contra flow cycle lanes = a good idea?

[saaby93]

New scheme in Dorset that appears to be waiting a head on collision between a bike and a bus
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-57100...
Why not put the contrary cycle lane the other side of the road?

[Dnlm]

If it got built like that photo, it'd be murder. Some solid separators (curbs plus barriers) like on the South Bank Superhighway in London and can be ok.

I dont mind them when i'm used to the route, but in strange places find i miss the (cross the road) entrance or want to exit at the wrong moment. still highly preferable to the ones integrated into pavements.

[Type R Tom]

Don’t know the scheme but a few reasons come to mind:

Side roads – could be less on that side therefor reduce conflicts with turning cards
Requires less space – you need a buffer on either side so a two way needs less width so that saved space can be given to cyclists
Complications at either ends of the route – could be that to safely cross a traffic lane to access a park or similar could require a complicated junction.

The scheme won’t be built like that, there will be bollards of a kerb or something to delineate the lanes, it’s just an impression.

[saaby93]

Type R Tom said:

The scheme won’t be built like that, there will be bollards of a kerb or something to delineate the lanes, it’s just an impression.

If it's not how it's going to look, what's the use of them providing the impression

[Type R Tom]

saaby93 said:

Type R Tom said:

The scheme won’t be built like that, there will be bollards of a kerb or something to delineate the lanes, it’s just an impression.

If it's not how it's going to look, what's the use of them providing the impression

Most likely this is just concept, I can't see any technical drawings on the consultation site. Generally detail design won't start till they get feedback from the consultation because it's expensive and a waste if the scheme gets binned when people don't like it.

Having given it a bit more though, the bollards may not be required if the bus lane is full time as that will provide the protection from motor traffic. Obviously that won't help if someone goes driving across all lanes but bollards aren't designed to stop fast moving vehicles anyway. A big kerb would help but again not perfect and there may not be the widths for it.

[Maximus_Meridius101]

There’s one near me, I do use it. The amount of times I’ve had people having a proper go at me / Gandalfing me for “going the wrong way” is astonishing. On one of my regular routes, cyclists are permitted to go the ‘wrong way’ up one way streets, again I’ve been swerved at / verbaled , by people who don’t know about this.

[saaby93]

Type R Tom said:

Having given it a bit more though, the bollards may not be required if the bus lane is full time as that will provide the protection from motor traffic.

How does a bus lane give protection from an errant bus/taxi/police car drifting into the cycle lane
or a wobbly cyclist avoiding a dog having a head on with a bus
Surely minimum closing speeds in case of collision dictates that cycle lanes should be 'with flow'

[emicen]

Seems that across the whole of the UK, spaces for people and cycle lane planning, have absolutely let the lunatics take charge of the asylum.

Except, none of the lunatics seem to have ever ridden a bike.


ETA:

This is out near where I grew up:
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9309162,-4.3162591...

For the vast majority of that road, the pavement on both sides was already wider than most shared use cycle paths. The road itself was wide enough for a row of parked cars on one side and still 3 lanes worth of road space left over. Local motorists hate it and its also crap to cycle along.

Edited by emicen on Thursday 13th May 15:17

[Zetec-S]

saaby93 said:

New scheme in Dorset that appears to be waiting a head on collision between a bike and a bus
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-57100...
Why not put the contrary cycle lane the other side of the road?

I used to live round the corner from that location - to be fair it's an improvement over the current set up which is basically a cratered pavement with some white lines (badly) painted on:



(although according to the impression it appears they will be moving a fully grown oak tree from the middle of the pavement into someone's front garden )

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.7384283,-1.94950...

[saaby93]

emicen said:

Seems that across the whole of the UK, spaces for people and cycle lane planning, have absolutely let the lunatics take charge of the asylum.

Except, none of the lunatics seem to have ever ridden a bike.


ETA:

This is out near where I grew up:
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9309162,-4.3162591...

For the vast majority of that road, the pavement on both sides was already wider than most shared use cycle paths. The road itself was wide enough for a row of parked cars on one side and still 3 lanes worth of road space left over. Local motorists hate it and its also crap to cycle along.

Thats great further back at Macdonalds where it changes sides
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9319168,-4.316402,...

[Type R Tom]

saaby93 said:

Type R Tom said:

Having given it a bit more though, the bollards may not be required if the bus lane is full time as that will provide the protection from motor traffic.

How does a bus lane give protection from an errant bus/taxi/police car drifting into the cycle lane
or a wobbly cyclist avoiding a dog having a head on with a bus
Surely minimum closing speeds in case of collision dictates that cycle lanes should be 'with flow'

I'm referring to protection from general traffic, if that is your argument against contra flow cycling then there are 100s around the country you might have a problem with.

When there isn't the room or budget for protection then it's a question of risk and the whole promotion of sustainable travel. Would this lane encourage a teenager to cycle to school instead of being driven?

[Scrump]

The cycle lane on Quay St in the centre of Bristol flows in the opposite direction to traffic on the one way street. I have seen a few near misses here.


This part of the road may be buses and taxis only now as recently private cars have been banned from many of the streets in this area of the city.

[frisbee]

There are a few in Cheltenham as well. Pedestrians know it’s one way for cars so don’t bother looking in the other direction for bikes before leaping into the road.

[Dnlm]

saaby93 said:

emicen said:

Seems that across the whole of the UK, spaces for people and cycle lane planning, have absolutely let the lunatics take charge of the asylum.

Except, none of the lunatics seem to have ever ridden a bike.


ETA:

This is out near where I grew up:
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9309162,-4.3162591...

For the vast majority of that road, the pavement on both sides was already wider than most shared use cycle paths. The road itself was wide enough for a row of parked cars on one side and still 3 lanes worth of road space left over. Local motorists hate it and its also crap to cycle along.

Thats great further back at Macdonalds where it changes sides
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9319168,-4.316402,...

That is awful - would never use it. And as a result would probably get beeped/close passed regulary by drivers

Scrump said:

The cycle lane on Quay St in the centre of Bristol flows in the opposite direction to traffic on the one way street. I have seen a few near misses here.

This part of the road may be buses and taxis only now as recently private cars have been banned from many of the streets in this area of the city.

My road is the same, but worse it's only a serrated cycle line. usually involves getting to the junction where cars turn in, to find a van is parked in the cycle 'lane' and cars are rightly pissed off at turning into a one way street with cyclist in the middle of it.