would be installed so that cyclists were aware they were approaching a road crossing. I have been contacted again by residents who are disappointed that no action has been taken for a year. I understand that under Equality Act 2010, Section 20, any physical feature installed should not put a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. I would not support a barrier that would do this and I have been reminded of the law several times in a 'spirited' way by members of the Peterborough Cycle Forum on social media. However, this is an issue of safety and the Act must not be a reason to do nothing. Working with local residents, I am sure a solution can be found that suit cyclists, pedestrians, motorists and disabled people. Furthermore, I understand that there is confusion about whether responsibly for the maintenance of the busies and foliage along the path is the responsibility of Longhurst or the City Council. When overgrown these buses also affect accessibility and viability and it would be if this could also be resolved. I would be very grateful if you could look into this matter and ensure something is done as soon as possible for the safety of all road/ path users. I am determined to hold the council to their promise to put something in place that will improve the safety of this junction. Yours sincerely, Paul Bristow MP Member of Parliament for Peterborough "" border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaMoD9S6QPmjhZjJ_JqOWolVQGmz5W7akLOks6E3xbi4avdKWguERtD0Et88tMd0iV4JUL0Wd4spILCIRMt_Vt5Iq2jROVmz-ZoAG9ofhBF0qmTtPC7VHkqGOPfdxbwmK3TYSbMqQUQkfUmKURCvjH5gQ1fOuiKTkss7sbr9I7q-E6LWHJLGcOAZ-Lw/w274-h400/FY2bz-VXoAMpvV2.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br /><div>This is a fascinating insight into day to day local political campaigning because "road issues" is a great subject to generate a bit of noise given how many politicians only listen to noisy adult drivers with everyone else ignored. </div><div><br /></div><div>Like traffic signs and pothole repairs, a campaign for a couple of barriers is also a good tactic because it's pretty cheap, it's something that generates a good photo of Things Getting Done and it plays well to those who are listened to. Within the local authority, a CEO is able to push just a request down the food chain as inevitably, there will be a manager somewhere happy to instruct the work to shut the politician up - it's easier to acquiesce because it takes so little time and effort, compared with actually resisting such nonsense with data, facts and logic.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think I need to explain why barriers across a cycle track is a bad idea, but <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2016/01/bashthebarriers.html" target="_blank">you can read this post from 2016</a> for more, even where there might be an issue of compromise (which isn't the case here). Meanwhile, lets look at the details of Harebell Close and try to get under the skin of what the issue really is.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhtZU72X9BE2X9lgsD5ZEVNRMoWGZEjqlyKWKwQpXTVGs5Y_VrvtpNaHswouFOQP3yDVaGlPSfoTs6-4WUomFx3XhIWfxR1UgJ4CFGX_JVIlcStWJ5SS7XoA2WcsWlir_NHqBz1hjT-DWbPIvq7wZaxnk90HUu3rfsy_xGKFidu3069oNssXLzHx2zw/s1504/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of a street where the road is narrowed at the place a cycle track crosses from each side. there is a footway on both sides with bushes behind those. The paving changes type and colour at the junction." border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1504" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhtZU72X9BE2X9lgsD5ZEVNRMoWGZEjqlyKWKwQpXTVGs5Y_VrvtpNaHswouFOQP3yDVaGlPSfoTs6-4WUomFx3XhIWfxR1UgJ4CFGX_JVIlcStWJ5SS7XoA2WcsWlir_NHqBz1hjT-DWbPIvq7wZaxnk90HUu3rfsy_xGKFidu3069oNssXLzHx2zw/w400-h225/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>If we go back to the first image (above to save scrolling), there are several points of detail which can be gleaned. The general layout has a 5.5m wide carriageway with a couple of 1.8m wide footways; a layout which can be found all over the UK for estates of this age. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the crossing, the carriageway is narrowed to about 3.2m which means drivers have to give way to each other. The narrowing is also asymmetric with the nearside (on each approach) being narrowed far more than on the offside. For drivers, this gives two messages. First it is very obviously that they should slow down, but more subtlety, that oncoming traffic has priority. There are no signs to explain this because the layout is self-explanatory.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm85y6wxXfxmPBULaXLqKYPRFvH5cjesMgqm-OyLna0TnlUQ-vg-_B6qf99JYUUERK_FSL9l8m1jRAR5w4rgRmf1XHh5rGbLEqPphiFK_f2OEV_Hgb9CchnKbuxurdVDhtZaRaTWgDpX6wGgDDHm1sHBjNF-kaTIGgVmkjMv-dKsw7fTLweSw6l4IHjQ/s1528/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The same layout as before, but zoomed in." border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1528" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm85y6wxXfxmPBULaXLqKYPRFvH5cjesMgqm-OyLna0TnlUQ-vg-_B6qf99JYUUERK_FSL9l8m1jRAR5w4rgRmf1XHh5rGbLEqPphiFK_f2OEV_Hgb9CchnKbuxurdVDhtZaRaTWgDpX6wGgDDHm1sHBjNF-kaTIGgVmkjMv-dKsw7fTLweSw6l4IHjQ/w400-h225/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The asymmetric narrowing also physically helps to slow drivers because they have to steer to the right fairly abruptly. The area that is narrowed is also paved in a completely different material (above) with bollards to give some visual verticality to the horizontal deflection. The lighting columns on the nearside to each approach make sure the junction is well lit and so further provide verticality. </div><div><br /></div><div>The very interesting thing about the asymmetric narrowing is creates a bit of a zig-zag through the junction that you only notice on a closer inspection. Across the junction, kerbs flanking the carriageway continue through and while disappearing into the background, they do add to a suggestion that general traffic has some priority.</div><div><br /></div><div>We can also note that the junction is actually on a raised hump which provides some vertical deflection for drivers as well as a flatter place for cycle traffic to cross. For the cycle track, there are give way markings before the junction which indicates priority for general traffic and the cycle track ends short of the carriageway on each side to provide tactile paving, perhaps recognising that people may well be walking along the cycle track which is signed for cycles, but over which people have a right to walk.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUY-vBp3LS4iWeeb8rit-ke_oDVZ2SwNGx3DBS9xO5h2LPo1S92sa4ZjNK61HGL70nHkold-_UVnf_ILpKNbDBNCa2kWY7hS6Dsluhb7Ke_dDD9_z6SUbM_wn5I6pr_T54Ehx-xAbKgr6gm4J1W7SmD9vhqr1oZQh1Rmw7fyuElHSLD5HAf_jjpigXg/s1500/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of the tactile paving as described in the main text." border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUY-vBp3LS4iWeeb8rit-ke_oDVZ2SwNGx3DBS9xO5h2LPo1S92sa4ZjNK61HGL70nHkold-_UVnf_ILpKNbDBNCa2kWY7hS6Dsluhb7Ke_dDD9_z6SUbM_wn5I6pr_T54Ehx-xAbKgr6gm4J1W7SmD9vhqr1oZQh1Rmw7fyuElHSLD5HAf_jjpigXg/w400-h225/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The tactile paving is also interesting. At the edge of the carriageway, there is red crossing blister paving which is actually reserved for zebra crossings and signalised crossings. This should ideally buff, or at least a non-red contrast. </div><div><br /></div><div>The grey paving behind is actually a UK rarity - a guidance path surface. This is used to guide visually impaired people along a route when the traditional cues, such as a property line or kerb edge, are not available. This has been deliberately provided here because the arrangement seems to guide people to the crossing point. It's an odd arrangement.</div><div><br /></div><div>So there we have it. A layout which is a junction, does some clever things with vertical and horizontal deflection and with a change of materials, but which still prioritises the road. Throw in a warning signs for a cycle route crossing ahead on each side of the junction aimed at drivers, we have an interesting layout which generally seems to mitigate the risk of a collision. In terms of data, there haven't been any actually injury collisions here for 20 years and while we should be careful with applying casualty data (as it's only a small part of an overall consideration), the junction seems pretty safe to me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's go back to Bristow's letter and look at the detail.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>"Residents expressed concern that cyclists can not easily see that a road crossing is coming up and as a result cross the road at speed which creates risks for all road users - pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike." </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>This is really a projection. The concern is coming from adults who drive and despite living here and knowing the layout intimately, still have concerns. There are just 50 homes beyond this junction and so this is genuinely a low traffic environment and so it hints that driving residents don't really want to slow down and check the junction. Even if someone cycling didn't slow down, they are still not going to be faster than someone driving through, even with the traffic calming. What the residents actually want is for the state to mitigate any liability they might be carrying into the junction under the veil of "safety".</div><div><br /></div><div>Throwing in "all road users" is absolutely classic politics. The whole "all road users" trope is used by those trying to suggest that everyone has come to the game on a level playing field with the same power. This is absolutely not the case and argue as they might, physics is the final arbiter. He throws in some more Legitimate Concerns.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>"There is also a children's play area near by which means many families are using the road in close proximity to the cycle crossing"</i></div><div><br /></div><div>There is a little playground at the end of Harebell Close and because the street curves back on itself, it is directly served by the cycle track. I wonder if by "families using the road" he is worried about locals driving to the playground which would be odd. He goes on.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>"I understand that under Equality Act 2010, Section 20, any physical feature installed should not put a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. I would not support a barrier that would do this and I have been reminded of the law several times in a 'spirited' way by members of the Peterborough Cycle Forum on social media. However, this is an issue of safety and the Act must not be a reason to do nothing. Working with local residents, I am sure a solution can be found that suit cyclists, pedestrians, motorists and disabled people."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll take this as some progress that he understand that barriers can be discriminatory, but his passive aggression against the local cycle forum shows just how embedded the thinking is that a barrier is a solution per se. Then we're back at a solution that suits everyone - the point is, we are dealing with physics and the second best solution is reducing the energy of the situation which has to be aimed at drivers and it is they who should be made responsible. The best solution is removing general traffic, but that's not an option.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's also consider the users a little more. Drivers are trained, licenced and insured. They are adults and have a better developed understanding of their environment and the risks associated with it. Then let's say we have a couple of 10 year old children using the cycle track to get to the playground. They have a less developed idea of risk, speed perception and they certainly haven't been trained in the rules of the road, or at least not to the extent that a driver has. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would contend that users of the cycle track might, on balance, be less understanding of the role of the give way markings than drivers, but cyclists can also adjust their speed so they don't need to stop before crossing (which is a time penalty). To a driver approaching the junction at a speed excessive to the situation, a young cyclist going straight across might appear fast, but in reality this isn't the case. Throw in the general proposition that it isn't in cyclists' interest to be in a collision and although we have a good layout, it is still set up to favour and indeed to absolve the driver of responsibility and so in providing a solution to the "problem", we need to go further.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's swap the propositions around. Here we have a cycle track which is useful for utility purposes and it is the (car) based route which has to cross it. Cyclists have an energy penalty for every stop and so maintaining momentum is important. We also have users who may not be trained in what traffic signs mean and who might not be the best at judging risk. The answer here is to change the junction to put the absolute responsibility for crossing the space on drivers which is completely appropriate for the conditions.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwtB1-HuN5zt6iWCoEw-vgjEagG59IKH9Krj9SkcRLiGY4HvDwIp4P8pCVn-ZZuQ5XA3JU6CvPVIIL6IE6jGW75DpDRGxLnjxIRL9DzPEgNU1pTeRBJ-9HiUyPJ7_hfSF7x2J92wOp7X6nDxTephYtOFfRS7xE63Mdbo1bHTmhTvK-8BmuMdwYwKhDQ/s1045/FYw3iiTWIAMCXWe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="1045" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwtB1-HuN5zt6iWCoEw-vgjEagG59IKH9Krj9SkcRLiGY4HvDwIp4P8pCVn-ZZuQ5XA3JU6CvPVIIL6IE6jGW75DpDRGxLnjxIRL9DzPEgNU1pTeRBJ-9HiUyPJ7_hfSF7x2J92wOp7X6nDxTephYtOFfRS7xE63Mdbo1bHTmhTvK-8BmuMdwYwKhDQ/w400-h225/FYw3iiTWIAMCXWe.jpg" title="The cycle track is taken across the junction as described in the main text." width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The image above has the cycle track made continuous across the junction with the kerbs along the carriageway edge removed in favour of kerbs running across a driver's line of travel. These are design cues which require drivers to slow right down and check before crossing. One thing that does need doing, and I am in agreement with Bristow on it, is that the bushes need cutting back to improve visibility between modes. This is not to absolve drivers of responsibility, but to ensure that when they are in the correct position, they can actually see to check before crossing. Some blocking of visibility is helpful as it stops people glancing early and running through.</div><div><br /></div><div>This approach has been available for decades and it is featured in <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120" target="_blank">Local Transport Note 1/20 Designing for Cycle Traffic</a> (see Figure 10.6) - a "cycle priority crossing". Whist I would argue that the design layout is far more important than administrative control through the use of traffic signs (including markings), the minimum requirement is to provide a pair of dotted give way lines (diagram 1003) and the additional of a painted give way triangle and upright give way signs is overkill in my view for this type of situation with low traffic flows. I would even look at omitting the give way lines based on a risk assessment.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj593NryJ_tsOOFKJkknIUcqbLoVwGanS8-UcTtdtgIIFGVtbYZC34mENuhQ8KQyib0R7fkuVsUXMuv2zQ5mxn3uWvN9VFcLajxhRPYxEiFCUjQx7jwS1sLH088ogg3ixATkuQA52JctZHF0femBDSufr9zf_o6Cyv8RUeUFLjb5I3cj42ml3mJWHQ05Q/s1447/121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A plan drawing of the junction as explained in the main text." border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1447" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj593NryJ_tsOOFKJkknIUcqbLoVwGanS8-UcTtdtgIIFGVtbYZC34mENuhQ8KQyib0R7fkuVsUXMuv2zQ5mxn3uWvN9VFcLajxhRPYxEiFCUjQx7jwS1sLH088ogg3ixATkuQA52JctZHF0femBDSufr9zf_o6Cyv8RUeUFLjb5I3cj42ml3mJWHQ05Q/w400-h271/121.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The sketch above shows what an updated version of this layout could look like. Rather than the gentle slopes up to the junction, I have used <a href="https://www.aggregate.com/products-and-services/commercial-landscaping/kerbs/dutch-kerb" target="_blank">entrance kerbs</a> to provide both the vertical deflection and the visual cue across the line of travel and I have added give way markings to be explicit. I have also assumed the bushes have been dealt with to provide better visibility at the junction. </div><div><br /></div><div>Really, this is the kind of layout which Bristow should be pushing for. One which makes allowances for the knowledge and energy of those cycling and which makes driver responsibility explicit. I am not coming at this from a premise that cycling should be prioritised at all times, but from the premise that this type of situation should very much prioritise cycling and through good design, we require the party with the capacity to do the most harm to have the responsibility for the safety of all road users.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-38015138453458790812022-06-04T11:43:00.000+01:002022-06-04T11:43:08.648+01:00A Cheeky Monkey<h2 style="text-align: left;">Well Dear Reader, this is my 500th blog post and I can scarcely believe it. <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post.html" target="_blank">My first post was on 28th November 2012</a> and so this year I shall also be celebrating 10 years of writing this conduit from my brain.</h2><div>This really *has* been a chronicle of my adventures in space and time in the strange universe of highways and transport both professionally and personally. I think the journey to starting this actually started back in January 2011 because I started cycling to work and this enabled me to see the streets from a lost perspective, having barely cycled since being a child. My conversion wasn't because of any green or health-related ideals, it was the fact that I had just moved offices from the suburban edge to the town centre and got fed up with sitting in traffic jams twice a day. In many ways, journey time predictability and convenience remains a key reason why I still cycle today, but I'm increasingly learning there is more to it than that.</div><div><br /></div><div>From that point onwards, it started to dawn on me that our approach to urban transport in particular was utterly warped. I could see cycling was part of the solution, although I didn't really grasp just how important it was. I already had a professional interest in walking and so I saw cycling as an natural extension, which in some ways it is. When I started to write this blog, I was working for a London borough and after cycling for 18-months I started to become frustrated with some of my colleagues, certainly management and definitely politicians when they couldn't see the world as I saw it.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f3EbOqMMKzVq9oMCYvcMstnnO7CA-2jINfTOQrf9IQomn6ix7_rGAgHW9eh3Eblhsv5Gfod8F4iVAmwNsH2-Rtaox3YZ03SKeyNOYZPSiUgMFwBSqI2Nw4w0GUFo0dgr8JR8fCVoHk0fhSBbPwp8M7HBE9fY8AT80IBRNqTvZ65bmKEpFFqJ2_ZqtQ/s4096/IMG_20200613_090939750_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f3EbOqMMKzVq9oMCYvcMstnnO7CA-2jINfTOQrf9IQomn6ix7_rGAgHW9eh3Eblhsv5Gfod8F4iVAmwNsH2-Rtaox3YZ03SKeyNOYZPSiUgMFwBSqI2Nw4w0GUFo0dgr8JR8fCVoHk0fhSBbPwp8M7HBE9fY8AT80IBRNqTvZ65bmKEpFFqJ2_ZqtQ/w400-h225/IMG_20200613_090939750_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/07/ldncyclesafari-goes-solo-lea-bridge.html" target="_blank">Waltham Forest has gradually become less crap in recent years!</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I had started to read other people's blogs at the time and one in particular got my brain thinking and that was "<a href="http://crapwalthamforest.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Crap Cycling & Walking in Waltham Forest.</a>" I was reading lots of others, but CC&WIWF got my brain going because of its focus on infrastructural solutions to the problems we had (and still have in many ways). I also need to give a shout out to the <a href="https://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/" target="_blank">Cycling Embassy of Great Britain</a> which really introduced me to how the Dutch design for cycling as well as showcasing the best of the UK. The organisation is currently resting for a variety of reasons and I don't know if it will get going again, but I am indebted to all involved, plus those who took time to lead rides and talk at the Embassy's AGMs - a much missed annual highlight for me.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2012, cycling for transport seemed a marginal idea in UK transport terms, at least it was in my own professional circles. Sure, we had places like Cambridge, but they had been dining out on local peculiarities such as being a university town with skint students needing a cheap way to get around. There really wasn't a coherent UK-wide policy approach, although in my London bubble things were starting to change. At the time, Johnson was freshly into his second term as London mayor and there was outcry that his first generation of so-called <a href="https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/first-rider-killed-on-cycle-superhighway-worked-at-olympic-site-3425144" target="_blank">cycle superhighways had been killing people</a>. These were just painted stripes and in many cases, not even actual cycle lanes.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SoBWQR75_zaj5LUXiTrl7TTceQqKtGjlhA7Fxv9QDEXgcj625rh3tlRxjp9SZv_sBkQhbF6H2BgGbPaNC4DHYJ-4A7gZh0VabQ7zUsbZiHaezslELs0QX-Y_9xHll5nbgXvjoE9QELOFcDBCSXRayq3PRnGU30mocDRtcASM0PWAUcKwn-ItwUi3jw/s4096/IMG_20220409_085248900_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SoBWQR75_zaj5LUXiTrl7TTceQqKtGjlhA7Fxv9QDEXgcj625rh3tlRxjp9SZv_sBkQhbF6H2BgGbPaNC4DHYJ-4A7gZh0VabQ7zUsbZiHaezslELs0QX-Y_9xHll5nbgXvjoE9QELOFcDBCSXRayq3PRnGU30mocDRtcASM0PWAUcKwn-ItwUi3jw/w400-h225/IMG_20220409_085248900_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cycleway 8 in London. The wands are a Pandemic response. The paint was how Mayor Johnson thought in his first term.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2013, I looked at Transport for London's <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2013/04/something-is-going-on-in-berkshire.html" target="_blank">Cycling Safety Innovation Trials </a></div><div><a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2013/04/something-is-going-on-in-berkshire.html" target="_blank">being undertaken by the TRL</a> and later the same year I actually visited trials twice to see them for myself. First as a <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2013/07/if-you-go-down-to-woods-today.html" target="_blank">cycling participant</a> and second on a <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2013/11/if-you-go-back-to-woods-today-again.html" target="_blank">professional institution visit</a>. Change to the cycling design approach with regulatory change was on the move, although it took until 2020 for the Department for Trasport to update its design guidance (for England) with <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120" target="_blank">LTN1/20 - Cycling Infrastructure Design</a>. While the devolved administrations have their own guidance, LTN1/20 probably just pushes ahead, although I'd say it needs updating already, but that's another post.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think looking back at the approach to cycling infrastructure design, it has increasingly became a mainstream subject in my profession from a conceptual point of view, but it is still taking time to permeate best practice. That is personally beneficial as almost three years ago, I quit my local authority job for my third private sector role which majors on walking and cycling design, but hopefully I'll end up out of a job one day.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u33OpLpMIQ5IEDhQGU9cqopDBwgswkdxmJI7NaXefJ4qWNwV1eCS4LwBvygndNEEM-Mxdaj4gsPP3iwyWpnbonJMmP39OI5DlVFkXliFh7F3OPlYpOf26gwPda2ZElvXnBhZ0Cc6J75aI-MnlJXxxtTvPuFt4vsazmMUtkCAKkE_gK6jgp64aqehvg/s3996/DSCF2623_001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="3996" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u33OpLpMIQ5IEDhQGU9cqopDBwgswkdxmJI7NaXefJ4qWNwV1eCS4LwBvygndNEEM-Mxdaj4gsPP3iwyWpnbonJMmP39OI5DlVFkXliFh7F3OPlYpOf26gwPda2ZElvXnBhZ0Cc6J75aI-MnlJXxxtTvPuFt4vsazmMUtkCAKkE_gK6jgp64aqehvg/w400-h225/DSCF2623_001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The test roundabout at TRL (long since removed). It's a great pity the "shark's teeth" give way markings didn't make into UK regulations.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond the potted roundup of how we and I got here in 2022 from a cycling design point of view, I think the posts on this blog have broadly crystalised into three themes:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>In-depth technical posts,</li><li>Infrastructure Safaris (a term coined by <a href="https://twitter.com/sallyhinch" target="_blank">Sally Hinchcliffe</a>), and</li><li>Rants - subjects which had got my goat and which needed a venting.</li></ul><div>The in-depth technical posts have been very enjoyable to write because they have pushed me to undertake some research which in itself has been fascinating because it often showed that many "new" ideas weren't new and we were just rediscovering things lost to a generation or two of designing and managing our streets for cars. For example, <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/01/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-back-to.html" target="_blank">my research into traffic orders supporting "Low Traffic Neighbourhoods" (LTNs) earlier this year</a> definitely showed they were nothing new at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>My infrastructure safaris have been very enjoyable, whether solo or with other people. During the Pandemic lockdowns, they became vital to my wellbeing, but more generally, they have been a great way of looking our how other designers have been working. As I have said, nothing is new and so borrowing (and hopefully improving on) other ideas is as old as time. I also think that as design approaches have matured, I've probably shifted more to safaris in recent because they are a great way to explain design concepts. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYS7hHA_ylAkgnJLXBwJnWEPW2ZYuK87I8ISaTcS4PYEM-ymNvWrAi0LKRSsujDqhv6yY1z_OMGoo4csKqQtlRuNyBKa63vGjCBHRqX5lKlqGNjdIylnQ8irx7P6bcUiaNohg5YRGoydgYdw5VZpsy78uXdwmxoj6PDNJ4YsCu6rC2s5nNO1MIyOl5w/s2048/IMG_20210814_095027732_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYS7hHA_ylAkgnJLXBwJnWEPW2ZYuK87I8ISaTcS4PYEM-ymNvWrAi0LKRSsujDqhv6yY1z_OMGoo4csKqQtlRuNyBKa63vGjCBHRqX5lKlqGNjdIylnQ8irx7P6bcUiaNohg5YRGoydgYdw5VZpsy78uXdwmxoj6PDNJ4YsCu6rC2s5nNO1MIyOl5w/w400-h225/IMG_20210814_095027732_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/08/remarkable-railton.html" target="_blank">The Railton LTN in South London. One of my Pandemic safaris.</a></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Ranting has been there in the background, although I've probably had it knocked out of me a little bit over the last couple of years because it takes too much energy! One of the subjects which rose to some controversy has been the deployment of LTNs and I am contantly irritated by the bad faith of people who use increasingly contorted arguments against them without admitting that they want the status quo. There's often a suggestion that main roads need treating too (they do), but that's more of a delay tactic than a genuinely held position because in my experience most who oppose LTNs also oppose main road changes. <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/08/tackling-main-roads.html" target="_blank">In the summer of 2020 I wrote about this</a> and my post was commended in the <a href="https://blog.westminster.ac.uk/ata/events/media-awards-2020/">Active Travel Media Awards</a> in the blogs cateogory that year. Completely unexpected and very much appreciated.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't tend to keep an eye on the statistics generated by this blog (apart from posts like this) and so it's always interesting to see what is popular. The blog itself has passed 875,000 views (whatever that actually means), but more importantly, the most popular post with 10.7k views remains <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2013/08/kerb-your-enthusiasm.html" target="_blank">my 2013 "Kerb Your Enthusiasm" piece</a> which was my original attempt at explaining how kerbs are used. I think this truly demonstrates that people are interested in how our roads and streets fit together in detail. I don't know what the least popular post was because Blogger doesn't seem to rank all of them, only the top 20 or so!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq1ZscoeuA8JAvNkdqgUA8G7aUMCdmQvPpInFEe4X7FfwQTbJqN3h1LSqQq-cbSXqiA8I-yQeA6Ndle3mBXJQ_3IxMmi0jDSx_6k7BVepiNPZlEgDTOnpVtzv7k30a7o9a9hSbx3_BDyc4kMd3LAaWW1Qhhvq7R0JWRDDxL5GmkPrtPsDNSJOTQlAWA/s4096/IMG_20210413_143131675_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTq1ZscoeuA8JAvNkdqgUA8G7aUMCdmQvPpInFEe4X7FfwQTbJqN3h1LSqQq-cbSXqiA8I-yQeA6Ndle3mBXJQ_3IxMmi0jDSx_6k7BVepiNPZlEgDTOnpVtzv7k30a7o9a9hSbx3_BDyc4kMd3LAaWW1Qhhvq7R0JWRDDxL5GmkPrtPsDNSJOTQlAWA/w400-h225/IMG_20210413_143131675_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The very first deployment of entrance kerbs in the UK on the <a href="https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/6130/coundon_cycleway_route_and_information" target="_blank">Coundon Cycleway in Coventry</a>.</i></div><br /><div>Speaking of kerbs, my ramblings have actually helped get the UK a new civil engineering element - the "<a href="https://www.aggregate.com/products-and-services/commercial-landscaping/kerbs/dutch-kerb#:~:text=The%20Dutch%20Entrance%20Kerb%20allows,cross%20footways%20and%20cycle%20lanes." target="_blank">Dutch Entrance Kerb</a>" which is common outside of the UK (and of course in the Netherlands). It's a simple premise which uses a large ramped kerb to support the use of continuous treatments over side streets where walking (and cycling) space is prioritised over motor traffic accessing the side street.</div><div><br /></div><div>My writing about the concept led to a meeting with a couple of Charcon's team about four years ago. As ever, ideas are great, but you need someone willing to to put their money where their mouth is and so the first potential customer for the kerb units was <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/salfords-chapel-street-set-4m-23110044" target="_blank">Salford City Council which wanted to use them in their Chapel Street scheme</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/CatrionaSwanson" target="_blank">Catriona Swanson</a> was working for the council at the time and was instrumental in getting them included in the proposals and all of a sudden, the idea was a reality. Well actually, it wasn't quite there because the scheme ended up getting delayed. At the <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-british-entrance-kerb-exclusive.html" target="_blank">end of 2019 I was able to reveal the details</a> of what was happening and at the s<a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-british-entrance-kerb-ready-to-ship.html" target="_blank">tart of 2021, I was able to talk about the first deployment of the units</a> in Coventry on the Coundon Cycleway.</div><div><br /></div><div>Although I have written quite a bit about cycling, I have also tried to cover walking, given it was my original point of interest. Walking is harder to talk about because the infrastructure already exists in most people's minds. In fact, given it's 2022, <a href="https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/opinion/2022/may/how-were-making-our-language-more-inclusive/" target="_blank">we should be talking about walking <i>and</i> wheeling</a> if we are to be inclusive. In terms of infrastructural tools, there's probably only the side road zebra we need to add to our tool box. On the other hand, the use of infrastructure seeks to reduce the attractiveness of walking with staggered crossings and long wait times.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjytACxkhDP-k8TPMeWznGgftsdU-i2TIEWU-WSRk2qZJyXqMvV9zhcfPY7tJ6Anc4Hp1ayrHb0SZ0c7rBuCBNnlflYPHDxsSjbZfV0Z5kp5_OOHWPgEU-NKLltJogZ_uHNF5dhwPwjLYkuvyROMqNa7kyNotNvuUFx0vaxlSXPg2bNqPQ61foqsrSQ/s3280/IMG_20180630_105021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjytACxkhDP-k8TPMeWznGgftsdU-i2TIEWU-WSRk2qZJyXqMvV9zhcfPY7tJ6Anc4Hp1ayrHb0SZ0c7rBuCBNnlflYPHDxsSjbZfV0Z5kp5_OOHWPgEU-NKLltJogZ_uHNF5dhwPwjLYkuvyROMqNa7kyNotNvuUFx0vaxlSXPg2bNqPQ61foqsrSQ/w400-h225/IMG_20180630_105021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>An experimental side road zebra crossing in Salford.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Back in 2014, I was reminded how important properly constructed dropped kerbs were as a new addition to our family <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2014/04/bouncing-buggies.html" target="_blank">got me back into practice pushing a buggy</a>. This also was a good lesson in remembering that what we do to help one group in society, invariably makes life easier for many other people too. Maybe that's the key to walking and wheeling because it's the mode that requires the most personal effort and every twist, turn and long crossing can be tiring and works against the idea of a 15-minute city.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think some of the problem with walking and wheeling being the original mode of transport with its (UK) infrastructure just being there is that there is very little research work going on to update practice. At the end of last year, <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/12/permission-to-cross.html" target="_blank">I considered the PV² assessment framework</a> which should have been consigned to the bin in 1995, but still lingers in highways departments today. It was actually a pretty shocking piece of research to undertake because it relies on the number of people crossing now - the fit and the brave. It was therefore nice to <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/12/invitation-to-cross.html" target="_blank">propose a different assessment framework</a>, especially as the official one from 1995 which replaced PV² has also been withdrawn.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifF0aIhBT2o2rk63iuq_meJvP-B0F7DfBRGiYZ3wG-yoZwAMwBTpTNGAo98TOUwQLZpCY122FgOHTVqkofx89weZGI7vp5kUmnNxLAaN9p1uHfEaA-nggaYSNQ3LpdNapznx9YUpyvse28HgnYoTJq_GZ7cp9Jr_Ku63SZ4fi_Iw-yjKK1gcw3aOzNEg/s2048/Mercury%20Gardens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifF0aIhBT2o2rk63iuq_meJvP-B0F7DfBRGiYZ3wG-yoZwAMwBTpTNGAo98TOUwQLZpCY122FgOHTVqkofx89weZGI7vp5kUmnNxLAaN9p1uHfEaA-nggaYSNQ3LpdNapznx9YUpyvse28HgnYoTJq_GZ7cp9Jr_Ku63SZ4fi_Iw-yjKK1gcw3aOzNEg/w400-h225/Mercury%20Gardens.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>People don't behave like traffic models.</i></div><br /><div>My writing hasn't always been about this blog, although did have the <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2018/05/silvertown-another-road-to-nowhere.html" target="_blank">Silvertown Mole writing about the awful Silvertown Tunnel scheme</a> in 2018, my only guest post so far. In March 2014, my first spin-off column appeared in <a href="https://www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/" target="_blank">Highways Magazine</a> and my 84th article will be out in the next week or so. This has enabled me to reach a different audience and one which needs to change its approach in the face of the climate emergency. I started my micro-consultancy, <a href="https://cityinfinity.co.uk/" target="_blank">City Infinity</a>, in 2017 because I was frustrated with the direction of my day job (lots of annoying politics) and that has <a href="https://cityinfinity.co.uk/guides/" target="_blank">spawned three design guides</a> and some interesting little projects. As it turned out, I didn't end up doing this as my day job because an exciting permanent role came up, but I still take small commissions and who knows what might happen in the future?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfe4eWjEtJDuu1AT44wax-IRbgQatKze5U1TPRoudz90rZ3YSJFW9zQTS1RWA8ZCnf--LlgbHa1LqCVDth0CdrEKkpfbptu_1Kqe1HsO85VnP6JdHG9WFbLtPNiLqcWd2seBNbq58EQp9QS3l9mOBzA4X7WxAfDiXMJqlmuVtWjAX8EnyV2oc_PtilA/s4096/IMG_20200619_170717197_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfe4eWjEtJDuu1AT44wax-IRbgQatKze5U1TPRoudz90rZ3YSJFW9zQTS1RWA8ZCnf--LlgbHa1LqCVDth0CdrEKkpfbptu_1Kqe1HsO85VnP6JdHG9WFbLtPNiLqcWd2seBNbq58EQp9QS3l9mOBzA4X7WxAfDiXMJqlmuVtWjAX8EnyV2oc_PtilA/w400-h225/IMG_20200619_170717197_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-search-for-traffic-light-tree.html" target="_blank">The Traffic Light Tree, London</a>.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>As a practical person in terms of learning and doing, I have found the more academic concepts in life challenging and often hard to understand. In the last couple of years I have take some more challenging training courses to try and get out of my comfort zone and it was an absolute revelation to complete the <a href="https://urbancyclinginstitute.com/mooc/" target="_blank">Urban Cycling Institute's Unravelling the Cycling City</a> course in 2020. I think it was this piece of study which finally allowed me to conceptualise the fact that <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2020/05/most-highway-infrastructure-is-for.html" target="_blank">most of the "stuff" we have on our streets is motoring infrastructure</a>. It's an area of thinking which extends to ideas of how people's behaviour responds to the environment you give them and for walking and cycling, rules created for driving often fail because of the way people behave when under their own power. The "how" of unravelling driving from urban areas is a subject which continues to fascinate me and I look forward to learning more.</div><div><br /></div><div>Talking of unravelling driving, another little piece of my mobility jigsaw changed last August when our aging car died on us just before going on holiday. The hire car we arranged was <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/08/five-go-mad-in-dorset-part-1-evav.html" target="_blank">another opportunity to consider changing technology</a> and 10 months later, the idea of actually another car becomes more distant by the day.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEjAB5IvlMFklXz3HZitAOnLsdQD3W-oBz28aGIy6wIPV8FegYWDUkeS9CdmdWX4s_UAKFP4U7F8n2AsNBo6konmnxtzwC5XINbdqMBNu4U280fL2PFWOaSJCtZP7kLA_JNIXIfAQGxU3EtDT-j5bZSjBy7NBeXvusqRTNqnZUO67O6PQkYXMUNZuHQ/s2048/E-rFoXAXoAI5_uQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEjAB5IvlMFklXz3HZitAOnLsdQD3W-oBz28aGIy6wIPV8FegYWDUkeS9CdmdWX4s_UAKFP4U7F8n2AsNBo6konmnxtzwC5XINbdqMBNu4U280fL2PFWOaSJCtZP7kLA_JNIXIfAQGxU3EtDT-j5bZSjBy7NBeXvusqRTNqnZUO67O6PQkYXMUNZuHQ/w225-h400/E-rFoXAXoAI5_uQ.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My changing mobility choice.</i></div><br /><div>Luckily, my Christiania tricycle has picked up the slack for local heavy lifting and the train for the odd long trip. There have been some trips we just don't make any more because they were only accessible by car, but to be honest, they're really not missed and there are other things to do. Life moves on and life changes.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ieo8rb-NMTpaAXD7d0n009uBlu9wFdqlpR5l2DZ9X6om2qBFnsm5tVe0p6bJVUzGgGQiZ2OBO_R3qDxThoZqexLZWeJdq-FExQrs3djW8WaL70uDXW1ZzIXDEIMGlrltXyTWs0uGJ0ykV7y2RiBXgAi3X8nP9LHQBhSysr-fgMGruo4E-y94_XpjEg/s1200/trike.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1200" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ieo8rb-NMTpaAXD7d0n009uBlu9wFdqlpR5l2DZ9X6om2qBFnsm5tVe0p6bJVUzGgGQiZ2OBO_R3qDxThoZqexLZWeJdq-FExQrs3djW8WaL70uDXW1ZzIXDEIMGlrltXyTWs0uGJ0ykV7y2RiBXgAi3X8nP9LHQBhSysr-fgMGruo4E-y94_XpjEg/s320/trike.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My tricycle.</i></div><br /><div>Let's go back to my original blog post where I asked "what do we really want". It was probably a pretty rhetoric question and it probably still is. Maybe it's because I have become immersed in my professional area of interest, but I think the UK in 2022 has become more aware of the importance of streets as places. Whether that has been a general shift in thinking, or whether highlighted by the Pandemic, we have (in some places) rediscovered our neighbourhoods. We have also realised that many places have become very inaccessible through gradual creep of motorisation.</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing I haven't really written about is the climate emergency. This is mainly because I really don't understand enough to have any sort of authority on it (there are plenty who do), and partly because it's a tough thing to conceptualise. Even within the last few weeks, I heard <a href="https://twitter.com/GlennLyons2" target="_blank">Professor Glenn Lyons</a> quote the economic anthropologist Jason Hickel who said "The Status Quo is a death march and we must abandon it". We are already <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/glenn-lyons_statusquo-climatechange-businessasusual-activity-6936953258246553600-Jxha/?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=android_app" target="_blank">beyond the point where we can pretend that business as usual is possible</a>. Professor Lyons' words are going to haunt me going forward (with thanks to Glenn for the link). What I do know is our urban transport future and climate change cannot be solved by betting on a technological solution, it needs a huge reduction in car use and repurposing of streets to enable walking, wheeling and cycling as well as creating countless local responses to heating and flooding.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxAejexzeU2tXj58ynKLDivHUUcqF3F6fw6aL_4Wy0-y4BHEJ2Y0NcdEYu7SdQ1ycIqPViTbGydd6NOKryZ6QlnyUWViD_qHEApOnURxzwE4oOTObUTLvDunKHAIe0d_ykqxLo1fq5_O4yGmcuGJYe0baTy0hgPdf0LoPC_2k0IW9Tf4Gg6oYKuaV2A/s3280/IMG_20190721_115730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxAejexzeU2tXj58ynKLDivHUUcqF3F6fw6aL_4Wy0-y4BHEJ2Y0NcdEYu7SdQ1ycIqPViTbGydd6NOKryZ6QlnyUWViD_qHEApOnURxzwE4oOTObUTLvDunKHAIe0d_ykqxLo1fq5_O4yGmcuGJYe0baTy0hgPdf0LoPC_2k0IW9Tf4Gg6oYKuaV2A/w400-h225/IMG_20190721_115730.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2019/07/cycling-embassy-of-great-britain-agm_27.html" target="_blank">Sustainable drainage retrofit, Cardiff</a>.</i></div><br /><div>So what's next? Well, writing a weekly blog post has been hard work and at times it has been very time-hungry with site visits and research. I had been toying with retiring the blog when it hit 500 posts for some time, but it's not something I am ready to give up just yet. What I am going to do is to be less worried about posting weekly and I'll be having some time off. I have some family trips in the next few weeks into which I'll hopefully squeeze a few mini-safaris into and I've other places to visit and revisit on my long list. I've also a pile of books I want to get through, so local campaigning I need to help with and some other ideas at the early stage of thought.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other than that, thanks for reading, thanks for the feedback and look out for my next post in a few weeks time which will most likely be another safari post. Oh, and where does the cheeky monkey come in? It's apparently Indian slang for the 500 rupee note which used to have a monkey printed on it and it became very familiar in London to mean 500. We're very good at nicking everyone else's ideas you see.</div></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-1876113577976399652022-05-28T15:08:00.005+01:002024-01-24T07:17:44.127+00:00Traffic Signal Pie: Innie Vs Outie<h2 style="text-align: left;">Over the last several months, I have been thinking about Circulating Cycle Stage Junctions and thought that it's high time I wrote about them.</h2><div>Circulating Cycle Stage Junctions is the formal name given to signalised junctions which have all cycle movements running at once in an orbital fashion around the junction (usually with-flow and clockwise). <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/951074/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-1-20.pdf" target="_blank">They're covered in LTN 1/20</a> (for England) in Section 10.6.21. There's very little guidance on them because we haven't built many, although (reading between the lines), the Department for Transport seems to be a little nervous, especially as they don't like the idea of mini-zebra crossings over the cycle track. In past days, the DfT would have undertaken research on such innovation and published specific detailed guidance.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbwd13BX_cttUe0c6EebxTi2Go41mFk4XjLX_ykVWd9eyii4q1_iQI3QPgryW00qkLdyy9SMuKJ6jaAuFcbWrI9CKbFcIdbDN5dib8QPBG63dBEoqRGGUQMUeMmGD0u7ttSitf2sDjCDmpJO0iQLNk-ZR6hhMBNq8ZFXBgPWxRn7ht2THw209bcv23w/s1151/27.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="1151" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbwd13BX_cttUe0c6EebxTi2Go41mFk4XjLX_ykVWd9eyii4q1_iQI3QPgryW00qkLdyy9SMuKJ6jaAuFcbWrI9CKbFcIdbDN5dib8QPBG63dBEoqRGGUQMUeMmGD0u7ttSitf2sDjCDmpJO0iQLNk-ZR6hhMBNq8ZFXBgPWxRn7ht2THw209bcv23w/w400-h225/27.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Green at the same time (bottom); free right turn (top)"</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Deventer, The Netherlands, 2015, <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/MW4Y217WChLzjuXa8" target="_blank">now rebuilt</a>.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The other thing to note is the junction will run pedestrian movements at the same time as cycles (it's not a total requirement as variation is possible), but pairs of diagonal cycle movements are frowned upon because apparently, people cycling can't negotiate the space with each other. I am still waiting for a signals engineer to point out where this is prohibited in law however. On this, the Dutch, use the "simultaneous green" which I <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2015/08/deventer-dash.html" target="_blank">picked up on in my 2015 visit to Deventer in The Netherlands</a> (above).</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the closest UK example of a simultaneous green of this I have found is <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ez2dKBmRDpbZc6DR7" target="_blank">outside Hatfield Station</a> (below) where there are toucan crossings on all arms of the junction with a pair of diagonal puffin crossings. In reality you shouldn't cycle the diagonals, but people can and do. The world doesn't end. Still, this post isn't strictly about simultaneous greens, it's about Circulating Cycle Stage Junctions of which simultaneous greens would be a subset if the UK "allowed" them.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxfWYlzoCBElFYGY_EG0uDnH8xfuCHi5lZOXd2keei33W71HlKv8N54_HnTMRcveDxn59MQ8h1U45eZHdVuPi4fUFvkWckHT9cn6_DJ7kwvaf3WpKnScIn1Ow3YY98w_jVaH9J6H6WwHiS6kxJc0uj1j43MFkHu1uv070_OqTOJlcfV-Udw4_uoVeVA/s1600/IMG_20170604_102812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The junction outside Hatfield Station with crossings marked in a large X in the middle all controlled by traffic lights." border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxfWYlzoCBElFYGY_EG0uDnH8xfuCHi5lZOXd2keei33W71HlKv8N54_HnTMRcveDxn59MQ8h1U45eZHdVuPi4fUFvkWckHT9cn6_DJ7kwvaf3WpKnScIn1Ow3YY98w_jVaH9J6H6WwHiS6kxJc0uj1j43MFkHu1uv070_OqTOJlcfV-Udw4_uoVeVA/w400-h225/IMG_20170604_102812.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The type of protected Circulating Cycle Stage Junctions that people might have in mind will be the Dutch approach which (in urban areas) places cycle tracks between general traffic and pedestrian space. The cycle tracks being "innies" as being on inside of pedestrians (well, I have to have a title for the post!).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLmf4IiK6rSQ6UPqzeJ8j-J4wZVTr_zwhz-LGp4YS3xbcCpMy5iKgee1iJuwB7nR5GML8ihOWfTk57I007CyDZUsifncZ2PUkPQLBect7KrgH0GF13nvdICSCtcBODdZ0yt6k62ToIXwL7fEJyX-wAWxRNppOaH4s7IGI3tKlzkLMukMPZxGFKRZkuQ/s2089/IMG_20170810_101815.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A cartoon sketch of the junction outside Weesperplein underground station." border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="2089" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLmf4IiK6rSQ6UPqzeJ8j-J4wZVTr_zwhz-LGp4YS3xbcCpMy5iKgee1iJuwB7nR5GML8ihOWfTk57I007CyDZUsifncZ2PUkPQLBect7KrgH0GF13nvdICSCtcBODdZ0yt6k62ToIXwL7fEJyX-wAWxRNppOaH4s7IGI3tKlzkLMukMPZxGFKRZkuQ/w400-h225/IMG_20170810_101815.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is a wayfinding map at the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/xWicbzeN41nokHQs7" target="_blank">Weesperplein underground station in Amsterdam</a>, which is a handy diagram for the kind of layout I am talking about. Footway is grey, cycle tracks (all with-flow/ one-way) are pink and the carriageway is dark grey. In general, there is a buffer between the carriageway and the cycle tracks with the footways to the rear of the space. </div><div><br /></div><div>From a walking and cycling point of view, the desire lines through the junction are fairly straight and the turns for cycling relatively tight (but people will be slowing down to turn anyway. The design is very scalable and can be used in some pretty tight spaces (with tightness sometimes a factor of the number of motor traffic lanes being accommodated).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg393fjyOCBhORryPZ3dBa3e2qllygg_C2j8z04CpSF9szvHkzBzfnaD0W-oK15ksXNae-few1F8tzaV_4npd8KE3h1aJu2zRpfCUyH4EoRJY4sHXVAJktroVjg0nLKEq7tc3HXXJUCCxd2QiYyxia5p6zjmHnOEdFYTLaBL2TWhpEcmmLPGkZhlWitpQ/s4604/DSCN1698%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The approach to the junction from a cyclist's point of view with traffic to the left and a footway to the right. All controlled with traffic signals." border="0" data-original-height="2589" data-original-width="4604" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg393fjyOCBhORryPZ3dBa3e2qllygg_C2j8z04CpSF9szvHkzBzfnaD0W-oK15ksXNae-few1F8tzaV_4npd8KE3h1aJu2zRpfCUyH4EoRJY4sHXVAJktroVjg0nLKEq7tc3HXXJUCCxd2QiYyxia5p6zjmHnOEdFYTLaBL2TWhpEcmmLPGkZhlWitpQ/w400-h225/DSCN1698%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The photograph above is of one of the protected junctions on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/WAMqBG7WZbUC8Jhu6" target="_blank">Middenweg in Amsterdam</a>. This quite an interesting street to look at for various design features. The main junctions follow similar principles, but there are lots of little tweaks and adaptions for local circumstances. You can see some of the common features;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The cycle stop line is beyond the traffic stop line,</li><li>Cyclists at the stop line are protected from right turning drivers by an island.</li><li>There is a pedestrian refuge between the cycle track and carriageway.</li></ul><div>In this particular location, general traffic, cycle traffic and walking get a green together, with right turning drivers held on red with their own signals, but even that varies a little bit on each arm. The Dutch tend to have some fairly complex signal arrangements compared to the UK. For example, walking and cycling may get a green to run ahead with right turning drivers getting a green a few seconds later (called a "leading green"). People walking and cycling ahead have priority over the turning traffic later into the stage, but it is a conflict that simply isn't permitted in the UK and as far as I know, it is a practice which is gradually being eliminated in the Netherlands anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZR44khIpweBFgGdIXJEJ_btIET34jevS9nsmUDkIM1GH22KoAMt-3lGOUREyrB1q20NLJkxiP9N34TG-CvfrpVbgOZl1apYpUW0CGrwV8MIJwRztMr6yKcqFPCwRFUsILXziRIRRVBEBgnd8_QKJbEbZscpvNkJL8JDZMjjSD3-VZOmX_lEdLBxmyg/s3280/IMG_20170813_141226.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A corner island protecting cycle traffic in the junction from right turning drivers." border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZR44khIpweBFgGdIXJEJ_btIET34jevS9nsmUDkIM1GH22KoAMt-3lGOUREyrB1q20NLJkxiP9N34TG-CvfrpVbgOZl1apYpUW0CGrwV8MIJwRztMr6yKcqFPCwRFUsILXziRIRRVBEBgnd8_QKJbEbZscpvNkJL8JDZMjjSD3-VZOmX_lEdLBxmyg/w400-h225/IMG_20170813_141226.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is another part of this junction which again shows a protection island. The protection island helps to keep the turns tight and also works to try and provide stopping space for a turned driver about to cross the ahead cycle track. You can also just see on the top left of the photo, the ends of a central islands jutting into the edge of the junction which also physically works to slow left turning drivers. These are preferable to have, but not always applied (often because of space).</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, this isn't meant to be a post about the detail of Dutch signal design and for more information, <a href="https://youtu.be/knbVWXzL4-4" target="_blank">have a look at this video</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/notjustbikes" target="_blank">Not Just Bikes</a>. So, can we have this arrangement in the UK? The simple answer is yes and in fact, the London Borough of Waltham Forest have built several of this type of junction under UK signal rules. Before I go on, I will mention that there are UK rules, but equally, I have been told by signals engineers that certain arrangements are not permitted (as the simultaneous green I mentioned earlier), yet they've never shown me an official list of things which are thus banned. Always worth challenging in my view.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6sKuvCN2OJa5JQpWVbX-Yd2im05QSPbJmgG_KfBVhmzG4DSzMyy4wKSQrHrGlkFIRff755cIrK4GVcFaYzzZ1S3HwIitu949E3pqxOcVZ3z8uJlXUwfD3bZKi8ZsA6WANV-lwrFTVLt6Cxn4cJT_G1jKMe1qa1UQG5029uFHPgsSop6YRTGFBV2nCg/s3280/IMG_20190428_150512.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red two-way cycle track crossing one arm of a large signalised junction." border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6sKuvCN2OJa5JQpWVbX-Yd2im05QSPbJmgG_KfBVhmzG4DSzMyy4wKSQrHrGlkFIRff755cIrK4GVcFaYzzZ1S3HwIitu949E3pqxOcVZ3z8uJlXUwfD3bZKi8ZsA6WANV-lwrFTVLt6Cxn4cJT_G1jKMe1qa1UQG5029uFHPgsSop6YRTGFBV2nCg/w400-h225/IMG_20190428_150512.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The photograph above is the junction of <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/dt9LWR6EkVgeE7o3A" target="_blank">Lea Bridge Road with Orient Way and Argall Way</a>. The photograph is actually of the anti-clockwise direction because with this scheme, Waltham Forest decided to make the orbital cycle track two way. I am not entirely sure why it was done this way, because in use, following the clockwise UK convention works fine for right turns which can easily be completed in the green stage. In fact, I managed to cross three of the arms to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBtDihx6xbk" target="_blank">perform a U-turn on my bike in this video</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MBtDihx6xbk" width="320" youtube-src-id="MBtDihx6xbk"></iframe></div><br /><div>In fact having the two way operation technically means that people could cycle diagonally through the junction and "escape" on the other corner and I have seen the odd person it. Most follow the rules and cycle clockwise, although because the approach cycle tracks are with-flow. In fact, it's not really following any rules, it's just following the obvious layout (below). In terms of the traffic signal sequence, there are two traffic stages (north-south and east-west) and the third stage is the all round walking and cycling green.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKi2ptA6NtssFgTUILI6Bl2p1VdOSacJTgyMVdGOl9tA_EBWH8bAHweZ8pz54vppAkL9vJP0QFo3Wj0o08zeuAMQg09qrLuaLBSpiJ9WhIF3W39AZfSK_qK_wTUh-1IZxf6ggKlud5ih-Oo3IqzGNd-3bBlTKUYJzgOy2TvgwZozmwdYAiL4uLnv0FVg/s2048/E2x-FWcXIAAKe_U.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The walking and cycling green stage and we can see people cycling across the junction arms on the cycle tracks." border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKi2ptA6NtssFgTUILI6Bl2p1VdOSacJTgyMVdGOl9tA_EBWH8bAHweZ8pz54vppAkL9vJP0QFo3Wj0o08zeuAMQg09qrLuaLBSpiJ9WhIF3W39AZfSK_qK_wTUh-1IZxf6ggKlud5ih-Oo3IqzGNd-3bBlTKUYJzgOy2TvgwZozmwdYAiL4uLnv0FVg/w400-h225/E2x-FWcXIAAKe_U.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>This junction is a little untidy in places with awkward kerbs and lots of flush areas between cycle track and footway, but it does a very good job and in the context of lower pedestrian flows, it seems to work fine for walking and it certainly has larger pedestrian waiting areas than some Dutch junctions I have experienced (below).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuEm771mzWcS0QtEzmKdOcIhLBgCLymDz6Yv45sbyIhHiFEQoyAxRz4nNRYrVqukA8wZn4y3W0pF_9T1SKUtb5T2F-eDsOCt5Mywlbx4kEQgUo9mK6r4Dztlq2UwTm9lpSdcBNHfHnLGYkUc8F3ZsP-tIpOGlfHJlDK5HJdmnjUtYOr8R7vsjrEkH6A/s3280/IMG_20170810_144908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Three people wait to cross the road, one is holding a toddler and they are stood on a narrow paved strip with the road in front of them and a cycle track right behind them." border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuEm771mzWcS0QtEzmKdOcIhLBgCLymDz6Yv45sbyIhHiFEQoyAxRz4nNRYrVqukA8wZn4y3W0pF_9T1SKUtb5T2F-eDsOCt5Mywlbx4kEQgUo9mK6r4Dztlq2UwTm9lpSdcBNHfHnLGYkUc8F3ZsP-tIpOGlfHJlDK5HJdmnjUtYOr8R7vsjrEkH6A/w400-h225/IMG_20170810_144908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A pedestrian waiting area in Amsterdam. About 300mm deep!</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The sketch below gives an idealised and anglicised general arrangement of this type of junction. It's squeezed in and so the central islands are omitted in the example, but with 2 metre cycle tracks, 2 metre floating pedestrian waiting areas and internal radii of no sharper than 4 metres for cycle traffic, it gives a good idea of the space needed - a total of 32 metres on the narrowest diagonal points which is fairly tight, but things could be squeezed some more.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD1qKyXmeBaGrmQSC6mFsR4NlijpxHz1aQ5wW0pC8g79Y_cy3pXY-t3OY95kfAzBFMSnO0ZVXjrq09w89PdFLXeoP20W74437-ZygyihKigyraYXVjIGJ9E5JzBnscyl1KImkvY0N01MoZlvOS_7FL9P7ZXoaxueNp9_SF1V_zrSq0i1_OidaMQfOeQ/s769/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A sketch of a crossroads. On all arms there is a pavement, then a cycle track and then the road." border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="765" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD1qKyXmeBaGrmQSC6mFsR4NlijpxHz1aQ5wW0pC8g79Y_cy3pXY-t3OY95kfAzBFMSnO0ZVXjrq09w89PdFLXeoP20W74437-ZygyihKigyraYXVjIGJ9E5JzBnscyl1KImkvY0N01MoZlvOS_7FL9P7ZXoaxueNp9_SF1V_zrSq0i1_OidaMQfOeQ/w398-h400/12.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>The Dutch are always tinkering with layouts and with my example, if we were starting to get cycle traffic congestion, then there's a couple of things we could do to increase capacity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHU_PARGwYnztyulhn6Axb4nmBKNPjE0QRmD4Ekm0aIbk8GUpM2pw-9ocsdkUPlN4uR9YU9PpehVHdtcr3DZt-K6u3ki5TYlhNyG3K5SfCIATuQGL6YVd_5UE9Hc_rzqirwwdhq24dGNworNsyOexejGQY5PVyerLWw_MAG3wmocwuz9DC9pbAdCaww/s1680/sss.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A zoomed in view of the sktech as described in the text below." border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1680" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHU_PARGwYnztyulhn6Axb4nmBKNPjE0QRmD4Ekm0aIbk8GUpM2pw-9ocsdkUPlN4uR9YU9PpehVHdtcr3DZt-K6u3ki5TYlhNyG3K5SfCIATuQGL6YVd_5UE9Hc_rzqirwwdhq24dGNworNsyOexejGQY5PVyerLWw_MAG3wmocwuz9DC9pbAdCaww/w400-h225/sss.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the sketch above, I have "hollowed" out one of the protection islands to give a little more waiting capacity at the crossing of the junction's western arm. The crossing markings narrow on exit of the crossing which reflects the fact that people move at different speeds and will naturally merge ahead. This example could be due to a busy northbound flow blocking the westbound flow. The extra space created at the northbound stop line just allows people to wait in a row to free up space for westbound cycle traffic to pass behind. This is known as the "banana and chip cone" treatment and there is much more from <a href="https://twitter.com/BicycleDutch" target="_blank">Bicycle Dutch</a> in <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2018/04/10/intersection-upgrade-a-banana-and-a-chips-cone/" target="_blank">his blog post on the concept</a>.<br /><div><br /></div><div>That's the "innie", what about the "outie"? Well, in Greater Manchester, the design geeks had been cooking up a UK version of a Circulating Cycle Stage Junction a while. I first saw the idea presented by "<a href="@davelostdave" target="_blank">Cyclops Dave</a>" at the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain's AGM back in the summer of 2018, but it took two more years before anyone could see one in the asphalt and concrete. I am of course referring to the CYCLOPS junction which stands for CYCLe Optimised Protected Signals junction and there is <a href="http://www.jctconsultancy.co.uk/Symposium/Symposium2018/PapersForDownload/CYCLOPS%20Creating%20Protected%20Junctions%20-%20Richard%20Butler%20Jonathan%20Salter%20Dave%20Stevens%20TFGM.pdf" target="_blank">a whole paper you can read about the concept</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first example was built on the Chortlon Cycleway in Manchester at the junction of <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/jk58XtCSQhs1tket8" target="_blank">Chorlton Road with Royce Road</a> and despite the several Dutch-style junctions Waltham Forest had already built, this design seemed to be one which captured the imagination. Maybe it was marketed better, but I think the first looked quite familiar to many people, including engineers and politicians in terms of how it was laid out.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40jE1QGXwx78Xtfexj9BGghTS58Xb8DObuQcWAc5x6XAbCQhDTiR0JKcT51lRr7pQel_C21RIyN9PoQdEyfRiEzjpeOs3RVRkkcHNkPQjEcm4TRjPmAeQsxo0fge5L8tKmyWdz6dMLPRpdE10hwQ96VJKVKAc8mO6jH_9DqHzmTtlsBzVnxoN81CjJg/s1598/Chorlton%20Road%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The floating pedestrian island of a CYCLOPS junction. There is a signalised crossing of the road to the left and ahead with a cycle track crossing in the foreground.ead" border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1598" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40jE1QGXwx78Xtfexj9BGghTS58Xb8DObuQcWAc5x6XAbCQhDTiR0JKcT51lRr7pQel_C21RIyN9PoQdEyfRiEzjpeOs3RVRkkcHNkPQjEcm4TRjPmAeQsxo0fge5L8tKmyWdz6dMLPRpdE10hwQ96VJKVKAc8mO6jH_9DqHzmTtlsBzVnxoN81CjJg/w400-h225/Chorlton%20Road%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As you can see in the photograph above, the CYCLOPS places the cycle track crossings outside of the pedestrian crossings and hence "outie". In effect, this means instead of the 8 smaller floating pedestrian waiting areas, the CYCLOPS has 4 larger waiting areas which double up as the protection islands for cycle traffic. The Chorlton CYCLOPS has the simple three-stage signals arrangement as with Lea Bridge Road. This first example has lots of fiddly sub-islands in the pedestrian area which form tapping features for long cane users.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsi1V4JyTq9MqYRV0Vb_6S7R8PqYAcAuN_lINMK6ijFm1FHUctIkBVISconYJBAQ_LBBwysHEm5_QFYjimY9RFK5iSTI44AUtkquxiOEQpCgJIX-3fnUMgHZ6uiZzN5WUVqdf5SHtITQ-PxX_F1NsKJcDos08O4kxVvkyponP-UONMFJSlhpQDfsS-Q/s773/13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A CYCLOPS sketch with large pedestrian islands with cycle tracks passing behind." border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="762" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsi1V4JyTq9MqYRV0Vb_6S7R8PqYAcAuN_lINMK6ijFm1FHUctIkBVISconYJBAQ_LBBwysHEm5_QFYjimY9RFK5iSTI44AUtkquxiOEQpCgJIX-3fnUMgHZ6uiZzN5WUVqdf5SHtITQ-PxX_F1NsKJcDos08O4kxVvkyponP-UONMFJSlhpQDfsS-Q/w394-h400/13.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><br /><div>The sketch above is at the same scale as my Dutch example, but you can clearly see the change in the layout. At 37 metres across the diagonal, it's a little larger, but again, it could be made a tighter. One the of main disadvantages to the design is that the adaptability is more challenging because any reduction in the protection island is a reduction in the pedestrian waiting area. However, this design could be more accommodating where there are greater pedestrian flows given the waiting area capacity. There is also the potential for diagonal pedestrian crossings, but no later conversion to simultaneous greens if they were ever allowed.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEpZUJmkzlH66WHtxWi7iObT8_Y3lJDgw77SbHe9U4ny8ae5PORLtq4Y-heudVJG84cCtnvfq9JDQ6aoVPbzFW5U_AxixKevvZts2ic6k-6iE47k7arjqLWmueKv5-PxVBapCNocPGhUijNpHuDyJNVnxQIsLyBszIb_34coNjG-0V8hloKxXpmxS6g/s1600/Chorlton%20Road%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Another view as described in the text below." border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEpZUJmkzlH66WHtxWi7iObT8_Y3lJDgw77SbHe9U4ny8ae5PORLtq4Y-heudVJG84cCtnvfq9JDQ6aoVPbzFW5U_AxixKevvZts2ic6k-6iE47k7arjqLWmueKv5-PxVBapCNocPGhUijNpHuDyJNVnxQIsLyBszIb_34coNjG-0V8hloKxXpmxS6g/w400-h225/Chorlton%20Road%20(4).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The other thing I like about the approach is that the turns for cycles is a little more gentle size for size with the Dutch layout. This is a bit more forgiving for users of non-standard and adapted cycles. The photograph above shows a little more of the easier turning space. It also shows an advanced stop line which was a feature of this first scheme because there were concerns that "more confident" cyclists would want to go back into traffic if a general green was available. If that's a problem, then in fact the junction should be rebalanced to walking and cycling.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other thing which is being done within the CYCLOPS arrangements is the introduction of more complex junction layouts, although many seem to end up with staggered 2-stage crossings for pedestrians while cycle traffic gets a single stage. It might be a pragmatic way to get cycling infrastructure in (as cycles need shorter greens than pedestrians), but we should be prioritising walking and wheeling far more than we are.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC_hn5sxJ33W3k7pH9_2Zx-834DbH_XL5FM9eR_sXp-qNJADO1LVKauozyM18M29NQiARMMmcjQMEaVtzS-f-orcKsbHxUQIseZhCUoOfp5bEBNQo2rfBB16-Mw4UCvMqjgcKag3DRvIPLvH-ugVH34UzF5zpYr3k0NT3aZxG1I9F4Ki5Fe6m7yPXZA/s1063/444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The same CYCLOPS sketch with mini-zebra crossings over the cycle tracks." border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1063" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqC_hn5sxJ33W3k7pH9_2Zx-834DbH_XL5FM9eR_sXp-qNJADO1LVKauozyM18M29NQiARMMmcjQMEaVtzS-f-orcKsbHxUQIseZhCUoOfp5bEBNQo2rfBB16-Mw4UCvMqjgcKag3DRvIPLvH-ugVH34UzF5zpYr3k0NT3aZxG1I9F4Ki5Fe6m7yPXZA/w400-h386/444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the issues with the Dutch style approach is where we want to place mini-zebra crossings over the cycle tracks. As I mentioned above, the DfT doesn't like the idea of zebra crossings over cycle tracks being in line with signalised crossings of the carriageway and this is mentioned in 10.6.22 of LTN 1/20 citing potential confusion, especially for visually impaired users.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think that they might be over-cautious here, but if we want to help people with visual impairments to navigate what is more complex than a basic signalised junction (where we force cycles to mix with traffic), then the offset nature of the CYCLOPS crossing of the cycle track helps, plus adding a mini-zebra crossing is less confusing than the in-line arrangement. I'm happy to go with that (sketch above).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dozens of CYCLOPS junctions are planned in Greater Manchester, but the idea has already escaped the region and one has been built on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/QxDML8pNBBebathP9" target="_blank">Histon Road in Cambridge</a> (<a href="https://www.camcycle.org.uk/blog/2021/10/uks-fourth-cyclops-junction-brings-safer-crossings-to-histon-road/#:~:text=A%20new%20junction%20which%20prioritises,both%20motor%20traffic%20and%20pedestrians." target="_blank">the UK's fourth</a>), although Google hasn't caught up yet, and I'm aware of quite a few across England in various stages of being thought about and designed. If you have time, it's worth watching the <a href="https://twitter.com/ideaswithbeers" target="_blank">Ideas With Beers</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/fv5ouU7REZs?t=2653" target="_blank">session on CYCLOPS junctions</a> as there's even more about the clever detection for cycle traffic used on the first scheme which is being applied elsewhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As an exercise, I took the concepts and applied them to a junction in London which I had recently visited - the junction of <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-missing-link.html" target="_blank">Whitechapel High Street (the western end of Cycleway 2) and Mansell Street</a>, the latter of which has just been linked for cycling to the south with Cycleway 3. Appendix B of LTN 1/20 contains the Junction Assessment Tool (JAT) which is used to asses the safety of major junction schemes for cycling. To go through the process would take a post in its own right and if I am honest, I am still practicing using the tool. However, based on my knowledge, I applied it to the junction and it scored 50%. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixh7vs7QXXamMVbmrBPZCe8vLGXp9W52s2g-3bUD_-sbH1zpfXROn76-d5tOPzC3Hma6PWxgUzymo2t2YdTqCqsXShvy_VbuI_GYJI9CBQtYW-fASofpEpZ37xeJ_OiPN00il10nsthLLuKZaciROPUf7Gf3YzjH1mVix3zpxhNjfFhWupxVjzIICllg/s4096/IMG_20220430_084725382_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The two way cycle lane meets a junction. The road is on the right and bolt down islands protect cycle traffic. There are various traffic signals ahead. A cyclist can be seen going ahead." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixh7vs7QXXamMVbmrBPZCe8vLGXp9W52s2g-3bUD_-sbH1zpfXROn76-d5tOPzC3Hma6PWxgUzymo2t2YdTqCqsXShvy_VbuI_GYJI9CBQtYW-fASofpEpZ37xeJ_OiPN00il10nsthLLuKZaciROPUf7Gf3YzjH1mVix3zpxhNjfFhWupxVjzIICllg/w400-h225/IMG_20220430_084725382_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Mansell Street approach to the junction with a cycle gate.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">70% is considered to be what is needed to be operating in the Dutch-level of excellence and although 50% is a "fail" in this regard, it is significantly better that it was and indeed, it's really good considering just how low cost the recent interventions were. The JAT can also be used as a design tool to see what could be tweaked to improve the score, but again, that's a different post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My two redesigns have removed the staggered pedestrian crossings on the northern and western arms, but otherwise the number of lanes are the same, as are the motor traffic movements. Both designs score 100% on JAT as every cycle movement is fully protected. First the Dutch (innie) design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb1TvbYY3bQ0D0dlQJH76VLpv7x9QnPcwfxZXe1MCBfQHWmrO1oBQzqvv08OzwhBpS7hIHBLYKQIhuyZ8XjBw6D_-LZDNgBi77_eNOZ5LhEUHojIhFKYAx-h1NKsjTXd-ob_clHNdiiyALo6gWnQ5dv6wnwDd_SjnrLiZlbPtDt5gGlbwYX8uswTvWg/s1476/a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Dutch version of the junction." border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1476" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFb1TvbYY3bQ0D0dlQJH76VLpv7x9QnPcwfxZXe1MCBfQHWmrO1oBQzqvv08OzwhBpS7hIHBLYKQIhuyZ8XjBw6D_-LZDNgBi77_eNOZ5LhEUHojIhFKYAx-h1NKsjTXd-ob_clHNdiiyALo6gWnQ5dv6wnwDd_SjnrLiZlbPtDt5gGlbwYX8uswTvWg/w400-h225/a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The key thing to mention is the southern arm (Mansell Street) isn't completely Dutch in the context I have been explaining, because it has a two-way cycle track on the eastern side; but a Circulating Cycle Stage Junction can neatly integrate this different arrangement easily, it's just there's no "free" left turn to the west (heading into The City).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The junction all fits in quite well, give or take, but the immediate issue is the width of the floating pedestrian islands. I have designed them at a minimum depth of 2 metres, but it's still tight and pedestrian flows can be high here. They could be made a little larger, but they still represent a tight spot in places. I have also added in-line mini-zebra crossings over the cycle tracks to annoy the DfT.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ8PQ0YNUPAjHgOx_MdVFbuG1MQ9Rd5PBVIeoAxLMOZZPGotSdpqKr67hVkKD_B7CwMxkWgobb_jtLf3YOVs5NdIgYpcMzBq6lpWNzTvpmdu9VOc0iWMUdH9YDWXKAmV5GxpsV4_N2Izh_nkWuVngXmVH-yD7l-qctGjrJXPL5FojN3Da5G3nNG4vdQ/s1470/b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A CYCLOPS version of the junction" border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1470" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ8PQ0YNUPAjHgOx_MdVFbuG1MQ9Rd5PBVIeoAxLMOZZPGotSdpqKr67hVkKD_B7CwMxkWgobb_jtLf3YOVs5NdIgYpcMzBq6lpWNzTvpmdu9VOc0iWMUdH9YDWXKAmV5GxpsV4_N2Izh_nkWuVngXmVH-yD7l-qctGjrJXPL5FojN3Da5G3nNG4vdQ/w400-h225/b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then we have the CYCLOPS version which gives far larger pedestrian waiting areas. Cycle traffic is diverted off the desire a bit, but that could be improved - the gentler turns and "outie" nature is a directness penalty. I could probably push the Mansell Street cycle crossing a bit further north and for fun, I have added a double mini-zebra to the northeast corner for a crossability improvement.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This design probably fits better with the local context which can have some busy pedestrian flows and plenty of bus movements. It also marks the point at which the east - west corridor turns from a "road" into a "street" as you enter The City of London to the west of the junction. A city centre street should ideally be low enough in terms of motor traffic to integrate cycling and The City is really pushing this idea. Seems like a logical place to make the transition to me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have two ways of achieving the same thing, both having advantages and disadvantages. The key for me is using the space, context and junction layout to think around the best solution. The Dutch approach works perhaps because there are so many people cycling in The Netherlands, so walking space is less of a issue. At the Mansell Street junction, walking is key and I think the CYCLOPS is the better option. You pay your money and you take you choice and maybe we'll be swapping successful CYCLOPS junctions for Dutch layouts in 30 years!</div></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-15454433673460799432022-05-21T07:58:00.004+01:002022-05-21T08:06:46.433+01:00The Versatility Of Modal Filters<h2 style="text-align: left;">This week, I return to the London Borough of Hackney to have a look at a pair of very different modal filters, but ones which really show that the technique represents a spectrum of (motor) traffic management and where we can tailor things to the local context.</h2><div>My trip made use of <a href="https://content.tfl.gov.uk/cycle-superhighway-route-1-map-city-to-tottenham.pdf" target="_blank">Cycleway 1</a> which runs from near Liverpool Street Station (Wilson Street) up to Church Road in Tottenham. This is not a post about C1, suffice to say that unlike the first proper set of main road cycleways in London, C1 mainly avoids the parallel A10 and as such remains incongruous from a directness perspective as well as being poorly signed in places.</div><div><br /></div><div>Still, it was a handy route for my trip and for certain, it does pass through several "low traffic neighbourhoods" (LTNs) which were built before it became a catchy term. In particular, it passes through De Beauvior Town which was <a href="http://hackneycyclist.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-history-behind-filtered.html" target="_blank">originally filtered in the 1970s as documented</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/Hackneycyclist" target="_blank">Hackney Cyclist</a> in 2015.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUg8fa-NTLOUx6idTSr4hDOjpOgzgl-HJYIzgxpQO4uRd_N8qL70m3N5g9j129LM5ouxCoeX-mBUlO-Q-MS1Dl0PUp6wdoMz-_9Dgh8H0yTOp5GOIsut9QUAtSq8ZxiuRQCrj8KsojC_fV47sTpsvVAjy0oiQsQaFeSndPXbL1ZjiU6_J2vwkBXlT7lg/s4096/IMG_20220507_081453495_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of the filter which has trees to the left, bollards and traffic signs stopping motor traffic and planters to the right." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUg8fa-NTLOUx6idTSr4hDOjpOgzgl-HJYIzgxpQO4uRd_N8qL70m3N5g9j129LM5ouxCoeX-mBUlO-Q-MS1Dl0PUp6wdoMz-_9Dgh8H0yTOp5GOIsut9QUAtSq8ZxiuRQCrj8KsojC_fV47sTpsvVAjy0oiQsQaFeSndPXbL1ZjiU6_J2vwkBXlT7lg/w400-h225/IMG_20220507_081453495_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Despite running through old filtered estates, C1 still suffers from drivers cutting through and so the first filter I stopped at was part of more recent work to deal with that issue. The junction of Culford Road (on C1) with <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/BVkPKCgdFSksUnCr5" target="_blank">Ardleigh Road</a> (above) was <a href="https://news.hackney.gov.uk/update-on-de-beauvoir-area-traffic-reduction-scheme/" target="_blank">closed to motors as a trial in late 2016</a> (as an <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2616508" target="_blank">experimental traffic order</a>) along with another closure just north on Culford Road itself. This was part of a wider traffic reduction plan for the area which essentially built on the original 1970s work. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we have come to expect, there were <a href="https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/controversial-cs1-wordsworth-road-closures-set-to-start-3536458" target="_blank">campaigns against the proposals</a>, but the London Borough of Hackney, working with Transport for London, decided to make the filters permanent with a <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2996175" target="_blank">permanent traffic order coming into force</a> in March 2018. The design swapped the junction priorities of the old layout where Ardleigh Road was the main road with Culford Road as the side road. This means that Culford Road now has priority which makes for a more legible C1 route. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdPlw3jaakZ6Tzsz2aZsC1_WCDbDl0bp4Ujops9CkPGNTY0F-RqIbLUSccuEe6CZ0sdaGwmSpuOhozphpVwxGJOPuORR2Q-veYSJYJngjFIhGkMMDFSSkRc7J0jomUasKPikqozVVMkCTd2Z3AMDlCDM7xK-AmlccLtk4-tn_BFCsSO5ELFXwLKETUA/s4096/IMG_20220507_081519134_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view from the other side of the filter showing the planters and cycle parking to the left." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdPlw3jaakZ6Tzsz2aZsC1_WCDbDl0bp4Ujops9CkPGNTY0F-RqIbLUSccuEe6CZ0sdaGwmSpuOhozphpVwxGJOPuORR2Q-veYSJYJngjFIhGkMMDFSSkRc7J0jomUasKPikqozVVMkCTd2Z3AMDlCDM7xK-AmlccLtk4-tn_BFCsSO5ELFXwLKETUA/w400-h225/IMG_20220507_081519134_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>The filter design is a "hard" filter in that there are actual bollards (above) to stop driver access (and they can be unlocked in an emergency). I prefer this approach to filters managed by enforcement camera because bollards add to the subjective safety of the location where you know you're not going to be bothered by drivers - these are the type you'll most often see people of all ages lingering.</div><div><br /></div><div>The layout has created space for new trees and hire cycle parking (below) with a couple of planters thrown in for good measure. One thing which is missing is seating - this would be a perfect location for people to pause a while and enjoy the peace and quiet the LTN has brought.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS7h1ha83hh7hM2XRP_saM7wF-TlJkYqGzeV_PdVNJ8D-n8YAsmiSIl1_rLW_2Ea86S1ZzqvrMEYi1QyD48PTUw9vIR0uq64ojCZQATX7yyS53RM1jAwxBwU2DIRDaW1ycT15SkVlYFXsQuxsx_18E_OAaAoNJLl40rXmFgPsHAid2ml2UJ00uKvyGg/s4096/IMG_20220507_081530906_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view of the cycle parking which is a pale blue metal frame with horizontal parking hoops. There is a post sticking up with a "hire cycles" traffic sign on it." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS7h1ha83hh7hM2XRP_saM7wF-TlJkYqGzeV_PdVNJ8D-n8YAsmiSIl1_rLW_2Ea86S1ZzqvrMEYi1QyD48PTUw9vIR0uq64ojCZQATX7yyS53RM1jAwxBwU2DIRDaW1ycT15SkVlYFXsQuxsx_18E_OAaAoNJLl40rXmFgPsHAid2ml2UJ00uKvyGg/w400-h225/IMG_20220507_081530906_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>One thing I haven't worked out yet is why there is an area of carriageway which has seen planters added and the double yellow lines pushed out round them (below). There is no Google Streetview for the initial experiment and so maybe there were more bollards to start with rather than realigning the northern corner of the junction. As the area is closed to motors, there really isn't any need for the yellow paint in any case. What was good to see is that care has been taken not to block the pedestrian dropped kerbs.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7xVfosiSkj-3N9ky8DLAzB-C-JhWQSU71cU7BnTPVqfO3Ib6agcn1KRPMnuiveFVut2gGk4cSUNwI2cvDaWMwrrQ492OfO0MLKoH4zGOdAyw4rDzF-xNRyHKmolUV2D0rmop_KitGbq7c3IZYa2a3y8WNM4ybASzPZ3zQASJQqD4D5QH2DilNiZDIw/s4096/IMG_20220507_081544128_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view across the side street with planters either side of a dropped kerb crossing point." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7xVfosiSkj-3N9ky8DLAzB-C-JhWQSU71cU7BnTPVqfO3Ib6agcn1KRPMnuiveFVut2gGk4cSUNwI2cvDaWMwrrQ492OfO0MLKoH4zGOdAyw4rDzF-xNRyHKmolUV2D0rmop_KitGbq7c3IZYa2a3y8WNM4ybASzPZ3zQASJQqD4D5QH2DilNiZDIw/w400-h225/IMG_20220507_081544128_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>After pausing to take some photographs, I headed north on C1 once more looking for a very different filter on a very different street layout. Despite being just a couple of kilometers away, I did manage to lose the C1 signage, but I eventually arrived at <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/rC1o2XmSRbnqd5px9" target="_blank">Stoke Newington Church Street</a> which has C1 doglegging through between side streets.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7w4WcFcrnHvTc0ZLXfzCKg3v377P25FFHyHHQMnQE-SA8G0W21XRJfyHG5q0VdgvB25p_EZMAP_QaYA9Cj0MRVJhIpC2g5n9ThUkHYdJqW_ORiT_Tm4XguBvg1hXOuW__z_N0eaIk_aeGyghbv0EsT4BhoJhOpnP6LkrxO0BwcPAredPlISk1IqyTg/s4096/IMG_20220507_084034460_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A narrow section of street with shops on both sides, narrow footways and the the restriction signs. There is a rainbow painted on the road and a bus coming towards us." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7w4WcFcrnHvTc0ZLXfzCKg3v377P25FFHyHHQMnQE-SA8G0W21XRJfyHG5q0VdgvB25p_EZMAP_QaYA9Cj0MRVJhIpC2g5n9ThUkHYdJqW_ORiT_Tm4XguBvg1hXOuW__z_N0eaIk_aeGyghbv0EsT4BhoJhOpnP6LkrxO0BwcPAredPlISk1IqyTg/w400-h225/IMG_20220507_084034460_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the Marton Road side.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The modal filter I had come to see is essentially a 20 metre section of the street between Lordship Road and Marton Road which has been closed to most motor traffic between 7am and 7pm. Buses are exempt as are holders of the "HAC01" permit (which I'll come back to in a bit) as are emergency vehicles. Businesses can continue to take deliveries during the day and people can be dropped off, it's just they will need to go a different way. The filter stops the peak hour driver commuter use of the street, so it's safer for cycling and during the middle of the day it's quieter for those shopping or visiting.</div><div><br /></div><div>The scheme was introduced <a href="https://rebuildingagreenerhackney.commonplace.is/proposals/stoke-newington" target="_blank">experimentally in September 2021</a> and is part of the borough's general push to get longer distance motor traffic back onto the A-road network, along with making local neighbourhoods better for walking, cycling and buses. What I hadn't appreciated is that this filter was only part of a wider scheme which has created 5 low traffic neighbourhood "cells" in the greater Stoke Newington Area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The HAC01 permit is an interesting addition. It is actually a <a href="https://hackney.gov.uk/blue-badge" target="_blank">blue badge permit exemption for certain modal filters in Hackney</a>. In general terms, there is the ability to exempt all blue badge holders from modal filters, but Hackney has taken the decision to restrict this to permit holders.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaEDS51tpmwXRMC93ejJFK9I-qX4CxR2ATOI5tgFKis4EtB90FK6E8-fYHmsAb__h_NAgpzjC3IBF-hgCTe_900pBPbFoXQvBtX3RinatRwBsKDy8U2cAASuC3IxWv1Esx4d34SAJhSHtxQi6ZqgDCsBZnVXxzUUqGEEFUSFo6kYNWhCLciLwkjdvSg/s4096/IMG_20220507_083516489_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A view from the other direction of the same thing as a the previous photograph." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaEDS51tpmwXRMC93ejJFK9I-qX4CxR2ATOI5tgFKis4EtB90FK6E8-fYHmsAb__h_NAgpzjC3IBF-hgCTe_900pBPbFoXQvBtX3RinatRwBsKDy8U2cAASuC3IxWv1Esx4d34SAJhSHtxQi6ZqgDCsBZnVXxzUUqGEEFUSFo6kYNWhCLciLwkjdvSg/w400-h225/IMG_20220507_083516489_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the Lordship Road side.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>This approach is <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qDBfQQEqO2UJei0agR4Bud0wssZ5V7tH/view" target="_blank">a local policy decision</a> and applies to filters on classified roads such as Stoke Newington Church Street which is the B104. There is a little more complication with other streets which take through traffic and so Hackney considers the same exemption to be applicable to bus routes. The point here is the borough has tried to ensure blue badge holders are not impacted by filters on the local strategic road network while maintaining the integrity of neighbourhood filters (even where camera enforced) by not applying permits there. </div><div><br /></div><div>The use of permits also means that blue badge holders from out of the borough do not get the exemption, keeping it very local and essentially a "reasonable adjustment" for the borough's disabled residents who rely on cars for trips within the borough. This is a very subtle use of traffic powers, but it really demonstrates how schemes can be constructed to try and deal with the main issue of a local high street being used for long distance traffic, while maintaining necessary access for those most in need of it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Stoke Newington Church Street scheme opens up significant future possibilities because the current road design sports main road features such as pedestrian refuges, wide sections of carriageway, narrow footways and signalised pedestrian crossings. If the scheme is made permanent, there is the potential to rebalance things back towards walking which is a key high street mode, while maintaining access for buses and cycling. It's hard to sum that up in a photograph and so <a href="https://youtu.be/i16HYYmr2Uo" target="_blank">I shall leave you with a video</a> which really shows the incongruity of a road managed for motor traffic where the motor traffic is removed.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i16HYYmr2Uo" width="320" youtube-src-id="i16HYYmr2Uo"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1828166865647185633.post-40964476085411043602022-05-14T07:50:00.000+01:002022-05-14T07:50:13.094+01:00The Amazing Electricity Trickery: Supercharged<h2 style="text-align: left;">Electric vehicles were on my mind again recently as I walked along the street and saw a cable running from a first floor window of some flats and across the footway to plug into an electric vehicle.</h2><div>I of course tweeted out a photo and thinking my caption of "this is fine" was a little dry, I added </div><div><br /></div><div>"<i>This is bullying. Subsuming public amenity for private gain and there's little people walking and wheeling can do about it. If you buy a car, make your own arrangements for fueling it.</i>"</div><div><br /></div><div>I partly post these sorts of things through general annoyance at what I consider to be basic unthinking behaviour, but because it will always get a reaction and so spark debate.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimDyrlL6xwE--Rj6Vc3zIq0b0HVT94KbXhr3plE3vWMHkGnprM2Wf2tFYIXtH8aTL7tNVJhSXNW3MURyIqXVgyudzyAz254i0yZD11-aeOnC4Ewjq7QjAAIBaAHCOSEhlO9e3pDiCi7kmjlbGja0XnijAwyAixPIFn_e4V8qP5QpzyQ0yTRlzkEnodg/s4096/IMG_20220427_062505595.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A footway with a yellow cable draped down onto it from a wall on the left and plugged into a grey car on the right. A small rubber mat covers the central section of the wire on the footway." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimDyrlL6xwE--Rj6Vc3zIq0b0HVT94KbXhr3plE3vWMHkGnprM2Wf2tFYIXtH8aTL7tNVJhSXNW3MURyIqXVgyudzyAz254i0yZD11-aeOnC4Ewjq7QjAAIBaAHCOSEhlO9e3pDiCi7kmjlbGja0XnijAwyAixPIFn_e4V8qP5QpzyQ0yTRlzkEnodg/w400-h225/IMG_20220427_062505595.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As you can see in the photograph above, the owner had some idea that their choices did create a problem for people walking along the footway, but it's was a pretty half-hearted attempt to mitigate the problem they were causing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Let's not be under any allusions here, cables left like this are trip hazards for anyone and particularly those with low or no vision. They can also create problems for people using sticks, crutches and rollators as well as wheelchair and mobility scooters. In general highway engineering terms, anything over 6mm is very likely to constitute a trip and for people using wheeled mobility aids, smaller wheels can get caught at this level difference.</div><div><br /></div><div>The problems with my example didn't start with the lazy draping of the cable though, this is actually the end point of policy failures which didn't foresee the shift from petrol and diesel to electric power, or if it did, a policy position which is predicated on people driving as they always did. I wrote about EVs in <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-amazing-electricity-trickery.html" target="_blank">2013</a> and <a href="https://therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-amazing-electricity-trickery.html" target="_blank">2017</a> where I explored these (ahem) disconnects and now in 2022, we are at the position where the government seeks to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-historic-step-towards-net-zero-with-end-of-sale-of-new-petrol-and-diesel-cars-by-2030" target="_blank">ban new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030</a> as well as pressing on with roads expansion in England. Throw in <a href="https://www.transportfornewhomes.org.uk/the-project/building-car-dependency/?utm_source=TfNH_homepage&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=report_launch" target="_blank">car-dependent development</a> and the demand for driving will continue to grow as well as pressure on recharging facilities.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxoeOxkso6G1abRJDZzOPyDNVFB5gmeo1tCB4uDo-xVPrWNuM36QcaK7XT3Gsoor7sO8UVu9luUCgMmvoasVJtoW0wYC-qAZreXP26mePt2Z6tpLjetGymNFAUeSdRQcwx2dJdZbZ1Uv87t9pDwxsoS7WO0-IRmotlyZK4LuV1BYQP4uAViqLQOx-gQ/s1024/174%20EV.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A red London bus at a bus stop with a crowd of people waiting to get on. There are shops behind." border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxoeOxkso6G1abRJDZzOPyDNVFB5gmeo1tCB4uDo-xVPrWNuM36QcaK7XT3Gsoor7sO8UVu9luUCgMmvoasVJtoW0wYC-qAZreXP26mePt2Z6tpLjetGymNFAUeSdRQcwx2dJdZbZ1Uv87t9pDwxsoS7WO0-IRmotlyZK4LuV1BYQP4uAViqLQOx-gQ/w400-h225/174%20EV.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A fully electric London bus</i></div><div><br /></div><div>My favourite transport planning model is "<a href="https://sutp.org/publications/sustainable-urban-transport-avoid-shift-improve-a-s-i-inua-9/" target="_blank">avoid, shift, improve</a>" (ASI) which essentially looks at ways in which we can avoid travel in the first place, then shift it onto sustainable modes and then decarbonise what is left (including service, delivery and construction vehicles). It isn't just transport theory, it is interlinked with spatial planning so as many people as possible can live and work within walkable and (more often) cyclable distances, with electrified public transport talking up the slack for medium and long trips.</div><div><br /></div><div>The policy failures in my example also extend to my local authority which has so far refused to countenance any on-street charging facilities. Those people trapped in electrifying car dependency without access to off street parking are going to find things potentially more difficult going forward. There is a wider risk that with car-dependent development, we're simply going to carry on expecting that roads between such places and city centres end up being kept mainly for moving low occupancy vehicles for commuting trips and for those who can afford cars (whether easily or by struggling) and the significant maintenance costs therein.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb71te9o8iy9UQMXMgTpcQtg-ITpdV_wvKyBZDamiycWTpiv4U-ija8OxtNQdiMQG8rzHTHEpqvFKO-woITa-UjTZ8Lgo4Sy-BoX_VcrXgDhghaTfhqnA-qIVEt9UPMTcou4dHMCNqM-eld1K3zXhD9wImfVBziPnUqAleLuu1uVAx6GtjTblWNQMug/s4096/IMG_20220409_090055710_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A parking bay in the road with a footway and housing beyond. To the right end of the parking bay, there is a kerbed island on the road edge on which a large pillar for car charging is placed." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb71te9o8iy9UQMXMgTpcQtg-ITpdV_wvKyBZDamiycWTpiv4U-ija8OxtNQdiMQG8rzHTHEpqvFKO-woITa-UjTZ8Lgo4Sy-BoX_VcrXgDhghaTfhqnA-qIVEt9UPMTcou4dHMCNqM-eld1K3zXhD9wImfVBziPnUqAleLuu1uVAx6GtjTblWNQMug/w400-h225/IMG_20220409_090055710_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I've mixed views as I would rather we didn't clutter streets with charging kit at all, but pragmatically I guess we'll have to facilitate it, but let's take the space from the run of parking bays with a build-out and not the footway as with my example from the City of Westminster in the photograph above. I'd prefer to see much of the charging provided in repurposed petrol stations and destination parking. An "electric forecourt (below) could have a place, especially as part of a mixed use development which has retail elements. Even the fastest fast chargers take longer than filling up with petrol and so those needing them could plug in, do a small shop, and then be ready to get underway again.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVmvI4lhWp78cmLev569HPK3SG38oRlODI9pyd0muEpXNk-Xj6KEUwgPvaZruTcGOrRwYQUVPcbisUMt_CaNvNn7FAP2m2WwdOg2UJv7e0BZNb0qn5a5y-x-Q9IbGaB9Fv6cTF3w4XEQ8MuThaUY8h6FqnLGorV54A5zQ8Bw1SapnX0E3Kbr1vhlX1g/s4096/IMG_20210920_180821744_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A row of electric charging car parking spaces with cars parked next to each other. They are covered by a partial canopy. There is a large sign to the left advertising the charging facility." border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVmvI4lhWp78cmLev569HPK3SG38oRlODI9pyd0muEpXNk-Xj6KEUwgPvaZruTcGOrRwYQUVPcbisUMt_CaNvNn7FAP2m2WwdOg2UJv7e0BZNb0qn5a5y-x-Q9IbGaB9Fv6cTF3w4XEQ8MuThaUY8h6FqnLGorV54A5zQ8Bw1SapnX0E3Kbr1vhlX1g/w400-h225/IMG_20210920_180821744_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>As well as local politics, the shift from private forecourts to public streets relies on local authorities which are under resourced for management of charging kit, even if the day to day operations are privately managed. It will be interesting to see how charging costs change as electricity costs rise because home charging will always be cheaper as it doesn't need the on-street kit, maintenance contracts, local authority management etc.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some have suggested solutions to the wire over the highway problem (and thanks to those highlighting the initiatives). In Oxfordshire, <a href="https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/case-study/oxgul-e/" target="_blank">a small pilot has been running to install channels in the footway</a> to provide somewhere for cables to run. This of course assumes the user can park reasonably close to their home and in this pilot, it needed people to be on good terms with their neighbours. Interestingly, they found people only needed to charge up once or twice a week.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLL5bbu9Qkrud5ZqtZ01OoGlbS_b9mO9Sl8js1KESr3JTm-tJurAE_p0vYlBceULPxW9oFUhaHtGTOwf9ugO6FCUwMvjX9zRFf3a1ODhGD-xBIQspSeG89zl6_nQylPyarbIwvvC766nkWgEQr28k-HPrnHftewMcDQXxDN18I4kICXnKDSIrBCW3ceg/s2046/FRVVwMiWYAA0B5-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A close up view across a footway from a front garden to the wheels of a car in the road. There is a concrete channel with a rubber strip running through the middle into which a cable has been pushed. The rubber strip leaves a level footway over the cable." border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2046" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLL5bbu9Qkrud5ZqtZ01OoGlbS_b9mO9Sl8js1KESr3JTm-tJurAE_p0vYlBceULPxW9oFUhaHtGTOwf9ugO6FCUwMvjX9zRFf3a1ODhGD-xBIQspSeG89zl6_nQylPyarbIwvvC766nkWgEQr28k-HPrnHftewMcDQXxDN18I4kICXnKDSIrBCW3ceg/w400-h225/FRVVwMiWYAA0B5-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The photographs above and below are of a Dutch scheme which used a street reconstruction to add modular channel blocks within which to run a charging cable. As with the Oxfordshire scheme, this relies on neighbourly goodwill, but it deals with the tripping issue. Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/Sjoess" target="_blank">Sjors van Duren</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RHDHV_NL" target="_blank">RoyalHaskoningDHV Netherlands</a> for the photograph and background. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gWsQEs_g9rNXe8r7K50pA3my20PU0aORhkpSpejCiGhrJ4TazxmMgkvKxTWnJEm1AtMY0tNPeF03jz3qLtIR-D-nC1ZK9tv8T_yTMcLKlgGE8oGyEcUZTkcZw8jNhJgHCl2-6Kv739dJRrco2EhFcDrXxWcoZbPsBKRPcbYMQdEuMc67pz_kdakQTA/s2048/FRVVwTUXEAEh2HN.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A general view of a concrete channel across a footway containing a cable covered by a rubber strip. The cable goes from a charging point in a front garden to the left to a car parked on the right." border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gWsQEs_g9rNXe8r7K50pA3my20PU0aORhkpSpejCiGhrJ4TazxmMgkvKxTWnJEm1AtMY0tNPeF03jz3qLtIR-D-nC1ZK9tv8T_yTMcLKlgGE8oGyEcUZTkcZw8jNhJgHCl2-6Kv739dJRrco2EhFcDrXxWcoZbPsBKRPcbYMQdEuMc67pz_kdakQTA/w400-h225/FRVVwTUXEAEh2HN.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>This is a pretty tidy solution, but in situations where on-street parking is dense within a controlled parking zone and where people can't often get to park in front of their dwelling, it's going to be a struggle. Potentially, permits could be developed to reserve bays for EVs near where the private chargers are located, but eventually we'll have an EV fleet and the same problems unless we reduce the number of cars people need through planning and transport policy levers.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's also worth mentioning another Dutch solution to the problem which uses an arm swung over the footway to dangle a cable down to the vehicle. <a href="https://chargearm.com/en/" target="_blank">Have a look at this website for something which is way less practical</a> than a cable channel and way more ugly in the street scene.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's probably not a single solution to these problems and having multiple solutions is probably more resilient anyway. At the heart of this, though, remains the very real problem that policy is playing catchup and until or unless it does, we are going to get cables run over the footway. Because most people are at home at night, it will be overnight charging which makes it tougher for local authorities to deal with and what then? People have cars to charge and while it's very easy to say it's their problem to solve, some of the problem is created through policy. Expect this subject to rumble on for years to come.</div>The Ranty Highwaymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17361350433158148025noreply@blogger.com7