Cycling set to be banned from Stevenage town centre

[Chris the Sheep]

Once again, no consistency - Blackpool's another place where it's gone the other way -in this case it's because promenade closures mean there's a lengthy diversion unless you go through the main shopping street. There's the inevitable griping about it but we'll see what happens when the prom re-opens in June - I can't see many cyclists using it as a through route.

[CREPELLO]

So, having looked at the link Megilleland posted, can someone clarify the restriction signs to look out for in pedestrianised areas?

A cycle is defined as a vehicle, yes?
A sign declaring 'No vehicles' with a blank roundel, means no vehicles, including cyclists, right?
But a sign displaying the motor bike and car inside the roundel - that means no motor vehicles, but cycles can enter the zone. Correct?
Any other variations to look out for?

[drossall]

Yes, see "signs giving orders". You sometimes get "No entry", but as far as I can see that's wrong. That sign should be used where vehicles are allowed, but not through the present entrance (e.g. No entry to a car park because it's the exit).

Certainly that's the case in Hitchin, as I have remarked before, where the "pedestrianised" area is marked "No entry" for no particular reason; there is entry, just not in a car at certain times. Since it's also marked "No vehicles", the two contradict each other.

Obviously signs may be qualified by plates stating that the restrictions only apply at certain times.

[kwackers]

One of the problems with bicycles and signs is you can often circumvent them. I once came out of an entry and cycled half a mile up a road before realising it was one way...

[Flinders]

I always wonder why they put cycle racks bang in the middle of areas where you can't cycle. Could it possibly be because planners have fresh air for brains?

[snibgo]

Not as daft as it sounds. Bikes are good shopping trolleys.

[George Riches]

Some years ago there was a concerted attempt to get cycling banned from the pedestrianised area in Coventry. The council sucessfully resisted the pressure pointing out that a by-law would cost money and wouldn't make any difference on the ground. A better approach might have been ASBOs on the individuals with the worst behaviour.

The council also tried to get ordinary motor vehicles banned from various city centre roads; it put up the right signs and sucessfully placed Traffic Orders. Then the documents were examined in detail and the conclusion reached that an errant motorist could have sucessfully challenged a prosecution. So a whole set of new TROs had to be passed, in the hope of second time lucky.

I would therefore guess that Stevenage council has just embarked on a job creation scheme for lawyers.

Perhaps the Dangerous Dogs act could be revised to prevent cycling dogs causing bodily harm.

[GrahamNR17]

Strikes me as a good move. Cycling in busy pedestrianised areas can be quite hazardous. I lived/worked in Bracknell for some years in the early to late 90s and I well remember their cycling ban in the town centre. They coupled that with adequate cycle parking provision at all the entrances to the town centre so they'd at least thought about it carefully. The trouble with pedestrians in a town centre is they tend to change direction very suddenly, and no matter how careful you are on a bike, collisions will occur.

That said, I don't know Stevenage so the situation there may be different. I doubt it, but it might be.

[kwackers]

Strikes me as a good move. Cycling in busy pedestrianised areas can be quite hazardous. I lived/worked in Bracknell for some years in the early to late 90s and I well remember their cycling ban in the town centre. They coupled that with adequate cycle parking provision at all the entrances to the town centre so they'd at least thought about it carefully. The trouble with pedestrians in a town centre is they tend to change direction very suddenly, and no matter how careful you are on a bike, collisions will occur.

That said, I don't know Stevenage so the situation there may be different. I doubt it, but it might be.

Like most things it depends on how you cycle...
I often cycle into Warrington (which tbh I don't know if it's allowed), you simply choose the gaps so not only would they have to change direction they'd also have to sprint to get in the way.
Having said that it's wide and not silly busy so its not a problem, if it was too busy I'd walk - although the only time I had an issue with a pedestrian was when I was holding the bike and they didn't notice it and folded themselves over the crossbar!
(I also saw a guy who was riding a bike through the centre stop to allow a pedestrian to walk across in front of him, she turned and collided with (the now stationary) cyclist - didn't half give him a mouthful, poor guy didn't know what to say! )

My view is it should be decided case by case. Like all things if people can't behave themselves it should be discouraged, but unless there actually is a genuine problem then I see no issue.

It does cheese me off that car drivers can park in the middle of town centres - whilst cyclists are frequently forced to walk from the outskirts...

[GrahamNR17]

It does cheese me off that car drivers can park in the middle of town centres - whilst cyclists are frequently forced to walk from the outskirts...

Well they do pay all the road tax, so the poor loves should get a few perks in return