Cycling in Stevenage

[martinn]

Hi all,

I am looking to plan a DIY 600, with the Main stop in Stevenage, ( i have nice relatives there). I remember there being off road cycle paths, never used them, but lots of underpasses. Has anyone had experience of riding there and
A) are the paths safe to use? ie glass and the thought of underpasses late at night
B) If you don't use the cycle paths are the Drivers more grumpy about this than normal?

Many thanks

Martin

[The utility cyclist]

the paths themselves are ok but meander badly and directions poor, badly lit at night (daytime not much better) inclines are over 6% in places just as you've a sharp turn so no chance of a run up.
i just cycle on road, including the d/c, never have any more issues than other areas. Going through/along the old gt. north rd to the old town is ok, depends where you are coming from/going to as I could advise better on road route.

[drossall]

Path surfacing is generally good, but signing is poor to non-existent, and paths on one side or the other stop randomly and without warning (so you have to know when to cross under the road). It's quite hard to find your way through without a whole series of trips to explore. It has not dawned on anyone in authority that roads are made usable by signs marking far-away places. Drivers follow these to head in the right direction (even though they don't want to go that far) till they get nearer to their targets; only then can they pick up signs to their actual destinations.

So, copying this, Stevenage cycle paths are in need of signs to Letchworth, Welwyn and London, just to help people to get across town - even though they don't want to go as far as those places.

In the outer areas, the paths are newer and built by people with less vision (and lower budgets); they give way at every minor track and side turning where the original ones had underpasses. Or, they disappear into housing estates from which you may never find your way out again (not having the local knowledge to recognise anywhere). Avoid the town centre at all costs unless you actually want to go there; there are no through paths in the town centre and cycling is not permitted.

If you're heading for a relative's place, try to come in from that side of town and not go across. Or use Google Earth to spot the paths.

[martinn]

Thanks for the replies.

I had a look on Google maps, and thought pretty similar to the comments that you have made.
I was planning to enter from the east side as that's where my relatives live. I thought about riding a completly different route out, but I think I will back track a little and find a route round that way rather than going across.
It seems a shame really that these track have been put in but even when they had the opportunity to start from scratch, it still seems to be a waste of effort. But I suppose the locals might use them

Martin

[drossall]

Locals do. I used them for decades when commuting into Stevenage. But it took years to be able to go to most parts with confidence of not ending up in some shopping centre or play park who knows where. And I tend not to bother so much in outer areas, where paths are not continuous, but give way at every junction.

Even now, 30 years on, I sometimes get lost. I had a fit of madness a couple of months ago and followed a path that seemed to go in the right direction, instead of using the road as usual. It didn't, and finding my way out again cost time - fortunately I had plenty to spare that day.