Thread resurrection!
After this debacle I walked away from campaigning for better conditions for cyclists and refuse to get involved again. The roads are fine and everything else is worse. However this little nugget has been forwarded to me and crossed my radar.
https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19535220.did-cycle-lane-designers-canford-bottom-roundabout-/ I haven't been there to see it in person nor do I intend to make a trip to see it (back in the Southend days I frequently rode the motorbike over the country to examine the examples Southend were touting as good examples, then responding to them saying that what they were building did NOT match in any way shape or form).
Two things jumped out at me, one is that apparently Dorset Councils gave a statement on the inaccurate news reports
Articles claim: The cycle lane on Wimborne Road West is the widest in the country
This is incorrect: The cycle lane on Leigh Road is bi-directional (i.e. it is for two-way cycling). Highways standard is that two-way cycle tracks should be between 3m and 4m wide. The width of the two-way lane on Leigh Road is 3.5m (11ft 4in) and clearly meets relevant standards. There are many other two-way cycle lanes of this width across the UK.
This is exactly what we repeatedly told Southend Council when they presented the seafront track to the cycling forum, and they refused to listen saying that the "2m to 2.5m" was fine for a two way cycle path - I suppose that as they'd already built it before presenting us the plans they didn't want the cost and hassle of ripping it out and redesigning the seafront. (I'll ignore the fact that we worked with them before this was designed and collaboratively came up with three much better options for them to choose between.)
Also, what jumped out at me, is that if this is a two way lane I don't think I'd fancy trying to cycle between oncoming traffic and cyclists whilst protected only by what looks like a line of magic paint. The small kerb in Southend gave no protection. And at night... surely oncoming headlights is just going to be a nightmare and confusion.