Author Topic: Southend Cycle Town - part 2 (Read 240911 times)

Redlight · « **Reply #325 on:** 09 May, 2010, 02:22:45 pm »

My dad just mentioned on the phone that he'd seen a new clip on Youtube of someone riding the new seafront lane, dodging peds, car doors etc and generally demonstrating how unsafe it is. But he didn't make a note of the URL. Any claimants.

PS - he's approaching 70 and hardly a radical activist but said that he won't be using it and woe betide anyone of the uniformed variety that tries to make him

delthebike · « **Reply #326 on:** 09 May, 2010, 02:40:16 pm »

I expect it's the Nutty/Clandy video taken when the Echo did their piece on it or it's the original Clandy movie with the wobbly kids and the Robinson Crusoe title theme. The former if your Dad followed the link from the 40+, Southend section, web page.

delthebike · « **Reply #327 on:** 13 May, 2010, 12:09:53 pm »

Re the parking/loading on the cycle path perhaps this story might help to get the offending vehicles moved on.
Southend Council's new weapon against parking rogues (From Echo)

matthew · « **Reply #328 on:** 13 May, 2010, 12:19:29 pm »

Have you seen the Design Risk Assessment yet? Or have the council lost it in the elections?

delthebike · « **Reply #329 on:** 16 May, 2010, 12:26:14 pm »

The Prittle Brook Greenway, shared use path, started being built/converted about a fortnight ago. Today I took some update pics, just before the rain started.

This is looking west from Prittlewell Chase, Clicky.

Other pics are here, Picasa Web Albums - delthebike - greenway.

delthebike · « **Reply #330 on:** 17 May, 2010, 08:59:13 am »

Back to the Western Esplanade and the first kerb, separating the cycle lane from motorised traffic. Why use normal, square, kerb stones when stones are available with a 45^o angle on one side? See A view from the cycle path - David Hembrow: The danger of parallel kerbs for picture and details.

delthebike · « **Reply #331 on:** 20 May, 2010, 12:27:19 pm »

From Gruaniad boke blig.
How super is your local bike lane? | Environment | guardian.co.uk
rate your bike lane.

Clandy · « **Reply #332 on:** 21 May, 2010, 07:30:33 am »

Remember this from Mehmet Mazhar's email to me?

"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."

From yesterday, a not particularly busy day on the seafront:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/-bQt69stBHo&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/-bQt69stBHo&rel=1</a>

This weekend with its promised 80 degree temperatures should make for some 'interesting' video!

delthebike · « **Reply #333 on:** 21 May, 2010, 08:30:43 pm »

Watch out for the Zebra crossings. They have unmarked raised areas and until you hit them it's hard to tell they're raised! They're also quite steep.

Domestique · « **Reply #334 on:** 22 May, 2010, 03:19:35 pm »

Off limits for me now at weekends, unless I am along the seafront early.
Today was a nightmare along there. Peds, pushchairs etc in the cycle lane, whilst the road to my right completely choked with stationary traffic

Something that worked just about before, now xx£'s later does not afaiac.

delthebike · « **Reply #335 on:** 22 May, 2010, 03:53:22 pm »

How many bikes on the footpath?
I rode the path during the week and I was the only one on it, except a bin lorry outside the casino. Only other bike riders I saw were on the footpath. When you're on your own and there is no one else on the path, especially coming towards you, it's a very good path. Even better going east to west!

I also saw the Cliff Lift having a test run.

delthebike · « **Reply #336 on:** 24 May, 2010, 11:01:58 am »

A possible incident on the bike path yesterday. Comments are worth reading.
Updated: Paramedic injured in seafront smash (From Echo)

Edit: From the paper edition of the Echo.

Holiday maker SS, 43, described seeing a group of around four quad bikes and eight motorbikes go past him and his family while they walked past Adventure Island.
He said: "There was slow moving traffic all along the road. Because of the traffic the quad bike decided to go into the cycle lane.
2They were going from the cycle lane then back into the traffic flow."
Mr. S, from Cheshunt, added none of the riders were wearing helmets and he saw several of them pulling wheelies along the seafront.

2_Flat_Erics · « **Reply #337 on:** 24 May, 2010, 04:32:37 pm »

Does anyone know when the next Southend cycle group meeting is?
Has anyone had the minutes of the last meeting yet?

nuttycyclist · « **Reply #338 on:** 24 May, 2010, 10:27:14 pm »

Next meeting? Well they promised us it would move from 3 or 4 monthly to 2 monthly - I've heard nothing. I have a draft mail here chasing up but I'm going to sleep on it before sending.

As for today's echo? We predicted a casualty before summer was out, I can't believe it happened in less than 2 months. I feel physically sick. We specifically said that idiots would use the lane to bypass queues.

delthebike · « **Reply #339 on:** 25 May, 2010, 07:59:42 am »

In today's paper edition of the Echo:
"...But Southend Council's head of planning and transport, Andrew Meddle, said 'Sunday's accident was not caused by the cycle path.
He said 'The cycle path scheme has been subject to a road safety audit and an inspection by Cycling England.
'This process ensures independent checks on safety are carried before and after the scheme is installed. As is normal when incidents are reported to us, we will look again at the junction to make sure it is as safe as possible.'"

What have Cycling England done for "safety checks" when they passed this path for construction and use?

nuttycyclist · « **Reply #340 on:** 25 May, 2010, 12:05:35 pm »

Have been told an interesting rumour.

A colleague has a friend who is a cabbie. The cab drivers association (or similar) approached the casino to ask for a couple of parking spaces as they can no longer wait on the carriageway. The casino allegedly said "no, we pay £200 per year to the council for those, you can't have them".

The group then approached the council to ask where they could wait. The council allegedly said "we've made the kerbs low on purpose, just drive over them and wait on the cycle path".

Does anybody know anybody who can substantiate this rumour?

delthebike · « **Reply #341 on:** 25 May, 2010, 12:14:43 pm »

Quote from: nuttycyclist on 25 May, 2010, 12:05:35 pm

Does anybody know anybody who can substantiate this rumour?

All the cabbies that stop there and traffic wardens and police who ignore them.

Domestique · « **Reply #342 on:** 25 May, 2010, 12:17:50 pm »

Quote

The casino allegedly said "no, we pay £200 per year to the council for those, you can't have them

FFS I know it might be a rumour, but how many taxis are there in Southend?
£2 per taxi on their annual licence fee and its paid for.

Domestique · « **Reply #343 on:** 28 May, 2010, 12:03:47 pm »

Very sad news with the paramedic, he has had both legs amputated.

Clandy · « **Reply #344 on:** 28 May, 2010, 12:08:20 pm »

Quote from: Domestique on 28 May, 2010, 12:03:47 pm

Very sad news with the paramedic, he has had both legs amputated.

That is awful. Lets hope the perpetrator is given a suitable punishment and not just a slap on the wrist.

rower40 · « **Reply #345 on:** 28 May, 2010, 12:29:33 pm »

Now I realise that Ghandi was right when he said "'An Eye For An Eye' leaves the whole world blind", but surely a leg for a leg stops the perpetrator doing it again?

Clandy · « **Reply #346 on:** 28 May, 2010, 12:47:44 pm »

I have sent the following to my local councillor:

Dear Cllr Assenheim,

Following on from my previous emails expressing my serious concerns at the poorly thought out new cycle lane on Western Esplanade, I wonder if you could forward the following to Cllr Waite and Mehmet Mazhar for me?

Given this week's tragic incident on the seafront where an off-duty paramedic was mown down and seriously injured by a quad bike which had mounted the cycle lane, I would be interested to read the reaction of both Cllr Waite and Mr Mazhar, both of whom believe their 'painted lines' are going to prevent cars mounting the cycle lane. If those lines did not stop a quad bike, how on Earth will they stop one and a half tons of car?

Sincerely,

FatBloke · « **Reply #347 on:** 28 May, 2010, 01:04:11 pm »

OK, so 2 months and one serious accident on from my informal request to see the safety audit for this cycle lane nothing is forthcoming.

How do I now make an official request under the Freedom of Information Act to see this document?

Clandy · « **Reply #348 on:** 28 May, 2010, 01:12:07 pm »

You just ask and point out that your request is a Treedom Of Information Request. They then have 20 days to reply.

Read more here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Yourrightsandresponsibilities/DG_4003239?cids=Google_PPC&cre=Government_Citizens_Rights?

Clandy · « **Reply #349 on:** 28 May, 2010, 03:33:19 pm »

I have received a reply from Mehmet Mazhar:

On 28 May 2010, at 15:16, Mehmet Mazhar wrote:

Dear Mr ,

Thank you for your email.

We are aware of the serious road traffic accident which occurred on the Western Esplanade on Sunday 23rd May 2010, in the early evening. Following receipt of more detailed information about the events on that evening, it is becoming clear that the accident was not caused by the design and construction of the cycle path along the Western Esplanade. It appears that illegal driver/rider behaviour was a contributory factor involving the quad bike incident.

The cycle path scheme has been subject to a road safety audit and has also been subject to an inspection by experts on behalf of Cycling England. This process has ensured that independent checks on safety have been carried out before and after the scheme was installed.

Please contact me if you have any further queries regarding this matter.

Kind regards,

I have now replied with:

Dear Mr Mazhar,

Thank you for your reply. While I accept the driver of the quad bike was fully responsible for the collision with the paramedic, would the earlier collision, which the paramedic was aiding with, have happened if the road was still a safe width?

Also, in an earlier email dated April 7th, you stated that:

"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."

As these measures completely failed to deflect a small vehicle like a quad bike this clearly is NOT the case.

I would now like to make a request, under the Freedom of Information Act, to see the road safety audit that was done regarding the seafront cycle path and new car parking arrangements from Adventure Island to Chalkwell esplanade along Western Esplanade.

You can mail it to me at:

<address>

Best regards,