Oatlands Drive: ‘the Cycle Lanes Are Wide Enough but Very Rarely Used’

A consultation about active travel measures in the Oatlands area has launched, using the Commonplace platform.

The question asked is ‘What would make it easier for you to choose to walk and cycle?’ There are lots of positive and sensible comments, but of course some from people hostile to active travel too.

One person thinks that the Oatlands Drive cycle lanes are wide enough.

Tantalisingly, both the facts needed to reach a logical conclusion are present in the comment:

• the cycle lanes are not used as much as they might be, and
• we need to analyse their width

Unfortunately, the person hasn’t joined the dots. Could there be a connection between the width and quality of the cycle infrastructure and the fact that kids are not using it to cycle to school? Could there be a link between quality cycle infrastructure in the Netherlands and a mode share of 27% for cycling?

This isn’t an issue upon which someone who doesn’t cycle can have an informed opinion.

Also, we have national guidance now, in LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design. The days when anyone could make up standards off the top of their head are over.

Cycle Lanes in LTN 1/20

We know that cycle lanes on fast or busy roads will not be perceived as acceptable for safe cycling.

We know that physically-protected cycle tracks are needed above 20mph and very low traffic volumes.

We know that the Desirable Minimum width for a cycle track or lane is 2m, and the Absolute Minimum at constraints is 1.5m.

We know that below 1.5m cycle lanes should not be used.

So no, 95cm painted cycle lanes are not wide enough or good enough, and this is a matter of fact not of opinion.

NO CYCLING

This comment was about the path from Stray Rein to the Tewit Well.

When you remember that the consultation is asking ‘What would make it easier for you to choose to walk and cycle’, it seems out of place. Still, the commenter inadvertently highlights a deficiency in the cycle network.

If there was a network of safe and convenient cycle provision, people wouldn’t ride their bikes on paths where cycling is not allowed.

As it happens, Harrogate Cycle Action has a solution to exactly this problem: build a cycle path over the other railway bridge and across the Stray to the Prince of Wales roundabout. The approximate route is shown in blue.

It would be interesting to know if the person complaining about cyclists on the footpath would support the provision of a separate cycle path to resolve the problem. Or would they be against it as part of a general hostility to cycling?

Accentuate the Positive

There are lots of positive comments on the Commonplace map, and it is a worthwhile consultation exercise – as long as it is followed up by North Yorkshire County Council and results in on-the-ground improvements very soon.

I thought that those two negative comments were interesting and worth picking up on, but I don’t want to exaggerate the extent of the negativity.

Overall I would like to accentuate the positive. We should have faith that meaningful changes can be made to Oatlands Drive without pandemonium being liable to walk upon the scene.