Cycling UK Forum

I'm not very surprised to see this headline today

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/hundreds-of-miles-of-roads-removed-from-national-cycle-network-because-theyre-just-not-safe-enough-460180

I tend to plan my own routes because only I know what I like, where I have followed Sustrans routes I have frequently found:
a) A far easier pleasant route virtually parallel
b) Barriers that prevent anything but solo's using the route
c) Tortuous off-road and hilly routes
d) Routes that seem to avoid useful facilities for cyclists and/or places of interest

Is this just down to local cycle route planners or is there a lack of management oversight?

@pedals2slowly You raised some great points. Long distance cycle paths need to be thought of as connectors which connect great places that cyclists want to visit.

I would agree with you that Sustrans NCN routes should be designed to a specification and then the route should be regularly audited to ensure it meets the specification.

On MK redways small autonomous delivery vehicles traverse the network delivering groceries. These would be perfect instruments to use to perform an audit of a cyclepath whilst they are carrying out their other delivery functions.

Cyclists probably have much in common with routes for the old steam trains. They like directness and many cyclists like to avoid steep hills!

And this is a video that perfectly illustrates why a cycle route needs to be audited and why AVs are useful in doing it:

https://twitter.com/KostelecPlan/status ... 3722718208