Cardiff's Cycling Strategy - first disappointments

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dobbo800
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Joined: 29 Sep 2016, 12:23pm

Cardiff's Cycling Strategy - first disappointments

Post by dobbo800 »

Several months ago Cardiff Council announced its new cycling strategy as part of a wider active travel strategy for the city. It all sounded very exciting and fresh at the time. I should have known better.

My commute takes me along the River Taff into the city centre, on the southern tip of the Taff Trail into Cardiff Bay. Part of this route has been the subject of significant construction work while sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) were being installed. The riverside part of the road was used for parking (spill over from the opposite side where there are houses) but there has been no parking on this side for the two years the work has been on-going. My hope was that the Council would take the opportunity to take out the parking permanently and install a good, segregated, two-way bike lane all the way into the city centre. There was plenty of room to do this. So what did they do?

They have widened the existing pavement slightly, resurfaced it and created a shared pedestrian/bike path. There are many mature trees on the pavement and these are now in the centre of the path creating a slalom. It's rubbish and a recipe for conflict. Of course, parking has been re-instated. It's so disappointing and frustrating and I wish they hadn't bothered to be honest. I will continue to ride in the road, as my speed along this stretch is around 18mph, but I'm sure I will now be abused by drivers who feel I should be using the new, shiny 'infrastructure', which is only suitable for small children.

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mjr
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Re: Cardiff's Cycling Strategy - first disappointments

Post by mjr »

dobbo800 wrote:They have widened the existing pavement slightly, resurfaced it and created a shared pedestrian/bike path. There are many mature trees on the pavement and these are now in the centre of the path creating a slalom. It's rubbish and a recipe for conflict. Of course, parking has been re-instated. It's so disappointing and frustrating and I wish they hadn't bothered to be honest. I will continue to ride in the road, as my speed along this stretch is around 18mph, but I'm sure I will now be abused by drivers who feel I should be using the new, shiny 'infrastructure', which is only suitable for small children.

Don't tell us - tell them. Via the press if necessary.

As I've said often, I doubt the abuse will be any more than otherwise, especially if the provision is that obviously bad with trees in the middle of it, like I never had any abuse on the infamous Coronation Road in Bristol for not using the tree-infested pavement-with-paint-and-signs.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Cardiff's Cycling Strategy - first disappointments

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Where did the cars park during the construction work?
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