speed limit on cycle paths

'Arold · Post by **'Arold** » 5 Nov 2007, 9:07pm

To quote the Esteemed Richard Ballantine in his new book City Cycling (I'm not his agent!!), page 200 -

"Shared-use
On shared-use paths slow down when pedestrians are about. They have right of way. Most such paths have an 8 mph speed limit for cycles, with good reason."

Is this 8mph written in law?
I take RB's point that when there's no one about you can go faster, and also that one has to take care around other path users.

My take on it is that some motorists are annoyed when cyclists use the road instead of the cycle path.
However, if we can argue that we want to go faster than 8 mph, and LEGALLY, then that would be a very good justification for using the road.

Personally, I use either road or path depending on how I feel and what they look like!!

Cunobelin · Post by **Cunobelin** » 5 Nov 2007, 9:18pm

It's down to common sense and there is no "legal limit".

Sustrans suggest "Not to expect to ride at high speeds" , and some codes of conduct 10 mph.

The only real "official figure" is the DfT guidelines which state that "above 18 mph you should consider using the road"

meic · Post by **meic** » 5 Nov 2007, 10:00pm

8mph is a very low speed for cycling along an empty cycle track where you can see for miles. How about we fly along as we please and slow down when we meet some one or the condions/visbility isnt very good.

byegad · Post by **byegad** » 5 Nov 2007, 10:27pm

Ooh! so when I'm swooping along at 25mph I'm 3 and a bit times over the limit! As I can see just over a mile down the straight path at that point, who's gonna clock me.
Of course I slow down when there are people about and when the sight line is shorter, but 8mph COME ON!!

meic · Post by **meic** » 5 Nov 2007, 10:51pm

To put the speed into context, 8mph is about the speed at which a jogger would be promoted to the status of being a runner. We poor cyclists would be going so slow that we would be holding up the runners on the paths.

itsaghostcar · Post by **itsaghostcar** » 6 Nov 2007, 2:07pm

8mph is very slow for cycling. From memory, British Waterways had a 12mph limit for the canal towpaths ... for the towpaths I've been on aorund London (Regent's Canal, Limehouse Cut etc), 12mph seems a pretty reasonable limit for that type of shared use path, although if there was no-one around, going slightly quicker would be desirable. They've now changed to 'ride at a sensible speed'.

drossall · Post by **drossall** » 6 Nov 2007, 5:26pm

A shared-use path is a single path used by both pedestrians and cyclists, as opposed a single tarmac strip, but with markings separating the two, or distinct paths with grass or some-such between. I hadn't come across an 8mph limit, but it would be advisory - if you hit a pedestrian on a shared-use path and had been doing a lot more than that, the burden of proof might be on you to show that the accident was not your fault.

The 18mph limit is also advisory, but applies to cycle paths proper as well.

Woodbridge Pete · Post by **Woodbridge Pete** » 6 Nov 2007, 5:27pm

I would have said that 15mph is the limit, as the Highway Code suggests you use the road if your speed is higher than this.

pwward · Post by **pwward** » 6 Nov 2007, 5:48pm

Surely any speed limit is pretty meaningless unless you have a speedo on your bike?

yakdiver · Post by **yakdiver** » 6 Nov 2007, 6:08pm

Can someone tell me where these cycle paths are that you can ride at speeds above 12 MPH most in my area 10 MPH is tops not unless you want your bike to fall to bits and you want your stomach upset as they are so bumpy

drossall · Post by **drossall** » 6 Nov 2007, 8:48pm

Woodbridge Pete wrote:I would have said that 15mph is the limit, as the Highway Code suggests you use the road if your speed is higher than this.

Where is that?

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 7 Nov 2007, 3:13pm

Since cycles are not required to carry a speedometer it is not legally possible to require riders to adhere to any fixed speed limit.

cyclistjohn · Post by **cyclistjohn** » 7 Nov 2007, 4:00pm

itsaghostcar wrote:8mph is very slow for cycling. From memory, British Waterways had a 12mph limit for the canal towpaths ... for the towpaths I've been on aorund London (Regent's Canal, Limehouse Cut etc), 12mph seems a pretty reasonable limit for that type of shared use path, although if there was no-one around, going slightly quicker would be desirable. They've now changed to 'ride at a sensible speed'.

Next year I'm hoping to ride those paths you mention. A few months ago the Grand Union towpaths in Northant's were so bad (Amazon jungle) 8 mph would have been very impressive, almost foolhardy in fact. The ones round here are pretty much as Numbnuts finds.

drossall · Post by **drossall** » 7 Nov 2007, 6:22pm

pete75 wrote:Since cycles are not required to carry a speedometer it is not legally possible to require riders to adhere to any fixed speed limit.

That's not true. On the road, bikes are not subject to fixed speed limits simply because the relevant law refers quite specifically to motor vehicles. It's the lack of a motor, not the lack of a speedometer, that makes you exempt.

On the other hand, in some parks and promenades, for example, bye-laws do impose speed limits on bikes.

pete75 · Post by **pete75** » 7 Nov 2007, 8:17pm

drossall wrote:
pete75 wrote:Since cycles are not required to carry a speedometer it is not legally possible to require riders to adhere to any fixed speed limit.

That's not true. On the road, bikes are not subject to fixed speed limits simply because the relevant law refers quite specifically to motor vehicles. It's the lack of a motor, not the lack of a speedometer, that makes you exempt.

On the other hand, in some parks and promenades, for example, bye-laws do impose speed limits on bikes.

Not so. If a vehicle is not required to have a speedometer then how is the person controlling it meant to know how fast it is travelling.
The law refers to vehicles which have speedometers fitted.