Author Topic: Southend Cycle Town - part 2  (Read 237258 times)

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #650 on: 23 August, 2010, 08:52:26 pm »
That is insane! Do these people go out of their way to find the least cycle friendly spec?

Here is the reply to my last email re: the filth on the cycle track outside Maxims Casino:

Dear Mr ******,
 
Thank you for your e-mail.
 
I can inform you that I personally visited the Casino early Friday evening and met with the duty manager. I showed him the area in question and he stated that he will arrange for the area to be cleared. He also assured me that he will raise this matter with the appropriate personnel to prevent any recurrence.
 
As I stated previously we will also monitor this closely over the coming weeks to ensure that they comply.
 
Steven Crowther - Group Manager Waste & Street Scene

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #651 on: 23 August, 2010, 09:14:07 pm »
I was on my brommie at the time and had a dig around with the toe of my shoe. While the top is loose the bottom layer is stuck firm.
I think the shingle has been stuck down and it's just that they throw on too much to make sure the shingle covers the track. The same as they do with the local B roads, a bitumen glue and then gravel rolled into the bitumen.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #652 on: 23 August, 2010, 11:07:24 pm »
I'll have a closer look tomorrow then, before ranting at the council.

I was more focussed on staying upright and not falling off the bike that was sliding sideways, and also noting the clear tyre tracks already on the bend where the gravel was obviously getting swept away.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #653 on: 24 August, 2010, 09:44:29 am »
I'll have a closer look tomorrow then, before ranting at the council.

I was more focussed on staying upright and not falling off the bike that was sliding sideways, and also noting the clear tyre tracks already on the bend where the gravel was obviously getting swept away.

Were there any warning signs? Contractors somehow forget to warn cyclists that they are doing works (I once contacted the council to tell them that someone had stolen one of the cycle paths. Contractors had removed the top prior to relaying it but there were no warning signs)

..d
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #654 on: 24 August, 2010, 09:48:22 am »

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #655 on: 24 August, 2010, 09:51:06 am »
Rode in to work that way this morning.  Had a huge slidey skid right around that corner, and also had a good rummage.

Yes the bottom layer of the shingle does appear to be bedded into the soft tarmac*, but I think that once "bedded in" and the loose stuff gone it'll really look bad.  It's also worth noting that when they built it they left around a 10mm gap between the top of the tarmac and the top of the shuttering/manholes.  This gravel just about fills that 10mm.   I really can't see that they intend for the stuff to be swept up once bedded in.  (Plus the bedding in on B roads relies on the weight of the traffic to do the work, this won't work on a footpath/cyclepath).




*(tarmac that was soft enough to dig out by fingernail in the chill air of the morning!)

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #656 on: 24 August, 2010, 09:52:25 am »
Were there any warning signs?
No!

And even when you know it's dangerous and ride slowly, you still lock up and skid uncontrollably when the elderly lady steps out from behind the blind corner.

Fortunately I stayed upright, there was no collision, and we had a polite and jokey conversation.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #657 on: 24 August, 2010, 10:19:29 am »
Del, what day did you first notice this pea shingle?  I can see the photo was posted back on Thursday, but how long had it been down before that?

I'm hoping that they'll be back again soon to put a clear binder on top of the shingle, but would have expected that to have been applied soon after they put the shingle down.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #658 on: 24 August, 2010, 10:28:18 am »
Del, what day did you first notice this pea shingle?  I can see the photo was posted back on Thursday, but how long had it been down before that?

The day of the picture, Sunday, is the first time I saw it but I have no time as to when it was laid.

FatBloke

  • I come from a land up over!
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #659 on: 24 August, 2010, 02:00:00 pm »
A couple of items in the Echo today. Including an editorial asking why the council didn't consult local cyclists before building the "dangerous" Western Esplanade cycle path!   ::-)
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.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #660 on: 24 August, 2010, 02:30:32 pm »
A couple of items in the Echo today. Including an editorial asking why the council didn't consult local cyclists before building the "dangerous" Western Esplanade cycle path!   ::-)

I'm curious as to what has brought on this editorial. Has someone been hurt? I saw someone under a blanket being attended by a couple of cyclists and a foreshore inspector the other day. Wonder if it's linked?

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #661 on: 24 August, 2010, 02:52:44 pm »
I certainly hope that nobody has been hurt, despite our fears that it is going to happen.




Changing tack slightly from the seafront, have you been down Baxter Avenue recently?    They've burnt off the double yellow lines and put in "business parking permit holders only" bays.   So much for a cycle town and workplace travel plans... :facepalm:

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #662 on: 24 August, 2010, 02:57:16 pm »
I certainly hope that nobody has been hurt, despite our fears that it is going to happen.
A girl, unsure about the age, ran into the path of three cyclists. One braked hard and went over the bars hitting the girl, the girl is OK! The cyclist has a broken elbow.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #663 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:00:56 pm »




Clearly I'm not in Southend, but this looks like the general skog that pours of out council refuse trucks when they collect the bins. Of course it could be sewage as well. Either way not pleasant.

Are you sure it's oil? There's an awfully large slick and in the photos there's no sign of the oily sheen you'd expect to see.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #664 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:05:09 pm »
I certainly hope that nobody has been hurt, despite our fears that it is going to happen.
A girl, unsure about the age, ran into the path of three cyclists. One braked hard and went over the bars hitting the girl, the girl is OK! The cyclist has a broken elbow.

Bugger.   Well we told the Council that would happen before the end of summer.

I hate being proved right :(  :'(

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #665 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:06:03 pm »
Are you sure it's oil? There's an awfully large slick and in the photos there's no sign of the oily sheen you'd expect to see.
Yes, it's definitely oil. It's been spread by the traffic, including the lorries that pull onto that spot, and water beads on it's surface.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #666 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:31:00 pm »
Todays E.Echo has a piece about a cyclist trying to avoid a young girl who wandered onto the cycle lane on seafront.
Seems that the Evening Echo is questioning the safety of the lane. Again no on-line yet.

Cross post with Fatbloke.  :facepalm:

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #667 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:35:36 pm »
I've just bought the paper copy.   Interesting snippet from the editorial.

Quote
The council will gain best insight if it listens to constructive suggestions from the people who use the routes on a regular basis.

Cyclists, for their part, need to do more than complain, they need to come up with practical solutions


Well the council has singularly failed to listen to any of the suggestions we've made to date. 

For the last ten years I've been offering to help, even down to the offer of reviewing their draft plans at design phase (as we're supposed to be doing at the cycle group meetings).  Instead they push ahead with whatever they feel is best, leaving us with no option but to contact them "as a complaint" with regards they've constructed.


As for this seafront path, let's just go back to page 1 of this thread and remind ourselves of how many LTN2/08 guidelines have been ignored in the construction of this path.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #668 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:40:59 pm »
I've just bought the paper copy.   Interesting snippet from the editorial.

Quote
The council will gain best insight if it listens to constructive suggestions from the people who use the routes on a regular basis.

Cyclists, for their part, need to do more than complain, they need to come up with practical solutions


Well the council has singularly failed to listen to any of the suggestions we've made to date. 

For the last ten years I've been offering to help, even down to the offer of reviewing their draft plans at design phase (as we're supposed to be doing at the cycle group meetings).  Instead they push ahead with whatever they feel is best, leaving us with no option but to contact them "as a complaint" with regards they've constructed.


As for this seafront path, let's just go back to page 1 of this thread and remind ourselves of how many LTN2/08 guidelines have been ignored in the construction of this path.

That would make a very interesting email to the Echo.

It is very clear that over the course of this year the council has completely ignored cyclist, motorist, and pedestrian concerns over this path, and just ploughed ahead regardless. Now the chickens are coming home to roost.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #669 on: 24 August, 2010, 03:44:32 pm »
Mark Flewitt, councillor responsible for transport and planning said
"I cant accept liability on behalf of the the council for any accident  that happens on the cycle lane. But I am happy to investigate matters that come to my attention"

Oh well.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #670 on: 25 August, 2010, 01:18:30 pm »

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #671 on: 26 August, 2010, 12:11:27 pm »
Todays Echo there is going to be new signs added along the route to make it clear where the cycle path is.
Not sure if thats on line yet.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #672 on: 26 August, 2010, 12:26:05 pm »
I saw that.

Sadly I doubt signs will make any difference.

Andrij

  • Андрій
  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #673 on: 26 August, 2010, 12:49:30 pm »
Sounds like Southend has chosen the perfect time to put up more signs:

BBC News - Councils urged to remove unnecessary street signs
 
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #674 on: 26 August, 2010, 12:54:09 pm »
Sounds like Southend has chosen the perfect time to put up more signs:

BBC News - Councils urged to remove unnecessary street signs
 


PMSL