Richard Fairhurst wrote:Pete Owens wrote:Not only that, but Hackney - THE borough the segregationists have constantly criticsed due their rare resistance to segregation is THE bourough with the best record in growing cycling
Yes, Hackney - where I have been happily tootling along the lanes and backstreets this morning - has an absolutely admirable reputation for 'filtered permeability', in which bollards and other breaks are used to prevent through motor traffic, while cyclists can pass through unhindered. Camden does it too. Filtered permeability is a Very Good Thing
Or rather since traffic reduction is at the top of the hierarchy of provision these are the most important measures in making Hackney a livable borough and the ones that make its approach more like the post '70s NL than the conventional route-based segregationist approch followed by most UK planners.
and I, together with many other pro-infrastructure cyclists, welcome it wholeheartedly.
We are all pro-infrastructure - including those of us who are sceptical of segregation. Design features at the top of the hierarchy of provision that make cycling safer and more comfortable are still infrastructure.
And while you may personally aprove, you must be aware of the criticism directed at Hackney from the segregationist blogging comunity. For example when Goldsmiths row was blocked off this involved the removal of a narrow segregated cycle track. Then there is even the setting up of a rival cycle campaign - perhaps inspired by the crucifiction scene from the Life of Brian.
But it doesn't get you all the way there. You cannot put bollards in the middle of the A10. It happens that the main roads, where you can't put the bollards, are also the ones with the destinations - the shops, the stations, much of the employment, and so on - and the ones that surmount natural obstacles like the River Thames. People still need to cycle there. And ironically, the effect of filtered permeability is that more motor traffic is driven away from the filtered roads and onto these destination-heavy main roads.
But the approach doesn't just include blocking off side roads - it also involves improving conditions along the main roads. For example moving towards stripping out the giratories that plague much of London and were put in entirely to keep motor traffic moving as fast as possible. A recent example would be the Wick Road scheme that is controversial amongst the segregationists because it involves the return of a very short stretch of shared use pavement to pedestrinans - This is it in its entirety:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5452607,-0.0418065,3a,75y,231.93h,68.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svUoiUr9vcWy-wSHcNrxGJw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656And if you look at the A10 the approach in Hackney is to see this not solely as a traffic sewer, but as a more civilised place where people meet, shop, catch buses, eat at cafes and so on. Take a look at this streetview image:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Kingsland+High+St,+London/@51.5486661,-0.0753738,3a,75y,18.31h,84.12t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1slMt2kj2kAkYuxozRo8KPPQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DlMt2kj2kAkYuxozRo8KPPQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D96.668449%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x48761c8dc5b8dd89:0xb7cbc22ff0b3aa3aand compare it with older views. See how space has been realocated to create wider pavements, with the guard railing removed. There are wide traffic lanes with plenty of space for cyclists and motors to get on without conflict and the centre line has been removed. Yes, it is still a busy road, but not one than anyone would consider intimidating. OK from a dogmatic segregationist perspective none of this counts - its a busy road therefore segregation is the only possible solution - but apparently no-one here is a segregationist.
That is why protected infrastructure is needed.
The last place you would want to put segregated infrastucture is in a High Street environment with frequent dangerous side road crossings, conflict with pedestrians at bus stops, kerbside loading activities and so on.
Not on the backstreets, where Hackney's approach generally works, but on the main roads where people still need to ride. It's why TfL has both a Quietways programme and a Cycle Superhighways programme. Camden recognises this and supports segregated infrastructure on busy roads where closure is not an option.
Well the equivalent radial route in Camden would be the A41:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5474638,-0.1801644,3a,75y,327.1h,77.94t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbmomAmJuyv-uuQMIPWFk5g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1See how they have squeezed as many narrow traffic lanes in as possible - look at all the pedestrian cattle pens. Do you really think that is better than the A10.
Or perhaps look at Camden High Street - wich is not a strategic traffic route:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Camden+High+St,+London+NW1/@51.5383421,-0.142125,3a,75y,338.99h,86.44t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1shgGMk4Ng5KZhEhbTP1BAkw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DhgGMk4Ng5KZhEhbTP1BAkw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D141.96243%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x48761ae03692e859:0x986264e82c966591Here it is part of a multilane giratory system - with southbound traffic routed onto roads that Hackney would be seeking to deter through traffic.
And the roads where Camden puts its much vaunted segregated paths are what would be considered back streets and targets for modal filters in Hackney. I really don't think this sort of thing would be remotly sensible on a busy bus route:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.536558,-0.1339959,3a,75y,301.58h,87.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3heIgvFX6m6ckFBD4BL1vA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656Hackney doesn't. It's not Hackney's (very good) record to date in growing cycling that people like me are criticising, it's their refusal to take the next steps being followed by Camden, TfL and others.
Given Hackney's superior record at growing cycling then they should be encouraged to continue with their proven succesful approach - and Camden, TfL and other boroughs should be following their example rather than vice versa.
