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Recommendations to replace A-barriers
On my thread yesterday we chatted about getting rid of anti-cycling and anti-active-travel A-barriers on one of my large local housing estates. I'm planning to have a go at a dozen or so on trunk routes first eg
Do anyone have any ideas what I should suggest these be replaced with?
I'm inclined to "take the damned things away and just leave a gap", but what if the resulting gap would be 1.5m or 2m wide that a car can go through? For that I'm quite inclined to go for one of these, which are present on the most recent spot of the same estate:
Are there any problems with either of these basic principles - ie gap or posts?
Thanks
Matt
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9 comments
Those A frames are often put in to "discourage" yoofs on motor scooters (small motorbikes), and the Powers That Be don't even think about whether it might cause problems for anyone else...
Hmmm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL-EHYAT4WQ
LTN 1/20 (Section 8.3) says:
"Access controls can reduce the usability of a route by all cyclists, and may exclude some disabled people and others riding nonstandard cycles. There should therefore be a general presumption against the use of access controls unless there is a persistent and significant problem of antisocial moped or motorcycle access that cannot be controlled through periodic policing.
[...]
An alternative method is to provide bollards at a minimum of 1.5m spacing, which allows users to approach in a straight line whilst permitting all types of cycle and mobility scooter to gain access. If access is required by wider maintenance vehicles, a lockable bollard can be used.
Bollards and barriers should contrast with the background and may be fitted with retroreflective material to ensure they can easily be seen in all conditions."
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Based on the photo you have provided, simply removing the A-frame and leaving the (already relatively narrow) gap in the fence would seem to be a suitable solution. I'm yet to experience or even hear about an access solution that enables all legitimate users to navigate without undue difficulty whilst making it physically impossible for any motor vehicle to access.
Gently learning the system.
First small complaint submitted for a persistent advertising A-sign obstructing a shared footpath, which is put out every day by Toolstations for the last couple of years, when they have a bloody great sign on their plot on the other side. We'll see what happens.
It's possible they have Planning for it, but I doubt it there.
I went through a local campaigner phase and learnt over time what works.
Firstly, keep it super-polite and avoid criticising the Council as you get officers backs up. (I don't always follow this rule!)
Second, use your local councillors. Work out if any of them are competent functioning human beings. Councillors have power over officers so can force them to answer questions which would be batted away from a member of the public. Some are embarrassingly thick. Some are excellent. It is not guaranteed any are competent but then you send them well-formed emails for them to forward if they are not too lazy.
Three: learn your officers. Again, work out who are the operators and the decent guys. Some are jobsworths, some are keen, but unable to work the system, a few are great to deal with and have the nous to work the system to get results.
Four, persist.
Five: keep sane. It is easy to get lost with the frustrations of trying to progress. Don't be too self-critical over your perceived failures to achieve what you hope. Many achieve nothing so value the small wins.
Six: don't expect praise and kudos from your fellow citizens who you help, take satisfaction yourself in the small differences you achieve. I do, I can point to a dropped kerb here, a road junction there, a tree in the road that have my sticky paw prints, arguably a whole local Sainsbury's which would not be as it is without my nudges.
All useful. Thanks for that.
I pointed out one mini-win recently.
And a couple more in our flagship local park - recently the ratrun road through it has been closed. Plus a local pervious mud path has been surfaced.
That looks like very useful advice, Ian, may flag that up on the blog or even use part of it for a feature, if the latter will drop you a line.
maybe DM these folk
https://twitter.com/CampaignCycling/status/1559885463963533317
Some improvement to the barriers by Via Urbis Romanae - barrier spacing increased to 2.5m. We would prefer a simple bollard rather than the chicane barriers.
Providing any gap is wide enough for a tricycle to get through.
A trailer would also need to.
But you are looking to get them removed for full accessibility for all.
Which means types of bicycles that some of our fellow cyclist need to get about.