Anniversary Report - Quality of cycle lanes and facilities
We received 34 comments asking for improvement to existing cycle lanes. A common theme in these comments was cycle lanes that are too narrow. There is concern over areas where traffic calming has recently taken place, that the needs of cyclists has not been taken into account sufficiently (e.g. Parrs Wood Road). Some of the officially promoted cycling routes are contraflow cycle lanes running against the direction of traffic (such as Grosvenor Street and Cooper Street), but cyclists feel that these are poorly indicated and dangerous. Many people felt that it was not appropriate for buses and bicycles to share a single lane of the road. There were also comments about inadequate colouring of cycle lanes, and resentment at being told to dismount along the route.
Fog Lane - Between Parrs Wood Road and Wilmslow Road (Both ways)Traffic calming scheme is being introduced which makes the roadway very narrow. Cyclists are being put in danger. You can hear the cars rushing to get to the pinch points before you!. What numpty designs these things!
Wilmslow Road - Opposite The Didsbury Inn (Southbound)Pedestrian crossing with pavement built out to form a pinch point. If it is on the bend you (and the cars) don't see it until you are on top of it.
Burnage Lane - From Didsbury Road to Fog Lane (Both Ways)Traffic calming scheme is being introduced which makes the roadway very narrow. Cyclists are being put in danger. You can hear the cars rushing to get to the pinch points before you!
London Road - Junction with Grosvenor street (out of Manchester turning right onto Grosvenor street)The two way allowance for cyclists on one-way Grosvenor street clearly labels this street as the city planners preferred route out of Manchester by cyclists. Since there is no right turn on London Road for cyclists you are left to either stop, dismount and wait to cross the road as a pedestrian or to move through two lanes of motor traffic which as it is either accelerating out of town or leaving the Mancunian way is invariably travelling at around 40 mph despite the speed limit. A right turn off London Road or signage and cycle path provision to route the cyclist out of Manchester and onto Grosvenor Street.
wilmslow road - junction (north bound) With Platt Lane: road narrows & bike forced in with buses but no space for both.
Middleton Road - Stretch coming up to the traffic light (In bound) With Bury Old Road It's a single lane road, but the cars travel in as though it's two lanes, leaving very little space for bikes
One of several contra-flow cycles lanes, which are always interesting. You can't help feeling vulnerable as a cyclist on a contraflow lane. This one is bad at the best of times, but for the last few months there have been building works which mean that pedestrians have to walk in the cycle lane and cyclists have to move even closer to the on-coming traffic. Happily there are railings to separate cyclists from on-coming traffic. But the railings and the building work mean that traffic coming out of Booth Street onto Fountain Lane has no chance of seeing oncoming cyclists. One of several contra-flow cycles lanes, which are always interesting. You can't help feeling vulnerable as a cyclist on a contraflow lane. This one is bad at the best of times, but for the last few months there have been building works which mean that pedestrians have to walk in the cycle lane and cyclists have to move even closer to the on-coming traffic. Happily there are railings to separate cyclists from on-coming traffic. But the railings and the building work mean that traffic coming out of Booth Street onto Fountain Lane has no chance of seeing oncoming cyclists. It will be better once the work is complete. But in the meantime, go dead slow and be prepared to stop for cars pulling out in front of you.
kincardine road - see m ap! (both directions) This is a one way street for all vehicles going North. However some cars use this as a short cut. Secondly, there is a South bound cycle lane which is against the flow of traffic. Finally, there is no obvious/clear/legal way to get onto the cycle lane! Get the council to sort out clear legal access to South bound cycle lane. Get police to enforce one-way for cars. More signage wouldn't go amiss either.
Wider cycle lanes
less traffic / wider roads or cycle lanes. dedicated traffic lights for cyclists
Better cycle lanes
Along Simonsway: Cycle lane provided but broken glass, lake sized puddles and uneven ground. Some bottlenecks and cycle lane switches to different sides of the road on barlow moor road
Wider towpath
Grosvenor Street is one way for traffic and two way for bikes but this is not clearly signed to drivers. Grosvenor Street contraflow cycle lane also exits dangerously into oncoming right turning traffic
Path lighting
better gates/entrances
Better cycle lanes -on the road, not on the pavement
if the tiny stretch of cycle lane at the end of northamton road linking monsall road did not involve having to dismount to negotiate the kerb
cycle lane along yew tree road
protected cycle lane (ie not parked on or driven on, ideally with a barrier!)
Upgrading footpath besides Hollings Faculty Building"The Toast Rack" to accept pedestrians and bkes comfortably
No left-turn-only lanes at Junctions
Removal of those annoying barriers along the Fallowfield Loop
Not combined bus and bike lanes - bikes and buses dont mix
Traffic lights (see above)
Lights at main road crossings
COLOURED ASPHALT ON OXFORD RD BIKE LANE ON PAVEMENT TO WARN PEDESTRIANS IT IS A BIKE LANE!!!!!
Move cycle lane on Oxford Road (opposite MRI) so there are less pedestrians
Better facilities for cyclists to make right hand turns across Chester Road. Wider, mandatory cycle lanes if cycle lanes are to be provided. many are too narrow (riding in the gutter), poorly surfaced and filled with broken glass and parked cars.
Proper cycle Lanes
The design of most cycle lanes is appalling where they just fade away... Someone stopping the traffic on Chester road so I could turn right easier!
kerbs not so high.
I do cycle to work now and again if I can go in early and leave early so missing the worst traffic. The cycle lanes that do exist are mostly very poor (just cover the grids at the side of the road) and have been created as "lip service" to the cyclist and goverment targets by planners who clearly don't cycle.
Have just bought a bike with the intention of cycling to work but am scared by the high levels of traffic and the narrowness of the cycle lanes. Am still a bit wobbly as not ridden a bike for years and desperately lacking in confidence.
