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Leader of Ealing Council says “Segregated cycle lanes are the answer”Segregated cycle lane in London (copyright Britishcycling.org_uk).jpg

Leader of Ealing Council says “Segregated cycle lanes are the answer”

Councillor Julian Bell believes more people would cycle if safe infrastructure were built
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Nov 16, 2017 16:32
33

The leader of Ealing Council has said that “segregated cycle lanes are the answer” to road traffic congestion, the growing obesity crisis and premature deaths caused by air pollution.

Councillor Julian Bell’s remarks, which he made in a column for the Ealing Gazette, follow the deaths of two cyclists on the west London borough’s roads in recent weeks.

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/safe-segregated-cyc...

He wrote: "What can we do to tackle these challenges? May I suggest the humble bicycle is the answer!

“What we need is a major shift away from car use for particularly short journeys and get more people cycling and walking.”

But the Labour politician maintained that safe infrastructure was needed to encourage people to begin travelling by bike.

"Having been an active cyclist for the last six years, I am convinced of the health and environmental benefits of cycling, but in my conversations with non-cyclists, the one thing that puts people off is their worries about safety,” he explained.

"The concerns have been amplified by the tragic deaths of two Ealing cyclists in the last month in accidents involving lorries."

Last week, 86-year-old retired teacher Darshan Singh was killed when he was struck by a lorry while pushing his bike along South Road in Southall.

In October, former Metropolitan Police officer Claudia Manera, aged 51, died in hospital following a collision in West Ealing also involving a lorry.

Vigils were held following the deaths of both cyclists calling for safer streets for vulnerable road users.

"How do we tackle these very real fears and create a safer environment for cycling?” asked Councillor Bell.

"The critical thing is to create segregated cycle lanes and give cyclists their own protected road space.”

The borough missed out on Mini Holland funding when Boris Johnson was Mayor of London, but Councillor Bell said that Ealing was “originally promised significant money for a major transformation of Ealing town centre for cycling.

"Sadly, the previous Mayor never came up with his promises.”

He outlined steps the council was taking to improve the safety of cyclists, saying that it “has put in £500,000 of its own money and received match funding from TfL to do one element of the original scheme and build the cycle lanes from Ealing town centre along the side of Ealing Common that are nearing completion.

"We have also just bid for £8 million of 'Liveable Neighbourhood' funding from TfL for West Ealing that will include improvements for both cyclists and pedestrians around the Lido junction, if we get the money.”

He added: "Segregated cycle lanes are the answer and I will do all in my power to deliver them for Ealing."

A planned Cycle Superhighway in west London will pass just to the south of the borough, with a Transport for London consultation for the first phase from Kensington Olympia to Brentford closing at the end of last month.

> Plans for new West London Cycle Superhighway unveiled - but there's a missing link through Kensington

A second consultation is due to be held next year for a subsequent extension to Hounslow via Syon Park and Isleworth.

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Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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33 comments

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crazy-legs replied to LastBoyScout | 7 years ago
5 likes

LastBoyScout wrote:

Segregated cycles lanes are not the answer - being given the space and consideration that cyclists are legally entitled to is.

But segregated cycle lanes (done properly) give you that space and consideration without having to rely on a fuckwitted driver who is driving, smoking, texting and arguing with the kids in the back to give you space and consideration.

I can't believe that on a cycling forum people are actually against this kind of stuff?!

Although I will reiterate my previous comment that segregated lanes must be done properly like the best CS ones in London or pretty much any Dutch / Danish cycle lane.

It's refreshing to see a councillor come up with this as well unlike the morons at Southwark Council who said they didn't want cycle lanes because of pollution. WTAF????!

Avatar
Bluebug replied to crazy-legs | 7 years ago
2 likes

crazy-legs wrote:

LastBoyScout wrote:

Segregated cycles lanes are not the answer - being given the space and consideration that cyclists are legally entitled to is.

But segregated cycle lanes (done properly) give you that space and consideration without having to rely on a fuckwitted driver who is driving, smoking, texting and arguing with the kids in the back to give you space and consideration.

I can't believe that on a cycling forum people are actually against this kind of stuff?!

Although I will reiterate my previous comment that segregated lanes must be done properly like the best CS ones in London or pretty much any Dutch / Danish cycle lane.

The problem is if you are fit and healthy adult you have the ability to  cycle in traffic so you don't see the need have segregated cycle lanes. However if you are a child under 12,  have limited mobility or are an older slower adult then to get you cycling on your own these lanes are needed.  

One of the problems in the UK is where separate direct cycling infrastructure would be helpful there is none as it is seems it is too difficult to put direct cycle lanes on roundabouts, at junctions and cutting across one way systems.

Avatar
davel replied to Bluebug | 7 years ago
3 likes
Bluebug wrote:

crazy-legs wrote:

LastBoyScout wrote:

Segregated cycles lanes are not the answer - being given the space and consideration that cyclists are legally entitled to is.

But segregated cycle lanes (done properly) give you that space and consideration without having to rely on a fuckwitted driver who is driving, smoking, texting and arguing with the kids in the back to give you space and consideration.

I can't believe that on a cycling forum people are actually against this kind of stuff?!

Although I will reiterate my previous comment that segregated lanes must be done properly like the best CS ones in London or pretty much any Dutch / Danish cycle lane.

The problem is if you are fit and healthy adult you have the ability to  cycle in traffic so you don't see the need have segregated cycle lanes. However if you are a child under 12,  have limited mobility or are an older slower adult then to get you cycling on your own these lanes are needed.  

One of the problems in the UK is where separate direct cycling infrastructure would be helpful there is none as it is seems it is too difficult to put direct cycle lanes on roundabouts, at junctions and cutting across one way systems.

Or, worse, we get millions spent on lousy and dangerous white paint, which ticks a local authority box and infuriates drivers when you ignore it for your own safety.

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