Views on shared-use paths

[JerseyJoe]

I actually fear for the future availability of shared user paths, as the ones I frequent are now full of gravel and electric bikes which are clearly deregulated, there's been a few accidents recently, small wonder, I regularly see people riding along at 35mph+, their legs hardly turning

[mjr]

I actually fear for the future availability of shared user paths, as the ones I frequent are now full of gravel and electric bikes which are clearly deregulated, there's been a few accidents recently, small wonder, I regularly see people riding along at 35mph+, their legs hardly turning

Those are not electric bikes. They have been turned into motorbikes and the police have plenty of powers from the days of mini-motos on shared paths that can be used to stop motorbike offences. I think we should be careful not to call them bikes or e-bikes when they are as much motorbikes as the Raleigh Wisp was a moped.

Anyway, shared use paths are out of fashion in the current manuals and shouldn't be used much in built-up areas. Dutch-style roadside lanes with kerbs up from the carriageway and down from the footway seem to be the fashion now.

[Yellow Peril]

Visit Crawley, West Sussex and there are some mighty ill-planned and dangerous shared paths. Seems like West Sussex County Council is solely focused on throwing funds on Road Infrastructure, and making driving cars easier and the only priority. Walking and cycling has been placed on the back burner for sure. Shared paths are so bad I have reverterd to driving to work, rather than cycle the measley 3.5 miles. Did this for three months as a mini-experiment. I saw a demise in my health. The money wasted on fuel was GBP50.00 per month (I have frugal 15 year old car) or let's say GBP600.00 a year, and that doesn't include the doughnuts I get tempted to buy! It's a real shame Councils aren't able to divert money to the cause.