But. No. One. Uses. The. Cycle. Lane.

This is all good news. 30% increase in cycling across Scotland.

And some of the new stuff in Stirling is really helpful, and massively used. Stirling Bridge and end of Causeway Head road is now like a mini  Belgium cycling moment – dozens of kids and parents going one way, students and others heading the opposite to the Uni.

Yet a lot of the infrastructure, the ‘100% increase* section’ included, is still pretty poor really and has taken huge amounts of effort to get what is in there. It is not connected enough and assumes / prioritises certain routes to the exclusion of others. This though should come with time.

https://cycling.scot/news-and-blog/article/30-percent-increases-in-cycling-across-scotland

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*Yes, that could be that there were two students using it last year.

people often associate an empty cycle lane with no one using it, when reality it is just efficient use of space, so no one is sat there in a queue. the users presence is fleeting.

people often associate an empty cycle lane with no one using it, when reality it is just efficient use of space, so no one is sat there in a queue. the users presence is fleeting.

Mr growing theory is also that people are so used to cars cluttering *everywhere*, whether parked, queuing,  or moving on a road, there are cars *everywhere* and all the time, 24hrs a day.

It is therefore ‘odd’ for people to see parts of streets which are not permanently parked in or fully blocked by traffic or lines of cars.

It is not connected enough and assumes / prioritises certain routes to the exclusion of others.

This is the same everywhere, and even successful stuff in GM has gaps at e.g. council borders. It really shouldn’t be a hard message to get across that routes need to be continuous and connect nodal points. An acquaintance runs the Oxford Rd Cycle Bot which gives some quite nice stats for usage on that

Does LTN 1/20 apply in Scotland or is it England-only?

This deserves a poem

The council’s come up with a new crazy scheme — ‘Let’s build cycle lanes, a cyclist’s dream!’

So you’d best find somewhere else to park, and don’t waste time with complaints or remarks

If you’re unlucky enough to live on these streets, any moan or protest will face defeats.

They’ll spend twenty million, no problem at all— But parking fees are rising this autumnal fall,

To make up the shortfall, just a little demand— “Oh, that’s a different budget,” they’ll say, head in hands Now, where are these cyclists, you may ask?

It’s spotting one that’s the real task.

For the lanes sit empty, mile after mile, But, oh, those council folk ride in style!

“Think of the planet!” they proudly cheer, Yet buses and lorries still crowd the rear.

And drivers, gridlocked and fit to explode, are simply directed to “share the road.”

If you’re unfortunate to reside on these roads, any complaints or protests will be ignored.

So here we are, in traffic jams tight, with bike lanes aplenty but none in sight— While ambulance crews look on in dismay, at a system that’s led us all astray.

Ah, but consultations were held, they claim, with surveys and meetings (a bureaucrat’s game).

But anyone doubting this master plan finds they’re talking to the council’s hand.

So if you’re fed up and think it absurd, just remember: your voice won’t be heard.

They’ll carry on with their cycle crusade, while we’re stuck in the mess they made

Remember: If you find yourself living on these lanes, Any whinge or protest will be in vain.

https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/24715840.wirrals-cycle-lane-controversy-inspires-poem-protest/?ref=socialflow&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR043v4mppVtwLuTcSwMDbDy5DwF1BDVpO07FQP2UL0RsfbY7XDxRP8q2SU_aem_KFN6fpGBad8NESfefMFcsA#hjp22v39sok

Aye, it’s all about the parking, isn’t it? The Mash has a good take…

IANAE

LTB 1/20 applies to all UK Nations I believe, just as our roads are built to the same standard.

people often associate an empty cycle lane with no one using it, when reality it is just efficient use of space, so no one is sat there in a queue. the users presence is fleeting.

take pics just after a light dusting of snow, it usually shuts up the ‘no one uses them’ brigade

LTN 1/20 is England and NI only.
Cycling by Design is the Scottish equivalent guidance. It’s probably intended to set out exactly the same technical spec, but the presentation is so different it’s sometimes hard to tell for sure.

take pics just after a light dusting of snow,

Well depends – one of my bugbears is infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians being managed and maintained to different targets and standards to roads. Come the ice and snow often roads are gritted by pavements and cycle routes aren’t.

When I’m working in edinburgh it’s usually pretty good and the cycle network seems to be well maintained – lit, gritted etc in winter.

When I come home though – they’re not. Did a job with Sustrans in Ayrshire a few years back and had to go and survey and measure a site on a December morning, 5m from an intersection with a main road and could barely stay on my feet. So in a lot of places cyclists will probably actively avoid cycle infrastructure in cold weather.

Aye, it’s all about the parking, isn’t it?

Yup – and really annoys me that car drivers monopolise that space for free or for pennies.    That bit of land outside you house that you park on is worth around £1000.  It belongs to all not just car drivers but only car drivers use it to the detriment of the rest

My local council have just spent many many many months widening a path into a shared user route on a Trading Estate (it’ll be finished in about another 6 months is my reckoning) its 1 mile in length and is doesn’t cover any of the myriad side routes, just a straight forward 1 end to the other.

Most days it looks like this 

*Yes, that could be that there were two students using it last year.

Since you posted the link I assume you read the article. The actual figures are in there.

Since you posted the link I assume you read the article. The actual figures are in there.

I had.
As ever, the context of what 100% is really matters. How many cars on that road daily? How many pedestrians? Does the counter do direction, because on that (badly designed) section where the counter is, cyclists have taken to going both directions on south bound lane so the reporting is not quite accurate etc etc

That and being a dafty..

@white101 It would be better if the path continued across the junction, and if they’d made the corner radii tighter…

I wonder if the quoted increase in users on the south bound Erskine Bridge lane is due to the north bound lane being as near as dammit permanently closed?

people often associate an empty cycle lane with no one using it

Someone commented on a video of an Edinburgh road that no one was shown using the cycle lane, waste of space etc. I also pointed out that no one was using the pavements and perhaps we should remove them too?

white101 – a classic example of a useless cycle lane.  It needs to have priority over the side roads

So in a lot of places cyclists will probably actively avoid cycle infrastructure in cold weather.

Yup. Round here they are also currently covered in nice wet slippy leaves. Just what the average commuter wants to ride on.

I got shouted at for not using a cycle lane last week.

One way street, downhill, cycle lane on the left, pub I want to be in on the right. I was travelling faster than the traffic, so??

Some pints later I’m much slower up the hill and the cycle path going up the adjacent road has a row of shops and of course has cars parked all over the cycle path, it’s ok though as they have their hazard lights on.

Anybody that knows Reading will be aware that the cycle paths are mostly unusable, regular swaps of which side of the road they’re on, abruptly ending, having to travel in the wrong direction always give way etc etc but you will get abuse for not using them.

Anybody that knows Reading will be aware that the cycle paths are mostly unusable, regular swaps of which side of the road they’re on, abruptly ending, having to travel in the wrong direction always give way etc etc but you will get abuse for not using them.

Very much so. The most frustrating bit is that there are some good bits of cycle infrastructure in Reading but they’re not particularly joined up and tend not to follow the main artirial roads in and out of the centre. If you want to get into Reading on a car-free route your best bet is the shared use paths alongside the various waterways, safer, more scenic but will probably triple the length of most journeys.

The core issue is that Reading lacks city status (and therefore funding) but is pushing on for the size of a city, with city sized problems, including transport infrastructure.

The most depressing bit is that Reading did make a stab at becoming a cycle friendly town, anyone else remember the ‘Readybikes‘? Docked hire bikes supposed to get us all into sustainable transport. The problem was that the scheme was aimed at entirely the wrong route. Basically The P&R to the south of M4 J11 that no bastard uses.  There’s three odd miles of (pretty poorly signed/routed) cycle lanes between there and the centre of town alongside the A33. Which I think was supposed to service commuters and weekend shoppers (along with busses). But honestly that’s too far for most ‘normals’ to cycle to/from their car, especially when the town centre is stuffed with multi-story carparking.

Most importantly what they didn’t really do was put and cycle docks in the wider residential areas of the town. It didn’t feel like an initiative intended for the people actually living in Reading… I now look with envy at the Boris bikes any time I’m in London and think about Readings failed hire bikes.

And yet, despite all this negativity and challenges, utility cycling keeps growing….

And yet, despite all this negativity and challenges, utility cycling keeps growing….

Just imagine how much more quickly it would grow and how much safer everyone would be if it was done properly!

Some pints later I’m much slower up the hill

And you’re moaning about drivers parking incorrectly?

And yet, despite all this negativity and challenges, utility cycling keeps growing….

So people should stop noticing and highlighting issues? Smile because we’re inching closer to a better situation?

My mini rant isn’t me complaining about utility cycling, I want to see more in my area, that needs better infrastructure. The boat has sailed for my family, my kids grew up in a town that made cycling friendly noises, delivered a failed bike hire scheme and patchy infrastructure and now is strangled for funding…

Why should I be cheery?

Few projecty bits from semi-inside

Here (Scotland) you are bidding for a big pot of central government budget. Anything you get from that brings local tax money back to the community, to be spent on local wages and materials. The way it is set up you can get 100% funding for schemes from that if you are careful. The things you build are often replacing or rebuilding shonky old footpaths from the 80s that you don’t have any money to upkeep. Even if nobody new ever set foot (or wheel) on a path, it is still worth it in terms of local finances.

The payback on public health is huge. Like 10-20x multipliers. That’s why governments that don’t have anything much positive to say about cycling are still funding it, the wins are that big on population benefits. “Spend to save” projects can go through on 10% savings sometimes – spend £1M now and over 30 years you save £100k. Cycling schemes might be be saving £10-20M.
Depends what you build where, but here there are 1 mile lengths that would be on the rght side of cost/benefit if you got 10 users a day over the lifespan.

So people should stop noticing and highlighting issues? Smile because we’re inching closer to a better situation?

I did not mean it that way: it was more a sign that the drivers are strong, and that people *want* this, despite the vocal few and the structural changes needed in how our sustainable transport policy is being developed and delivered.

We absolutely should keep on holding people to account and arguing for more, rapid and better change.

Few projecty bits from semi-inside

Interesting – particularly as I am involved in some local stuff which has been proposed since the 1980’s, which has had £200k of consultants over the years, and some funding returned mid-pandemic due to lack of staff….and yet we are now told ‘no money’….and so another consultant is needed to work out how much and where from.

which has had £200k of consultants over the years, and some funding returned mid-pandemic due to lack of staff….and yet we are now told ‘no money’….and so another consultant is needed to work out how much and where from.

Also from “the inside”…

This is a damning indictment of the nature of fragmented government funding, piecemeal funding pots that are never quite enough for the ambition (and can be chopped and changed at the whim of a PM) and also the nature of public consultation which invariably bows to a noisy minority of NIMBYs resulting in schemes that are ever more watered down and ineffective.

Having time limits on spending doesn’t help either.

a classic example of a useless cycle lane. It needs to have priority over the side roads

Having been regularly driving through the works in Stirling this is something they have got right. Quite impressed with what they have done and shows it can be done.

Indeed they are a step forward, still some issues, but a step forward.

And you’re moaning about drivers parking incorrectly?

Was on foot, hard to ride and eat a Kebab.

Its not just improved infrastructure that would encourage more numbers but also if the general media culture war hysteria around it would just STFU.

The people who are making heinous comments online, in media and social media about running over cyclists, calling them “swarms” or lycra louts and generally fostering an almost intolerable atmosphere around the whole thing are the same people who whine that “nobody uses the cycle lanes”- as if there’s not a link between these two factors.