Here in Melbourne, trams run down the streets, not the paths. These ribbons of green are a peaceful refuge from the energy and discord of the city.
On-street cycle infrastructure isn't half-arsed like Leith Walk (and, inevitably, the Roseburn replacement). pic.twitter.com/68Cz2EhM3y
— Edward Tissiman (@edtiss) February 6, 2024
More criticism of cycling infrastructure now on the blog, but this time coming from an entirely different direction (excuse the contraflow lane pun), as residents and politicians in Leicester have criticised the recent installation of concrete blocks separating a cycle lane from one of the city’s busiest roads, which they reckon are “essentially invisible” and a danger to motorists and pedestrians.
As we reported back in September, Leicester City Council agreed to replace the temporary wands on Aylestone Road, introduced during the pandemic, with permanent full segregation, concrete kerbing, and extra signs and lights as the Labour-run local authority sought to build on the success of the temporary scheme, which saw “a significant reduction in collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists”.
However, when the proposals were first introduced, they were criticised by Lib Dem councillor Nigel Porter, who claimed that the cycle lane was already a “nuisance” and that the concrete kerbs would be a “trip hazard”.
And now, just over a month after their installation around Christmas, councillor Porter has raised his head again, telling the BBC that at a recent ward meeting on the issue two weeks ago, only three of the roughly 100 people in attendance thought the bike lanes were a “good idea”.
Porter added that while he wants to see cyclists protected (that’s nice of him), he didn’t want their protection and safety to come at the expense of other road users (ah, of course).
“They are a danger, not just to pedestrians, but to motorists and all road users,” the councillor said, before claiming that pedestrians had already fallen over the blocks and that one motorist struck the kerb, causing £350 in damage to their car.
Meanwhile, Sam Bradshaw, an assistant manager at J&S Accessories on the Aylestone Road, said he often saw drivers struggling to move out of the way of emergency vehicles thanks to the segregation, and that motorists were damaging their vehicles while pulling out onto the road.
“Because they’re not marked with white or yellow paint, in poor weather conditions they’re essentially invisible,” Bradshaw, who says he rides a bike and is generally in favour of cycle lanes, told the BBC.
“90 per cent of the people we speak to are not a fan of these cycle lanes.”
A council spokesman said: “The design uses the kind of concrete segregators which have been in use successfully in London Road since 2020 to replace the temporary wand markers, and has no impact on the number of traffic lanes.
“By creating a protected cycleway, we are reducing both the likelihood of drivers colliding with cyclists and illegal footway cycling, which improves safety for people using the pavements.”
I’ve just had my bike stolen from outside a coffee shop in Monton in Manchester.
Absolutely zero chance of seen it again, but I thought I would post on here just in case somebody sees something pic.twitter.com/clRCcVP3gP
— Phil Lowe (@Lowe_Profile_) February 4, 2024
Britain’s bike theft epidemic strikes again, as Phil Lowe, the communications manager for Soudal Quick-Step, saw his bike – a team branded S-Works, no less – stolen from outside a coffee shop in Monton, Greater Manchester, on Sunday morning.
According to Lowe, who says he has “absolutely zero chance of seeing it again”, the bike was locked to some railing when the thieves struck.
However, some noted that the thieves may have bitten off more than they can chew, having nicked a Quick-Step-issue and clearly branded bike.
“That’s a pretty rare bike mate, I’ll post it in the FB groups too. Not too many QS team issues around in UK, so don’t rule anything out. Fingers crossed for you,” said Jamie on Twitter.
Ah, contraflow cycle lanes, our old divisive friend, it’s been a while.
While many active travel campaigners laud the safety benefits of contraflow cycling, it’s safe to say that recent attempts to install bike lanes which travel against the flow of motor traffic haven’t quite hit the mark.
Back in September, a contraflow cycle lane in Brighton was deemed responsible for a series of collisions between cyclists and motorists seemingly unaware of the riders approaching on their right, and described by road.cc’s own Jo Burt as a “shockingly badly designed bit of infrastructure”.
> Shocking video shows multiple cyclists getting hit by "unaware" drivers on a contraflow cycle lane
And in July, a new, green-painted cycle lane in Altrincham became the subject of ridicule for cyclists in Greater Manchester, with one describing its narrow, contraflow design – located between a row of parking bays and a one-way traffic lane, with no physical separation – as “dreadful” and “an accident waiting to happen”, thanks to the increased possibility of ‘dooring’ incidents, or motorists pulling across the lane and into the path of hitherto obscured cyclists.
A few months later, it was revealed that Trafford Council – who claimed at the time of the lane’s completion that the green paint would “heighten driver’s awareness” – was warned in advance during a safety audit about the dangers posed by the lane’s layout and the threat of dooring.
And now, it appears to be the turn of the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames to ignore a safety audit’s dooring warnings, with this interesting piece of brand-new infrastructure on London’s King’s Road, which was completed at the weekend, being colourfully described as a “sick joke” and a “suicide lane” by road.cc reader Chapona Bike.
Kingston Council have just installed a brand new cycle lane, but didn't follow LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design guidance
This is the view going up Kings Road, with Kingston Gate/Richmond Park at top
There is no space for cars going up, to safely pass cycles coming down pic.twitter.com/ChFDODDkzn
— Chapona Bike (@ChaponaBike123) February 5, 2024
“This is the view going up King’s Road, with Kingston Gate/Richmond Park at top. There is no space for cars going up, to safely pass cycles coming down,” Chapona Bike told road.cc
“This kind of cycling infrastructure invites conflict. Cyclists don’t feel safe cycling next to parked cars, and oncoming motorists will think they have some sort of implied right of way to squeeze through the gap.
“LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design sets a minimum standard for councils investing in cycling infrastructure. Questions have been asked of Kingston Council as to why they haven’t followed it.”
@RBKingston@MPSKingston What kind of a sick joke is this? Can't you see you've put vulnerable road users into direct conflict with motorists by doing this?
— Chapona Bike (@ChaponaBike123) February 5, 2024
However, while many on social media agreed with Chapona Bike’s blunt assessment of the new lane – and asked whether it would be safer for parking on one side of the road to be removed – other cyclists reckoned the revamped layout at least marked an improvement on what was there before.
“I cycle up that road a lot. It’s got to be better and safer than before, traffic flows smoothly. I take the point about coming down the hill and doors opening but that problem was there before, no?” the5krunner wrote under the original video.
“Before you could take the lane going down the hill, but now less confident cyclists will feel obliged to use the murder strip. I guess it’s better than nothing, but LTN 1/20 is being ignored, which is annoying!” Chapona Bike replied.
“No more dangerous than before and at least the vast majority of the vehicles are now facing the oncoming cyclist. I can see an occupied parked vehicle and take the necessary actions and drivers will be exiting onto the pavement,” added Keith.
“In general contraflow cycling has been found to be safe,” noted Hedgehog Cycling. “The painted lane is probably unhelpful and unnecessary.”
“Contraflow cycling alongside a dooring zone?” Chapona incredulously responded. “Don't think that’s safe at all!”
“It’s not perfect but is it an improvement compared to how it was previously. What alternative would you suggest?” asked Dave, to which the cyclist replied: “Design and install cycling infrastructure as per LTN 1/20. Easy.”
If only…
While ultra-distance cycling events are implementing no-fly policies, in a bid to make at least some small contribution to the fight against climate change (and being criticised for doing so), football’s governing body is busy handing its single biggest day to a venue where it is illegal to walk…
If you thought Qatar was dystopian, in the US its literally illegal to walk https://t.co/HiL5MIeHUepic.twitter.com/W4nNqugIJs
— Nikolaj🍦🇺🇦 (@nikicaga) February 4, 2024
Ah, the good ol’ US of Non-Existent Active Travel Policies.
Now that’s what I call a buckle:
The front wheel of 🇮🇹 Stefano Viezzi after he rode into the fences in the last lap on his way to the Junior world title cyclocross. 😅 🌈 #Tabor2024
📹 Tuttobiciweb: https://t.co/DaCHTK92C2pic.twitter.com/BE2Q8E6nCr
— Cyclocross24.com (@cyclocross24) February 5, 2024
That hideously deformed wheel belongs to Stefano Viezzi, the winner of the junior men’s cyclocross world title in Tábor at the weekend, and the first Italian to win a ‘cross rainbow jersey since 2005 – a full year before the 18-year-old was born.
Viezzi took the win after a prolonged battle with French favourite Aubin Sparfel, whose rainbow jersey hopes were dashed by a late puncture.
However, Viezzi also had his issues towards the finish, crashing into a fence and badly buckling his front wheel in the process. However, the Italian youngster was able to carry on, wrecked wheel rollicking from side to side, until the pits, holding off the deflating Sparfel for an emotional victory.
(Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com)
Viezzi’s unlikely triumph, as well as being a testament to the kid’s grit and determination, also prompted a few fans to note that – whisper it quietly – disc brakes may have been key to ensuring that the Italian’s late crash wasn’t a race ending one.
“Jesus Christ, how did he continue to ride with that?” asked Dieter, in response to the post-race clip of Viezzi’s buckled wheel.
“Disc brakes and wide tyre clearance,” came the reply from another Twitter user.
“Finally a measurable advantage of disc brakes,” added jverheul, aware that good old fashioned rim brakes, as much as we traditionalists love them, would have seen Viezzi come to a juddering halt after his crash.
First, British national hill climb championships, and now providing the secret ingredient to a cyclocross world title – can’t disc brakes just leave one small corner of the cycling world alone, please?
Imagine you’re a pro cyclist (alright, I admit that possibility may be harder to process for some than others), and you’re buzzing to start a new season at the Étoile de Bessèges, a start that’s been delayed by one day thanks to some farmer protests.
And then, just an hour before the race begins, as you’re milling around the team buses, a UCI official spots your new fancy, eight watt-saving prototype pedals – the ones even road.cc is banging on about – and says, ‘Sorry, son, have you filled in all your paperwork for those?’
Well, that was the scenario faced by the Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur team at the start of last week’s Étoile de Bessèges, as the Conti squad was forced into a last-ditch scramble to secure some useable shoes, cleats, and pedals after the UCI prevented them from using their new Ekoï PW8 pedals on the morning of the second stage.
The rather radical prototype pedals, which Ekoï say will be eight watts faster thanks to their miniscule 8mm stack height, allowing them to sit flush with the shoe, are set to be tested during their development stage by Conti teams Nice Métropole and Burgos.
But, just not yet, according to the UCI, who told the team they didn’t have the right to use the pedals, not because they’re banned à la inverted handlebars, but because the authorisation file for their use, which has been submitted by Ekoï to the UCI, has yet to be approved by cycling’s governing body.
Classic UCI bureaucracy, eh?
Got any spare shoes, lads?
Needless to say, the last-minute news sent the team into something of a frenzy, especially considering their more traditional Look and Shimano-compatible shoes were back at the hotel, an hour’s roundtrip away, an impossible task as the clock ticked down towards the start.
According to French outlet Matos Velo, Nice Métropole’s riders were able to borrow pedals and cleats from other teams, while also – thanks to the specialist shoe requirements of the new PW8 pedals – borrowing footwear too.
Others, meanwhile, were even forced to buy second-hand shoes from a stall located near the start, like a panicked Cat 4 who just remembered he left his kit bag beside the unfinished box of pasta at home.
You’ve got to love professional cycling.
Just ten months on from cutting its workforce by 15 per cent, which followed an even more severe round of layoffs the previous year, virtual training app Zwift made more staff redundant yesterday, with co-CEO Kurt Biedler also resigning too, despite the company insisting that it “remains a healthy, global business with a passionate community”.
Zwift confirmed that the layoffs would “impact all areas of the business”, though the company would not put a figure on how many staff had been let go.
