Anniversary Report - Road surface
We received 39 comments about the quality of the surface of roads and cycle lanes. Potholes and broken road surfaces are considered inconvenient at best, and at worst, downright dangerous, especially on busy roads were avoiding them would mean swerving into a traffic stream. Broken glass was found to be a problem, especially on routes were there is no motorised traffic to grind it down. In some places the gaps in drain covers are also considered a problem, where the slots are wide enough for a bicycle tyre or where the slots are oriented in the same direction as bicycle traffic.
Road surface
Hollinwood Railway Station - Hollinwood (--) The local children like to break glass bottles, so there's always loads of broken glass all over the approach to the station, both sides, in the subway, the wheelchair/bike ramps, and on the pavement under the bridge.
Alan Turing Way - between Bradford Rd and Briscoe Lane (Either) The cycle lane is separated from the road by kerbstones, dutch-style. However this means it's not properly cleaned by cars passing or road sweepers and is always ful of bits of rubbish, broken glass, etc. Probably by removing the kerbstones, or employing someone to sweep it more often. maybe these lanes could be cleaned once in a while in wet conditions you get quite dirty compared with riding on the road.
London Rd - running under Mancunian Way near old BT building ending at Ardwick Green Street (East going out of town) The bike lane running down the hill into Downing street is always full of glass, sometimes with parked cars. Really hard to avoid any glass or cars because of the speed of the traffic, the junction of cars coming on just near Berry street. Got two punctures here in a matter of weeks. When you avoid the bike lane traffic (mainly busses) think it's their duty to force you into the bike lane. Cycle lane ends rather abruptly. Not really possible. Believe it or not I think removing the bike lane might actually help as traffic might sweep the debris further off as it's a wide enough road.
Oxford Road - The stretch between the Universities and the Palace (Both ways). Though the lane provision is great on this road they are full of pot holes making quite a bumpy, if not dangerous, ride for those of us without super suspension - particularly bad is south-bound outside the Footage and northbound outside Man Met
The A6 going through Hazel Grove - A long section, of around 2 miles, near Stepping Hill Hospital (Going towards Manchester). This section has many really deep potholes, generally around grids and ironwork. Some of them could easily bring a rider down. As that section of the A6 is SO busy, you dont really have the option of riding around them, you just have to slow RIGHT down and pick your way through. This is probably the worst section of road that I regularly have to ride on, anywhere. Yes. Filling in the potholes, properly, then return a few weeks later to see how the material has compressed in, re-filling if required.
Carr Wood Road - A section of around 2 miles (Both directions). The old style grids along this section of road have wide slots going in the same direction as the road, easily accomodating even a wide cycle wheel. My rear wheel went down one some time back, and I instantly got a pich puncture, and the wheel was wrecked.. I was lucky I didnt come off. Fortunately Stockport MBC reimbursed the cost of reairs, eventually. Use different grid covers, with the slots going at 90 degrees to the road direction.
Santiago Street - All the way along (both ways). Allegedly part of the recommended cycle route to and from Witihington. Road surface is shocking, plastic speed humps add to the hazard and poor drivers often treat it as a "play chicken" game with cyclists. Resurface road, restore the previous block at the Rutherford Ave end which let cyclists through but not cars, remove the comedy speed humps. Educate drivers or failing this at least put plenty of warning signs up indicating that this is a cycle route. This is the sort of cycling provision that puts people off cycling and the only concession to cyclists (the road block at one end) was removed making this a rat run - sending out the "car is king" signal yet again.
Barlow Moor Road - Between Paletine Road and Pricess Parkway (Going towards Chorlton). The road surface on this section, of about half a mile is terrible. Unless you are on a mountain bike you need to keep venturing towards the middle of the road to avoid the deep potholes. Yes, If resurfacing is not an option, then at least fill in the potholes.
Bradford rd/Hulme Hall Ln/Brisscoe Rd intersection -- Bike lane is always full of glass and other rubbish. Use the road!
Better surface in Longford Park - North end of route
some potholes filled in
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
oxford road traffic and pot holes
Removal of double grids on Upper Brook St. Put them on the face of the kerb.
Improved road surface beyond Claremont Road
Resurfacing Cheetham Hill Road on the section close to town
Muddy bits on the Trans-Pennine trail close to a Farm and entrance barrier
better surface
smoother tarmac
Improved bike lane on dunham road/hill (rough surface). Extend this lane to the lights.
Repair road surface and fix drainage on Moss lane
more (or regular) sweeping of roads and paths
less potholes
cycle lanes dont seem to be kept clean in city center i often have to avoid broken glass etc
better road surfaces (right to the kerb, at least repaired pot holes)
Smoother roads along most of the route - around drains there are often big potholes which, especially in rush hour, cyclists get pushed into. These could damage front suspensions over time and potentially, if approached badly, knock a cyclist into oncoming cars.
Less glass on denton cycle bridge
No huge potholes around drain covers
More even road surface on Upper Chorlton Road
less glass in the road
Less glass on roads
Better road surfaces
Decent Road surface
Smoother roads between Reddish and Denton
Less pot holes!
A decent surface on the track through the south side of Platt Fields
A better quality road surface
Fewer potholes in the road and along Wilmslow road
roads are in a poor condition in many places
