I have just received a reply to my (several) emails:
Dear Mr ******
Please see the officers response below which I trust addresses your concerns.
Anna Waite
Cllr Anna Waite, Southend Borough Council
-----Original Message-----
From: Mehmet Mazhar
To: CllrWaite; Zulfiqar Ali
Sent: Wed Apr 07 16:07:40 2010
Subject: RE: New cycle path west of Southend pier. SERIOUS safety concerns. [Virus Control Checked]
Dear Anna,
Please find my draft reply to Mr ******'s email below. Unfortunately my system cannot see his address. Could you forward it to me please so that I may send him the reply, or alternatively forward it on please. Thank you.
Dear Mr ******,
Thank you for your email and for bringing your concerns to our attention. I apologise for the delay in replying to you.
Before replying to each of your points in turn, I would like to emphasise the new cycle route along the Western Esplanade is still under construction and has not been formally opened. Although some cyclists including you are using the track there are a number of features that have yet to be installed before the scheme goes ‘live’, in particular road markings and signage. Once the scheme is completed in its entirety, between the Pier and Chalkwell Avenue, there will be a formal opening ceremony and the enforcement of the traffic regulations will then commence. This will deal with a large proportion of your concerns. However, I will now reply to each of your points in turn:
1. As I have stated, the cycle track is still under construction. At the edge of the finished path there will be a raised rib white line, which will be 20mm in height. This will divert cyclist away from the edge of carriageway. It should also be noted that vehicles are now moving through the area at reduced speeds as the recent changes have brought in a natural traffic calming effect as a by-product of the scheme.
2. The kerb, which has an upstand and raised line, would in the first instance deflect and errant drivers back onto the carriageway and in the second instance alert them that they have strayed from their path via the ‘rumble’ effect the raised line would provide. It should also be noted that this scenario could occur on any pavement. Some footways in the borough have a lesser upstand than the new cycle track due to years of carriageway resurfacing.
3. The edge of the cycle lane raised rib line will be moved in a little at this point to ensure that there is an adequate buffer zone between the edge of the cycle track and the edge of the parking area. Our parking enforcement service will be advised that vehicles which park outside the bay will be issued with Parking Charge Notices (PCN), as a deterrent.
4. Once the scheme is formally opened, the parking regulations will be enforced. The yellow line waiting restrictions apply to the back of footway, therefore any vehicles parking on the cycle track or the promenade may receive a PCN.
5. There will be marking on the cycle track, which will clearly identify it as a two-way cycle track, not for pedestrian use. Pedestrians currently cross the road between the parking area and the Esplanade. All road users, including cyclists and pedestrians are required to exercise due care and attention to themselves and other road users. In reality most pedestrians will probably wait until cyclists have passed, before crossing.
I would like to thank you for the video link you provided. It’s encouraging to see that cyclists are already using and enjoying the new cycle track, even in its unfinished state. Once it is fully complete, I have no doubt that it will be a much used and enjoyed facility by the community.
The introduction of a dedicated two-way cycle track along the Western Esplanade is a positive approach to the issue of providing a combined off-road leisure and commuter route, which reallocates road space within existing constraints and provides extra width to cater for the many cyclists that ride on the promenade and along the Western Esplanade.
The approach that we have adopted in the design of this cycle route is similar in many ways to two-way and contra-flow cycle lanes in towns and cities across Europe (e.g. Copenhagen and Stockholm), where the only delineation between motorists and cyclists is a standard kerb. Some of these schemes are considered best practice and as a Cycling Demonstration Town this is what we also aspire to.
Having said this, I would like to assure you we have taken your concerns seriously and I would like to reassure you that and that as part of our design processes we monitoring this scheme after its implementation, to ensure that it is successful. At the same time as the scheme is formally opened we will be offering training and advice to cyclists by our trained team of cycling officers.
In the meantime, if you have any further queries regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards,
Mehmet
Mehmet Mazhar
Interim Group Manager
Traffic and Highways
So it looks to me like they are putting all their trust in painted markings to prevent injuries.
