Cycling UK Forum

Big T wrote:

hexhome wrote:I have just had a couple of days in Nottingham, and having commuted in and out of the city centre a few times I can report that a large proportion of car drivers there felt that a bicycle was an object to bully off the road!

If you are on one of the main routes into the city, that's quite likely. I commute in from the east side and luckily have a decent cyclepath for the bit along the main road. The main roads are narrow and very congested, so tempers fray fairly easily. They are best avoided on a bike.

The council's propensity for putting up pedestrian refuges doesn't help, as people try and race past you before the next one and cut in at the last minute. Riding in primary helps avoid this but, of course, winds the drivers up even more.

There may be a safe route along Castle Boulevard then around the Broadmarsh and up Maid Marions Way, but I couldn't find it. Cycling Hell, you have my sympathies!

There's an on-road cycle lane along Castle Boulevard, but it's often blocked by cars outside of rush hour. Many colleagues who come from that direction use the canal towpath (runs parallel and just to the south of Castle Boulevard). You used to be able to cut through the Park Estate (the private roads to the north of Castle Boulevard) but I don't know if you still can.

Agree that Broadmarsh is a nightmare - a 4 lane race track.

Yes I returned via canal towpath, joining near the station. Was thwarted by the cross over bridge and v concerned at narrowness at the bend. I ended up riding on the pavement along London Rd and it has to be bad to force me to do that! Back tomorrow, hope to have a better experience

Where are you heading from and to? My wife uses the Canal between London Road and Wilford St. It's OK in the most part but not that easy to access from London Rd.

Colwick Park to Travelodge on Maid Marion.

There are a couple of quieter routes you could try. Cutting through Sneinton (Colwick Road and Sneinton Hermitage) instead of Daleside Road. It's much quieter. Then along City Link, past NHS direct and the BBC. Then either along the Canal or along Station Street (now closed off to cars, but buses and taxis still allowed). Then along the canal past the Magistrates Court to emerge on Wilford St. Then either up Maid Marian Way or up the quieter Castle Road, past the Trip to Jerusalem (reputedly the oldest pub in England).

There are a couple of missing link sections - London Road (I use the pavement here too!) and Carrington Street - avoid Canal St at all costs.

There's also a route which cuts across the pedestrianised centre - Hollowstone, High Pavement, Low Pavement, Castle Gate, but it's quite hard to get access to Hollowstone without negotiating the deathtrap London Road (BBC) Roundabout.

Sort of tried your suggestions - http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1904842 . It was a bit longer but a little more acceptable. I find it bewildering that a city with such a great cycling heritage should have turned it's back on bicycles so much. Most of the signed routes were difficult to follow, poorly planned and may reinforce some motorists beliefs that we should be on the pavement out of the way!

Cracking party city though

There are some very good routes through the suburbs, it just all falls down when it gets to the city centre.

Nottingham City Council like to pat themselves on the back and pretend that they are a cycle-friendly city but really they are just playing at it. Their CityCard Cycle Hire scheme is a very poor imitation of the Boris bike scheme and frankly a waste of money.

I'd like to take them all to the Netherlands and show them how it should be.

Nottingham was actually voted one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the UK. I don't know who by, certainly not by those who have to navigate the city on a bike on a regular basis. If we are the best, then god help the worst.

Big T wrote:There are some very good routes through the suburbs, it just all falls down when it gets to the city centre.

Nottingham City Council like to pat themselves on the back and pretend that they are a cycle-friendly city but really they are just playing at it. Their CityCard Cycle Hire scheme is a very poor imitation of the Boris bike scheme and frankly a waste of money.

I'd like to take them all to the Netherlands and show them how it should be.

Nottingham was actually voted one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the UK. I don't know who by, certainly not by those who have to navigate the city on a bike on a regular basis. If we are the best, then god help the worst.

To quote a long forgotten politician, 'things can only get better!'

Hi Big T et al,and hexhome, I hope you enjoyed some of your trip here!
I think that Nottingham came high up a list of cities where there were fewer cycle accidents, and the compilers thought this meant it was safer - forgetting that it could mean that there were fewer people cycling... But also since then I think there have been some accidents which have put paid to that too
I've cycled in London and in Birmingham and found both more scary, but I've also done a Ridewise course here so I'm more confident on the roads now. But I do agree it's a bit of a mish-mash, despite years of lobbying by Pedals and others, and years of efforts by council cycling staff (who don't get the opportunity to do what they'd like to do). I hope the improvements to the ring road and the tram works, which are both making things worse at the moment, will result in something better!

Slowroad wrote:I think that Nottingham came high up a list of cities where there were fewer cycle accidents, and the compilers thought this meant it was safer - forgetting

Is that a bit like the people trying to claim cycling in the Netherlands is dangerous because there are more accidents per head of population.

Slowroad wrote:Hi Big T et al,and hexhome, I hope you enjoyed some of your trip here!
I think that Nottingham came high up a list of cities where there were fewer cycle accidents, and the compilers thought this meant it was safer - forgetting that it could mean that there were fewer people cycling... But also since then I think there have been some accidents which have put paid to that too
I've cycled in London and in Birmingham and found both more scary, but I've also done a Ridewise course here so I'm more confident on the roads now. But I do agree it's a bit of a mish-mash, despite years of lobbying by Pedals and others, and years of efforts by council cycling staff (who don't get the opportunity to do what they'd like to do). I hope the improvements to the ring road and the tram works, which are both making things worse at the moment, will result in something better!

I find London way better than almost anywhere urban. I am certain that a couple of the very close passes I had in Nottingham were punishments.

hexhome wrote:

Slowroad wrote:Hi Big T et al,and hexhome, I hope you enjoyed some of your trip here!
I think that Nottingham came high up a list of cities where there were fewer cycle accidents, and the compilers thought this meant it was safer - forgetting that it could mean that there were fewer people cycling... But also since then I think there have been some accidents which have put paid to that too
I've cycled in London and in Birmingham and found both more scary, but I've also done a Ridewise course here so I'm more confident on the roads now. But I do agree it's a bit of a mish-mash, despite years of lobbying by Pedals and others, and years of efforts by council cycling staff (who don't get the opportunity to do what they'd like to do). I hope the improvements to the ring road and the tram works, which are both making things worse at the moment, will result in something better!

I find London way better than almost anywhere urban. I am certain that a couple of the very close passes I had in Nottingham were punishments.

It's over 10 years since I cycled in London and I think a lot's changed (in the centre at least) and I'm a different cyclist. I lived on the outskirts and that seemed worse than cycling in 'town'. I'm always pleased to see how many cyclists there are now in London when I visit.