Author Topic: Southend Cycle Town - part 2  (Read 237308 times)

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #100 on: 04 April, 2010, 07:14:31 pm »
Took a ride eastwards along the new path at about 4.20pm today. I won't be using it again. Bear in mind when watching the video that this isn't even a particularly busy day on the seafront. Come summertime this path will be sheer murder.

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

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #101 on: 04 April, 2010, 07:27:42 pm »
Took a ride eastwards along the new path at about 4.20pm today. I won't be using it again. Bear in mind when watching the video that this isn't even a particularly busy day on the seafront. Come summertime this path will be sheer murder.
Thanks for riding the path and making a video of it. I shall have a look at it when it's finished but I doubt I'll ever ride it.  :hand:  ::-)  :facepalm:

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #102 on: 04 April, 2010, 07:57:23 pm »
Quote
Took a ride eastwards along the new path at about 4.20pm today.

I thought that boy in the brown coat was going to do it, 12s into the video  :(
Riding eastwards I will use the road, but westwards  :-\

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #103 on: 04 April, 2010, 08:00:46 pm »
Quote
Took a ride eastwards along the new path at about 4.20pm today.

I thought that boy in the brown coat was going to do it  :(
Riding eastwards I will use the road, but westwards  :-\

Cycling westwards I used the road. Cars had no problem passing me.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #104 on: 04 April, 2010, 11:29:19 pm »
...
Actually there is a second alternative and thats to back down and make the path one way only, as it should have been in the first place.

The problem with that is that they've now narrowed the carriageway in BOTH directions down to 3.25m which makes it highly dangerous.  It's too narrow for vehicles to safely pass cyclists, but it's also just wide enough that drivers will be tempted to push their way past.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #105 on: 04 April, 2010, 11:31:27 pm »
Took a ride eastwards along the new path at about 4.20pm today. I won't be using it again. Bear in mind when watching the video that this isn't even a particularly busy day on the seafront. Come summertime this path will be sheer murder.

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

Thanks for that video.  Do you mind if I refer to it in future letters to the Council/Councillors?


The final point though, re using the road in the future, I don't think I will.  I've cycled westerly that way a few times since the path was constructed... and I hate having wing mirrors pass under my elbow  >:(

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #106 on: 04 April, 2010, 11:44:23 pm »
<edited> Video wasn't working.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #107 on: 05 April, 2010, 12:16:17 am »
They were giving you a bit more room than me... but at least your drivers were leaving the lane and straddling the hatching!

Once the signs and cycle lane paint are down I am anticipating abuse along there if I'm not on the lane - it already occurs on Eastern Esplanade.


Thursday morning rush hour I saw a cyclist heading east along the seafront, he was riding along the centre parking bays instead of using the lane.  I was on the motorbike and could see how there wasn't room at all for the traffic to pass on the carriageway without entering the hatched area - which I wondered was the reason the cyclist wasn't on the carriageway.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #108 on: 05 April, 2010, 12:27:45 am »
Took a ride eastwards along the new path at about 4.20pm today. I won't be using it again. Bear in mind when watching the video that this isn't even a particularly busy day on the seafront. Come summertime this path will be sheer murder.

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

Meant to mention earlier, just look at how many cars failed to park in the marked bays and instead parked in the buffer zone.

simonp

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #109 on: 05 April, 2010, 01:12:40 am »
What a disaster.  :facepalm:

Hummers

  • It is all about the taste.
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #110 on: 05 April, 2010, 08:20:51 am »
I didn't find it that bad:


      YouTube
            - New Road Width

This video doesn't work but the others do.

I rode along the Portsmouth cycle path and compared to Southend, ours is pretty good.

H

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #111 on: 05 April, 2010, 08:29:14 am »
I didn't find it that bad:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/BeamH6cWmOg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/BeamH6cWmOg&rel=1</a>

This video doesn't work but the others do.

I rode along the Portsmouth cycle path and compared to Southend, ours is pretty good.

H


Hmm… I've had to delete that. I'll load up a better version in a little while.

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #112 on: 05 April, 2010, 08:43:30 am »
For me, the big fail was shown in the last few seconds of the video when the cyclepath ends and cyclists have to rejoin the road, crossing the carriageway. That in itself rendered the whole exercise pointless.

I was in Leatherhead yesterday but didn't see the new cyclepath there. Very disappointed. I suspect they will become tourist attractions in their own right!

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #113 on: 05 April, 2010, 01:20:21 pm »

Thanks for that video.  Do you mind if I refer to it in future letters to the Council/Councillors?


The final point though, re using the road in the future, I don't think I will.  I've cycled westerly that way a few times since the path was constructed... and I hate having wing mirrors pass under my elbow  >:(

I would prefer it if you used this link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/FyehqjJDkY4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/FyehqjJDkY4&rel=1</a>

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #114 on: 05 April, 2010, 08:43:46 pm »
The ride was a little more crowded today…

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/juF2xs6IuZk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/juF2xs6IuZk&rel=1</a>

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #115 on: 05 April, 2010, 09:47:28 pm »
The ride was a little more crowded today…


      YouTube
            - Ace Cafe Southend Shakedown
   


And there Mr Nutty is the reason the cycle lane was specified in the way it was...






Ideal motorcycle parking for this type of event!!

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #116 on: 05 April, 2010, 10:10:39 pm »
...
And there Mr Nutty is the reason the cycle lane was specified in the way it was...






Ideal motorcycle parking for this type of event!!

Indeed, I suspected as much which is why I spent the day fettling the bike and garden instead of cycling down to Southend to get cross.

One thought though, in the past for events such as this the Council turned the eastbound lane into a two way lane with cones, freeing up the usual westbound lane to use for the event.  Did they do that today?  Is there even enough space left to do so?

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #117 on: 05 April, 2010, 10:14:05 pm »
No. Today the westbound lane was closed. Westbound traffic was diverted up into town at the Kursaal.


I wasn't surprised to see this. At most big seafront events lanes are closed for parking/stalls etc.

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #118 on: 05 April, 2010, 10:24:48 pm »
...
 At most big seafront events lanes are closed for parking/stalls etc.

Indeed they are, and I don't have a problem with that because a seafront should be considered a public open space.

Just going from memory though haven't we only had two types of event to date though?
Major event such as Airshow - whole seafront closed.
Minor event such as today - traffic moved to northern carriageway to allow pavement/southern carriageway/central parking area to be used for the event.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #119 on: 05 April, 2010, 10:41:27 pm »
Last year we also had the final of the Tour Series where the entire seafront was closed:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/misOf3rEtXE&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/misOf3rEtXE&rel=1</a>


Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #120 on: 06 April, 2010, 12:55:37 am »
Yup.  I stopped off to see that on the way home from work.

I don't recall any other time that the seafront has been turned into a one way route though?

Gandalf

  • Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #121 on: 06 April, 2010, 07:11:56 am »

Thanks for that video.  Do you mind if I refer to it in future letters to the Council/Councillors?


The final point though, re using the road in the future, I don't think I will.  I've cycled westerly that way a few times since the path was constructed... and I hate having wing mirrors pass under my elbow  >:(

I would prefer it if you used this link:
      YouTube
            - Southend's Dangerous New Cycle Lane
   


Someone's definitely going to get doored or buggied.

Totally OT, but what was the music you used?  I've heard it somewhere and it's really bugging me.

Clandy

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #122 on: 06 April, 2010, 08:35:15 am »

Someone's definitely going to get doored or buggied.

Totally OT, but what was the music you used?  I've heard it somewhere and it's really bugging me.

Its from an old 60s TV series, Robinson Crusoe:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/YSxiqOPnW84&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/YSxiqOPnW84&rel=1</a>

Hummers

  • It is all about the taste.
Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #123 on: 06 April, 2010, 09:07:01 am »

Thanks for that video.  Do you mind if I refer to it in future letters to the Council/Councillors?


The final point though, re using the road in the future, I don't think I will.  I've cycled westerly that way a few times since the path was constructed... and I hate having wing mirrors pass under my elbow  >:(

I would prefer it if you used this link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/FyehqjJDkY4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/FyehqjJDkY4&rel=1</a>

Watching this again and comparing it to the one at Southsea, Southend's really is a terrible piece of half-witted design and a half-hearted attempt at a cycle path.

There seemed to be nothing to denote that this is a cycle lane (not even different coloured tarmac) so pedestrians straying onto the path have no idea (other than the presence of bikes - which they seem to treat as an annoyance) that this isn't an extension of the pavement. Ours has an attempt at establishing a two-way cycle lane whilst yours is a free for all.

Also, the chevroned 'kerb' is far too narrow and doesn't stop cars parking right up to the path. At least we have lengths of kerb although in the spaces between, some cars seem drawn to park as close to the patch as they can.

Having ridden along it, I was actually impressed with the Southsea cycle path and despite its flaws, would probably take Mrs H along it if I could tempt her back out on the bike.

If it were like Southend, I would avoid it at all costs. What a shameful waste of money, time and a missed opportunity.

H

Re: Southend Cycle Town - part 2
« Reply #124 on: 06 April, 2010, 11:37:49 am »
Quote
There seemed to be nothing to denote that this is a cycle lane (not even different coloured tarmac) so pedestrians straying onto the path have no idea (other than the presence of bikes - which they seem to treat as an annoyance) that this isn't an extension of the pavement. Ours has an attempt at establishing a two-way cycle lane whilst yours is a free for all.

Afaik there is a solid white line to painted along the length of the lane 0.5m from the drop kerb and the rest of the usual cyclist symbols local councils paint on the road/paths. Sign posts are not in place yet either.
To be fair, if the path was one way, ie westward only, It would be reasonable apart from the car parking spaces adjacent to the lane from Peter Pans. Thats just my opinion, others may differ.