Kingston cyclists unimpressed with Mini Holland plans

Yes, the two pasted in autumn leaves show even the graphic designer thought it was dead...

They should forthwith be denied the right to use the term "Mini-Holland" any more. This modified proposal has nothing whatsoever in common with agenda, policy, practice or standards in Holland.

I don't know what this is any more, but it certainly is not anything intended to improve the lot of bike riders.

Please head over to the Kingston Borough webpage to leave your comments on the public consultation page

http://www.kingston.gov.uk/info/200316/cycling/947/mini-holland_cycling_...

The money for this scheme and the other projects in Kingston's mini-Holland bid has not been paid over to the council. For the scheme to be built it still has to be approved by a 'Sponsor' at Transport for London, no doubt after input from Andrew Gilligan, the Mayor's Cycling Commissioner. It will be interesting to see whether TfL will give it approval. Feedback to the council we hope will help them to say "go back to the drawing board it provide enough protected space". Jon Fray, for Kingston Cycling Campaign.

Councillor David Cunningham, lead member for transport and environment, defended the plans, saying: "It is not a scheme to encourage cycling"

Well he got that bit right!

The rest of the comment seems to be an acknowledgement that nothing can ever taken away from motorists ('other road users' as he evasively describes them - is he embarrassed to say the word?). Apparently they are kings of the Earth and the lords in perpetuity of all who dwell upon it

Having just woken up on a miserable Sunday morning, something has just struck me about all those revised impressions.

They look awful.

That's not a comment on the design changes. When was the last time any council showed off its latest piece of urban design with bad weather? In one of the other pictures on the council's website, it all looks a bit grubby and unswept.

I'm so used to seeing ugly pieces of urban design portrayed in permanent Californian sunshine, that it's comical. But here, they've even put a woman in with an umbrella.

It looks like whoever put those together, wanted to create a bad impression.

Eurgh...

Cycle infrastructure should really amount to more than 'street art'. The challenge of 'exploring what can be achieved with a single line of paint' is all very admirable within the school of Artistic Minimalism, but such principles do not apply so well to effective road design.

These 'mini-Holland' schemes are meant to set an example; to act as a proof-of-concept for other schemes to follow and develop from. The only concept seemingly proven here is that of infidelity.

I wouldn't put all the blame on the change in the council, if you read the original document there was some small comments about "maintaining flow" and "subject to study" or similar. I really hoped this would make a difference. I commute by bike into Kingston and my journey is pretty stress free but I do take a route that's a third longer than the direct route to avoid the dreadful traffic and poor infrastructure on the main roads. Looks like I'll be sticking to the long route for a while longer.

You really expected something more that is supported by Ed Davey?

We have the same b.s. going on in London borough of Camden.

Royal college street has been held up as a shining example of 'soft' dutch style infrastructure.

They removed a segregated cycle lane and replaced it with white paint, rubber armadillo bumper and steel plant pots. Apparently 1/10th of the cost of installing concrete barriers?

Within the first year we've had numerous plant pots smashed up, numerous armadillo ripped off their mountings and vehicles ignoring the paint line and parking in the cycle lane.

Just before christmas I nearly crashed after riding at night into two planters that a lorry had squashed and thrown into the bike path, twisted jagged metal and dirt/plants across the cycle lane. I could hardly see this mess despite using a 50 lumen front light, as the lane is badly lit.

Since Christmas, another planter north of my near collision has been squashed.

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb11778522/p4pb11778522.jpg

Unfortunately the council and Camden cycling think this soft infrastructure is the future, apart from concerns about 'careless drivers', and want to roll it out across the borough including Kentish town road. God help us....

Ride across Southwark bridge, really simple and effective. Pre-cast concrete barriers dropped by lorry crane, aesthetically not ideal but 100% protective of cyclists = win!!

I help run a not for profit organisation and if i was to apply to a funding body for something and then not deliver what was set out in the funding bid then we would have to pay the grant back.
It seems when it comes to councils and cycling funding they bid with fancy ideas, secure the money and then just spend it on any old shit (often absolutely nothing to do with cycling) and consistently get away with it.
I just wish we, as cyclists, could band together with enough legal know-how to challenge councils on this and have them made accountable for squandering public funds in such a way.

If the revised scheme doesn't meet or exceed cycling infrastructure standards as submitted for funding, the Mayor's office should de-fund it.

Else, nothing will ever change. Better no infra than bad infra.

I despair.

It is not a scheme to encourage cycling to the detriment of other road users.

It doesn't look like it's a scheme to encourage cycling at all now. And a short term detriment to motorists is a long term improvement for all people when more take up cycling.

The money is for a 'mini-Holland' if they aren't going to spend it on a mini-Holland then they should give it back.

And for the curious, this is how it looks today

So it looks like for that section after repainting the white line, most of the budget will go on repaving the pedestrian path.

and we're surprised by yet more back tracking ???? .... not

The picture above is from the original mini-holland bid, and shows a section of the Portsmouth road which runs alongside the Thames in Kingston.

Here's a picture of the same road from the revised plans.

Seriously.

You have to hope they can haul the cash back if they're backtracking.

Arrah, so once they get there hands on money for cycling, it then becomes money to benefit motorists, sounds like they have been taking lessons from the new forest.