Author Topic: Southend Cycle Town - part 2  (Read 237248 times)

montysboy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #400 on: 17 June, 2010, 11:36:12 am »
...

And I wonder how far the green will go?


I cycled (for the first time in ages) to work on monday.   I couldn't believe it on the way home when I got here.

I'd already pooed my pants several time along the seafront when traffic buzzed me too closely (I wasn't in the cycle path as it was blocked in several places and once out of it you can't get back in).  When I got here I couldn't believe the conflict introduced.

I've cycled this junction almost daily for the last ten years.  Once a fortnight there is conflict with traffic trying to merge with the cyclists in the cycle lane and also go round this bend.  Now that they've painted the lanes like this it is much much worse.

Southend.  The Anti-Cycle Town funded by Cycling England  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Hi all,

Its even more fun coming onto the cycle lane the other direction down from Chalkwell Avenue - the only safe way onto the cycle lane is to use the zebra crossing!

As much as I quite like the new section of cycle lane - I do wonder at the thinking behind it some how... at the eastern end of the new section when travelling east it just ends dumping you into the oncoming traffic.  There is a small right turn arrow painted on the ground, but this just takes you up onto the pavement  >:(


Iain

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #401 on: 17 June, 2010, 12:27:30 pm »
...
Hi all,

Its even more fun coming onto the cycle lane the other direction down from Chalkwell Avenue - the only safe way onto the cycle lane is to use the zebra crossing!

As much as I quite like the new section of cycle lane - I do wonder at the thinking behind it some how... at the eastern end of the new section when travelling east it just ends dumping you into the oncoming traffic.  There is a small right turn arrow painted on the ground, but this just takes you up onto the pavement  >:(


Iain


Hi Iain, good point!  I hadn't thought about getting into the lane from the other direction as I've only seen this once on the ground (it was missing from the plans the Council gave us to say what they'd built - which only covered the Three Shells to the Arches); plus I've only every cycled home along the seafront instead of commuting in to work that way.

Re the right turn arrow, they've told us that their final plan will be to lower the ground level under the pier (where it currently floods) and the path will become shared use from the Three Shells, under the pier, through the City Beach scheme, and ultimately connect with the narrow cycle path gully along Eastern Esplanade.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #402 on: 17 June, 2010, 12:43:02 pm »
Popped round to Shoebury Asda yesterday to drop a film off for developing. Because I was combining it with my ride I came out the front entrance, which I don't normally do. I noticed these white lines painted on the pavement. Anyone know what they are for?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oif4SpjwDk4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Oif4SpjwDk4&rel=1</a>

At 00:15 you can see a shared use sign on a lamp post.

I would suspect that this is actually a sensible line, preventing users of the shared use path from getting too close to the carriageway or cycling into the lamp columns.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #403 on: 17 June, 2010, 12:45:21 pm »
I have just received my invitation to the nexr Cycle Forum meeting. There is an agenda, but unusually the minutes of the last meeting were not attached.

I detect the aroma of a very large rodent!   :-\

I've just chased for the minutes.  I have been told that they were sent out on 1st April.    If nobody else received them then maybe this was an April Fools?   


I now have a copy, and I'd suggest that anybody who hasn't received minutes on 1st April should email Sara and ask for them.

montysboy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #404 on: 17 June, 2010, 01:10:19 pm »

Re the right turn arrow, they've told us that their final plan will be to lower the ground level under the pier (where it currently floods) and the path will become shared use from the Three Shells, under the pier, through the City Beach scheme, and ultimately connect with the narrow cycle path gully along Eastern Esplanade.


Do you know if there is a time scale for this "connecting link"? Will it be complete by March 2011 as the boards along the sea front suggest the roadworks along that section will be finished by?


Iain

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #405 on: 17 June, 2010, 03:00:28 pm »
I am not aware of any schedule.

We were told about the western esplanade scheme from the Three Shells to Shorefield Drive at the end of March after it was already constructed.  The plans for this clearly showed it linking to the existing road based cycle lanes on either side of the road leading back to Chalkwell Shelter.

I have not seen any plans for this second phase which has removed these cycle lanes. 

I have not seen the detailed plans for the City Beach, which we have been told will become a shared use pavement.

montysboy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #406 on: 17 June, 2010, 03:10:50 pm »
I am not aware of any schedule.

We were told about the western esplanade scheme from the Three Shells to Shorefield Drive at the end of March after it was already constructed.  The plans for this clearly showed it linking to the existing road based cycle lanes on either side of the road leading back to Chalkwell Shelter.

I have not seen any plans for this second phase which has removed these cycle lanes. 

I have not seen the detailed plans for the City Beach, which we have been told will become a shared use pavement.

Thanks for the info. 

I suppose we just have to wait until the rest of the cycle facilities just 'appear'  ;D


Iain

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #407 on: 17 June, 2010, 03:20:47 pm »
Thanks for the info. 

I suppose we just have to wait until the rest of the cycle facilities just 'appear'  ;D


Iain


Less of the smiles :(

If the plans were brought to the cycle group meetings, and if the meetings were every 2 months as they're supposed to be, then we could raise issues with the engineers at that point rather than having to keep complaining to the Council about something they've cocked up.

It makes me angry that the schemes are "just implemented" on the say so of the qualified engineers, rather than taking input from experienced cyclists as minuted on the Council Minutes.

After all, The Formula One season now have an ex-racing driver on the stewards panel at every race, and fans are saying that the decisions are now better because the stewards are getting valuable insight and assistance.   The same should be happening in this cycle town, the engineers should be taking on board comment from the experienced end users who can see what the results will be.

Note:  I'm not saying that the cycle group should be designing any scheme, because that's the engineer's job.  We should however be able to provide comment on the designs at a couple of points during the design process (as per the flowchart they showed us at the last meeting).

montysboy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #408 on: 17 June, 2010, 03:38:24 pm »

Less of the smiles :(

Sorry I was just trying to be facetious... have an angry instead... >:(

Totally agree with the involvement of cyclists when the planners/engineers are dreaming up these schemes.


Iain

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #409 on: 18 June, 2010, 07:58:01 am »

Riggers

  • Mine's a pipe, er… pint!
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #410 on: 18 June, 2010, 09:19:19 am »
Nutty, I've been storing these up for a while, and so thank goodness I can now put them to use! Have these:  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Certainly never seen cycling south of Sussex

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #411 on: 18 June, 2010, 10:57:45 am »
Nutty, I've been storing these up for a while, and so thank goodness I can now put them to use! Have these:  <BANK>

ta.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #412 on: 19 June, 2010, 03:40:57 pm »
Oh good grief! Take a look at the comments after this story:

Get on your bike for Macmillan and ride around Foulness Island (From Echo)

2_Flat_Erics

  • 2 Flat Eric's
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #413 on: 19 June, 2010, 05:21:53 pm »
Oh good grief! Take a look at the comments after this story:

Get on your bike for Macmillan and ride around Foulness Island (From Echo)

I can hardly understand a word that the protagonist is saying. I imagine that he has trouble typing because his knuckles are so sore from dragging them along the ground all the time.
Never argue with an idot....
They just bring you down to their level
then win on experience.

2 Flat Erics You Tube Channel

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #414 on: 21 June, 2010, 10:56:14 am »
Did anyone go to the grand opening?

FatBloke

  • I come from a land up over!
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #415 on: 21 June, 2010, 11:10:32 am »
I intended to but came down with a dose of man-flu!   :-[
This isn't just a thousand to one shot. This is a professional blood sport. It can happen to you. And it can happen again.

Riggers

  • Mine's a pipe, er… pint!
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #416 on: 21 June, 2010, 11:46:48 am »
Oh good grief! Take a look at the comments after this story:

Get on your bike for Macmillan and ride around Foulness Island (From Echo)


I think the response to 'Baker Boy's comments are superb.
Certainly never seen cycling south of Sussex

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #417 on: 21 June, 2010, 11:57:47 am »
Quote from: branededbakersboy
one person on there own is ok you can just zoom zoom around them. this event just wrong though. they let ppl on bike and by looking at them really cant ride them. they go about 6 wide in the road making it impossble for wakering to live.

last year my sister went in to labour on this day and we were driving her to the hospital and ppl would not move out of the way.

when people do not understand life and death matter in a car.

have an even to ride a bike to it in a park or not making touble for people that have to live there it is the worse worse event to the motor bike day which is also shocking!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing to think that such a person can be driving a car.
Getting there...

montysboy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #418 on: 21 June, 2010, 12:04:34 pm »
Quote from: branededbakersboy
one person on there own is ok you can just zoom zoom around them.

Amazing to think that such a person can be driving a car.

I think he must drive a Mazda


   Mazda - Zoom-Zoom Life - Zoom In


 ;)



Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #419 on: 22 June, 2010, 02:05:00 pm »
The seafront path was opened and half the road was closed so that the kids could ride their mile. A picture in the Echo shows that the beach side of the road was closed and the text suggests it was closed from Grosvenor Rd. to Chalkwell Station. Included usual quotes from parents about how safe it was blah blah use it again blah blah.

The Greenway is open!  :thumbsup: But only the bit that runs along Gainsborough Park.  :hand:

The park entrance.

The ramp end is quite steep but it looks like it still needs finishing.

From Prittlewell Chase.
And the section from Victoria Avenue is still closed despite being as complete as the Gainsborough section?

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #420 on: 23 June, 2010, 11:42:14 am »
Did anyone go to the grand opening?

Oh my goodness me but what a bad day that was.  :hand:


Since the Cycle Group is supposed to be supporting the council I thought I'd go to the Grand Opening on the Windcheetah as it's a fun bike and always gets good reaction from passers by.  I haven't ridden it since Christmas, in fact I've hardly ridden at all in the last couple of months.  I had forgotten what fun it is, and just how fast it is straight down the A13 when there's little traffic. 

I ended up down at Royal Artillery way where I admired the new cycle path that has now been upgraded from 2m wide to at least 3m wide, with good flush run off either side onto the grass verges.  I also said hello to Poppy, a young Staffs Terrier who wanted to play and give me lots of snogs, and had a pleasant chat with the owner.

Then it was down Maplin Way to the old Cycle Path.  Accessing this was fine as there is a dropped kerb with give way markings at all side roads on the original path.  I turned right and blasted west.

The Windcheetah is no wider than a normal bicycle, but looks as though it is thanks to the two front wheels.  The recumbent riding position also accentuates the size of the bike.  Oncoming cyclists though had a worried look on their faces as they tried to negotiate the half of the lane they needed to use between myself and the kerb.

I stopped at the end of the path, opposite Esplanade House, for some minor fettling.  No blood was shed.

It was now around 10:30 so I continued west, in the road, and joined the new Western Esplanade path at its start by the Three Shells.  I had to slow past the parked cars as pedestrians got out of them and crossed the path to the pavement ahead of me. 

Oncoming cyclists also had a look of fear and were riding so close to the kerb in order to pass me that they risked falling into the road.  Since they were riding on the kerb this meant that their left side was overhanging the road and at risk of being hit by oncoming traffic. 

I did consider whether the windcheetah was a suitable bike for riding on this new cycle path, but then remembered that LTN2/08 states that the path should be 3m wide as a minimum and that if it's not some riders might struggle to use it.  I also remembered that I've seen an increase in parents with trailers taking their children to school.  I'm no wider than those trailers.


Then I got to Crowstone Avenue, where the Council had closed the Esplanade  :facepalm:

As I went past the gazeebo and organisers I heard my name called and it was one of the Council staff I've got on well with in the past.  I pulled a U-turn to go and chat to her.  She was standing talking to Anna Waite.

"Morning xxxx" I said, "what's going on here?  Why have you closed the seafront?"
"We're holding the kid's bikeathon so have closed the road for safety"
"But you've got this lovely new cycle path that you're assuring us is safe.  Why aren't you using that?"

At this point Anna Waite's face froze into an expressionless look at me, before she turned her back and walked away.


After a lengthy conversation I rode east along the cycle path.  At one point an oncoming cyclist glanced down at his front hub, and in a moment of lack of concentration meandered into the centre of the cycle path.  I braked hard and put my left wheel on the kerb (any further and I'd have been in the road, I was already straddling that white line).  He was still on a collision course with my right hand wheel.  I yelled "OI", he looked up, swore, apologised and jinked hard left to avoid me.

That is exactly the kind of potential for collision which we all pointed out at the Cycle Group meeting when these wonder plans were revealed to us.


I also noted that had I entered the seafront via Shorefield Road, or any other side turning, there is no dropped kerb to allow me to get onto the cycle path  :facepalm:  (See above comment re Maplin Way).

I noted that many of the cyclists I saw on the path I saw several times.  It looked as though people were just cycling back and forth along the seafront. 

My final observation was relating to those stupid zebra crossing poles they have put in the cycle path.  I saw how difficult it was to pass cyclists at these points.   



Then it was time for the official opening.  The mayor arrived in a car, got out, spoke to the Council Staff, cut the ribbon and got back in the car with Anna Waite and left.  I watched from a distance.  It looks from the photograph as though they managed to find a small child with bicycle while I was cycling around the block so there is at least a single bike present at the "Grand Opening".

<sigh>

That might be the last time I cycle the seafront.  It was not pleasant.  There was too great a risk of collision.  I've not cycled since Sunday and the Windcheetah might hit the For Sale section soon.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #421 on: 23 June, 2010, 11:45:22 am »


Am I seeing this right?

There is a dropped kerb from the greenway into the car parking bays?

If riding in the direction pictured, I'd cross the road to the left hand dropped kerb, and then pull a hard right turn followed by a hard left turn into the greenway.  Can I get a tandem around that tight bend?  Can I get a bike towing a trailer around that tight bend without a wheel dropping off the kerb into the parking bay?

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #422 on: 23 June, 2010, 11:48:38 am »
Did anyone go to the grand opening?

...

I stopped at the end of the path, opposite Esplanade House, for some minor fettling.  No blood was shed.

....

Now we know you imagined the whole thing....  ;D
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #423 on: 23 June, 2010, 11:49:41 am »
Did anyone go to the grand opening?

...

I stopped at the end of the path, opposite Esplanade House, for some minor fettling.  No blood was shed.

....

Now we know you imagined the whole thing....  ;D

I thought fettling minors was a criminal offence.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #424 on: 23 June, 2010, 11:53:59 am »

Am I seeing this right?
There is a dropped kerb from the greenway into the car parking bays?
More to do with the access of vehicles for the maintenance of the hedges and path (and the unsuspecting idiot who rides into the brook, about four feet of down there). I expect the parking bay will be burnt off, but then who parks in front of driveways?