Oxford quickways

Richard Fairhurst
Posts: 2030
Joined: 2 Mar 2008, 4:57pm
Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire

Oxford quickways

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

Oxfordshire County Council has released plans for what they're calling "quickways" in Oxford city:

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/quickways

These are (I quote) "continuous and well-designed cycle lanes on main routes to improve traffic flow and safety".

What that translates to, in practice, is advisory lanes (i.e. paint only, dashed white lines) which give out at key moments to become nothing more than cycle symbols on the road. There is very little physical protection, even when the roads are wide enough. To fund this they're getting Department for Transport 'Active Travel Fund' money, or at least they think they are.

There are a few good things in the package: Warneford Lane (an accident blackspot) will get light segregation, and car parking spaces will be removed to make room for the painted lanes. Overall, though, it strikes me as a massive missed opportunity, particularly given what other cities are doing.

I would be interested to hear what people think, given there's a wide range of views on "infrastructure" on this forum!
cycle.travel - maps, journey-planner, route guides and city guides
Jdsk
Posts: 24636
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks

And the maps:
https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-wes ... b3c580db1f

I cycle around that area a lot. I don't know how to respond because I don't know how the details will work out.

Jonathan
mattheus
Posts: 5044
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 12:57pm
Location: Western Europe

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by mattheus »

Richard Fairhurst wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 11:14am
What that translates to, in practice, is advisory lanes (i.e. paint only, dashed white lines) which give out at key moments to become nothing more than cycle symbols on the road. There is very little physical protection, even when the roads are wide enough. To fund this they're getting Department for Transport 'Active Travel Fund' money, or at least they think they are.
If what you say is correct (and it wouldn't surprise me), then this sounds like the depressing same-old same-old.

[Side observation:
I'm an occasional user of Oxford roads (live to the south, and avoid the city if I'm riding upto your neck of the woods!); I generally feel very safe there, but it's a Safety In Numbers effect. I'm almost always on the road, with the other bikes cars buses.

Seems crazy that a city with so many cyclists is worse than London in terms of provision. : -( ]
Pete Owens
Posts: 2442
Joined: 7 Jul 2008, 12:52am

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Pete Owens »

Richard Fairhurst wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 11:14am
What that translates to, in practice, is advisory lanes (i.e. paint only, dashed white lines) which give out at key moments to become nothing more than cycle symbols on the road. There is very little physical protection, even when the roads are wide enough. To fund this they're getting Department for Transport 'Active Travel Fund' money, or at least they think they are.
Hence the name "quickways" the purpose is to force cyclists into the gutter in order to facilitate close passes - thus making the streets quicker for motors - they are quite open about their aim:
"to improve traffic flow"
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by PH »

Richard Fairhurst wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 11:14am To fund this they're getting Department for Transport 'Active Travel Fund' money, or at least they think they are.
I understood from reports that Active Travel Fund money couldn't be used for non segregated lanes, are they aware of this?
I like well designed cycle infrastructure, I've occasionally seen non segregated lanes that serve a purpose, but usually they're ignored by other road users.
Stevek76
Posts: 2085
Joined: 28 Jul 2015, 11:23am

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Stevek76 »

Richard Fairhurst wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 11:14am To fund this they're getting Department for Transport 'Active Travel Fund' money, or at least they think they are.
:lol:

They may think they're in with a chance because the dft has only concretely ruled out funding 'paint only' measures. However their general stance indicates that they would be highly unlikely to fund anything that wasn't 'paint only as a last resort for limited portion with extenuating circumstances' and 'mostly paint but here's some token armadillos' is not going to be received well.
The contents of this post, unless otherwise stated, are opinions of the author and may actually be complete codswallop
Pete Owens
Posts: 2442
Joined: 7 Jul 2008, 12:52am

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Pete Owens »

I don't think you can place much hope in the Department for Cars doing anything to prevent this. You need to object directly to the proposals.

To see how much worse 1.5m cycle lanes make conditions for cyclists taker a look at:
http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/report/cycle-lanes.pdf

Probably the best thing Oxford could do to improve conditions for cyclists would be to remove the existing cycle lanes - many of which are even thinner (though it is actually more expensive to remove them than to paint them in the first place)
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by mjr »

PH wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 7:08pm
Richard Fairhurst wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 11:14am To fund this they're getting Department for Transport 'Active Travel Fund' money, or at least they think they are.
I understood from reports that Active Travel Fund money couldn't be used for non segregated lanes, are they aware of this?
I like well designed cycle infrastructure, I've occasionally seen non segregated lanes that serve a purpose, but usually they're ignored by other road users.
Yep, 1/10 for Oxfordshire: they identified some routes but the planned paint isn't worthwhile and DfT have said they won't fund such things. I wonder if Oxfordshire are heading for a similar withholding of funding until they agree to behave like Cambridgeshire had this year.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Slowroad
Posts: 995
Joined: 28 Jun 2008, 9:58pm
Location: Nottingham, UK

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Slowroad »

Depressingly, having done what looked like a really good bid last year, Nottingham went and put in some segregated lanes where they weren't really needed, and some more white lines which they seemed to get away with. (Plus some school zones which have I think been more successful). The really difficult stuff they said they were going to do has been booted into the long grass. They do seem to be making improvements to the white line routes - but the cycle lanes are closed for weeks and there's a 'cyclists dismount' sign...
I've found myself a better route and am unlikely to be using the new improved cycle lane at all now!
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Ron
Posts: 1384
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Ron »

Richard Fairhurst wrote: 24 Sep 2021, 11:14amThese are (I quote) "continuous and well-designed cycle lanes on main routes to improve traffic flow and safety".
I would be interested to hear what people think,
I think the authority is being devious in talking about "traffic" flow as if there was only one form of traffic on our roads and would be concerned the proposals are primarily intended to improve motor traffic flow.
Jdsk
Posts: 24636
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Jdsk »

Cowley Road Quickway starts on 10 August 2022.

Jonathan
Stevek76
Posts: 2085
Joined: 28 Jul 2015, 11:23am

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Stevek76 »

And looks pretty useless.

Seems to be worst of both worlds here. Annoy motorists and businesses by removing parking, don't actually provide infrastructure that is going to drive mode shift.

Local councillors have mentioned lack of funding yet there'd have been plenty if they'd submitted something suitably ambitious to ATE.
The contents of this post, unless otherwise stated, are opinions of the author and may actually be complete codswallop
Nearholmer
Posts: 3928
Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Nearholmer »

I don’t cycle much in urban areas with these white line lanes, but when I do I find them flippin’ awful, worse in many ways than nothing, and that report linked above illustrates perfectly the problem: that’s the bit of road you get, that’s all you get, and drivers perceive that it is safe to drive right up to their side of the line, giving a passing distance of maybe 600mm if you’re lucky. Bad idea!
Stevek76
Posts: 2085
Joined: 28 Jul 2015, 11:23am

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by Stevek76 »

A study in London estimated that advisory paint was indeed more dangerous than nothing at all. Mandatory paint was found to no overall affect.
The contents of this post, unless otherwise stated, are opinions of the author and may actually be complete codswallop
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Oxford quickways

Post by mjr »

Stevek76 wrote: 1 Aug 2022, 12:43pm A study in London estimated that advisory paint was indeed more dangerous than nothing at all. Mandatory paint was found to no overall affect.
And posts? Kerbs?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Post Reply