Ride supporting safe cycle route cancelled - because road is too dangerous

ChrisB200SX wrote:

Ah, so it's the road that's dangerous, not the motorists using the road? I like how the video shows buses and trucks crossing the double white line illegally, both driven by professionals who should know better and obey the law while doing their job.

Though technically you would be allowed to do that overtake across the white lines if the bicycle was traveling 10mph or less & I think they chuck in and it's safe to do so too, whether that example meets that criteria I couldnt say

kitsunegari wrote:

I'm sure if this was in central London, the cycle path would have been built years ago.

And also in the constituency of the parliamentarian who said the UK was starting a cycling revolution a couple of years back, and whose constituency covers the north end of the roa… er.. hang on… 

dougie_c wrote:

It's quite simple. The speed limit on that road needs to be reduced until it is safe for all users.

It seems there's places along this road that heavy lorries are servicing, plus the buses. Better to seperate cycle traffic and heavy traffic rather than pray to the gods of speed limit adherence and sensible driving

Al__S wrote:

dougie_c wrote:

It's quite simple. The speed limit on that road needs to be reduced until it is safe for all users.

It seems there's places along this road that heavy lorries are servicing, plus the buses. Better to seperate cycle traffic and heavy traffic rather than pray to the gods of speed limit adherence and sensible driving

Most of the vehicles using this road are avoiding the chaos that is the A34 and A40 west of Oxford. They are using it as a cut through between the A34 at Botley and the A40 at Eynsham. There is no reason whatsoever for any HGV to use this road.

emishi55 wrote:

Terrifying. I can't believe that children are cycling on this route. 

I campaign for lanes and permeability in London. I used to have ideas about moving back to the countryside somewhere, but this film (excellently made) shows just what life is like outside of London. I know of so many roads like this. It's just so disgusting how thevolume and speed have been allowed to go on and up year after year. And remember that fine tory gov law change that allowed HGVs to travel even faster!

On this road its 50mph!! Its f*cking obscene. 

Why are there 50 & 60 mph speeds on these roads.

There must be some kind of action for the rest of the country, like we are trying to bring about in London. A network. A cycling grid - which means, vehicles are not entitled to use minor roads as through-traffic rat runs  (access only).

Apologies for the rant and lack of clear suggestions/solutions.

Here in Suffolk, the roads are generally not too bad, but it is getting worse as more people move to the area. They are going to build over the fields between my village and the small market town nearby. When they do, the nice straight gravel cycle track will be turned into a winding road littered with parked cars!

Going back to the A-Roads. My mate lives on the A140 which goes up to Norwich and he hasn't cycled for years because it is too bad. The B-roads are normally fine though, despite being pretty similar (60mph limit, single carriageway) but they pass through less populated areas.

I think it all comes down to population density and main roads. If there are only small towns and villages nearby, and it isn't a main road between towns, it will normally be a safe road from what I have experienced anyway.

Sorry for the long post and ramble

WillRod wrote:

Going back to the A-Roads. My mate lives on the A140 which goes up to Norwich and he hasn't cycled for years because it is too bad

The A140 is bad enough to drive in a car,the mix of traffic being the main link road North/South to the rest of the main road network,slow farm machinery,HGV traffic caused by bad planning of distribution centres on former airfields, & an abandon of general common sense for car drivers, you'll be faced with at least one head on near miss per journey due to Mgif overtakes,I'd be utterly petrified to cycle on any of it.