Forum Topic

Cyclists

Turning right from the Health Centre this evening which I often do two cyclists crossed in front of me on the pavement and two more were coming towards me. There were no cyclists on the cycle way. This has often been the case.

Joy Skinner ● 1593d24 Comments

I saw a cyclist come along the pavement firing an Uzi, bodies everywhere outside Poundland. A motorist came along and resuscitated them all. 

John Hall ● 1593d

Typical cycle lobby reaction , no shame . The rules don’t apply apparently. They don’t have to use the cycle lane. I’m sure someone will defend the use of the pavement too

Maggie Dodge ● 1593d

Assuming you mean the Health Centre on Fishers Lane, there is a problem at this point for cyclists and pedestrians. The junction with the High Road and Fishers Lane is worse than it was before because vehicles slingshot around a bus if it is stopped on the opposite side of the road so people on bikes avoid it. To do so they must head up the wrong way along Dolman Road. Obviously the correct thing to do is dismount but some will cycle on the road or the pavement and Joy Skinner's concerns about this are justified so shouldn't be dismissed or ridiculed. I'm not defending cyclists who use the pavement here but am just pointing out it is an inevitable result of the road configuration.This issue could be resolved with two way operation on Dolman Road for bikes and a crossing for pedestrians at the junction with Fishers Lane.

Mark Evans ● 1593d

Just a public service announcement to remind everyone that the Cycle Lane is indeed still work-in-progress, and has barriers at regular intervals on most of its course. Hard for people to use it. I doubt that it'll change soon, considering that there is a grand total of one guy with a shovel as I speak working on King Street outside Qantas' offices.

Francis Sheehan ● 1593d

This is very frustrating. The council's unwillingness to give a date for completion is a concern. The reported new works to be started in June may be for side entry treatments which could mean the cycleway remains closed through the summer. Couldn't agree more with Mark's comments particularly about getting onto CHR from Fisher's Lane. I only use that way if I am travelling due south. If the Fisher's Lane closure is going to be retained maybe it is time to consider closing Clifton Gardens (or whatever that cut through by Nat West bank is called) which might make it easier to introduce a two-way cycleway. Also consideration might be given to making it easier to cycle across Chiswick Back Common to join Cycleway 9 via Windmill Road. The latter is overdue a resurfacing but, once that is done and now the construction work is finished it would provides a better way to access C9 and direct cycle traffic away from the Fisher's Lane exit and the Health Centre.

Andrew OSullivan ● 1593d

John, are you sure it was an Uzi? They're not really the pistol machine gun of choice these days. I think the cyclist was an amateur!

Basil Finnis ● 1593d

Yes, it was a hipster on a fixie hence the ironic/dated choice of piece. 

John Hall ● 1593d

110% agree. I'm a cyclist and a CS9 supporter, but I agree both on the timescales and the designs. I'll never understand why the lane is to be only on one side of the road (a design that seems to be a constant in London, and it's very very very rare in places that "do bike" like Belgium/Netherlands), plus the whole signalling infrastructure has all the hallmarks of something supremely overengineered.

Francis Sheehan ● 1593d

The C9 design had to be bi-directional because there are sections of the road that wouldn't be wide enough to accommodate cycle lanes going in the same direction as traffic. It wasn't a conscious choice.The idea of closing Clifton Gardens is an interesting one. The only objection I could see is that it would direct more traffic past Belmont School.Better cycle paths across Chiswick Back Common would make sense but it could be that the still unresolved court case about the dog knocking a cyclist off his bike on Acton Green Common may be something of a constraint. There is still not total clarity on whether cyclists are allowed to use common land although it seems unlikely that they aren't. Ealing Council have effectively directed the East-Acton to Chiswick cycleway across Acton Green Common but haven't put any signs indicating the route other than on the fairly pointless cycle crossing on South Parade.

Mark Evans ● 1592d

Mark, Installing a crossing over Fishers Lane has been a long term issue raised repeatedly at Chiswick Area Forums over at least two council terms (I remember Cllr Adrian Lee raising it; it remained on the forum tracking list after he stood down; we kept it alive). The answer was always that Hounslow's traffic department couldn't find the funding.  However, three crossings between Fishers Lane and Dolman Road (to/from the triangle in the middle of that junction) have been included in the Chiswick Health Centre planning application (when I met the developers, I explained the problem and asked them if they could include them in their application which they did). However, the new Highway Code gives pedestrians priority when crossing roads at junctions so, in theory, there is no need for a crossing at the bottom of Fishers Lane at the junction with Chiswick High Road.https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/road-junctions.html I'm sure I'm not the only person who is worried about how this will work from a safety point of view and in relation to traffic build up at some of the junctions on busy shopping days when there's a stream of people crossing.

Joanna Biddolph ● 1592d

Sorry, I was unclear in my explanation. I don't think there should be a pedestrian crossing at the junction of Fishers Lane and CHR. There is a problem for pedestrians crossing here but cyclists and drivers have no choice but to proceed to the end of the road to get a view to safely move onto CHR.Where I think a crossing could go is at the junction of Dolman Road and Fishers Lane which it appears is going to happen. Thanks for your efforts on this matter.

Mark Evans ● 1592d

What am I missing here?Mark, you think pedestrians should be banned crossing from Gail's to Waft? Do I have that right? Re-route all pedestrain foot traffic on the north side of CHR?

David Lesniak ● 1592d

Sorry, once again in haste I have made my meaning unclear. There is no question of not allowing pedestrians to cross here. What I was suggesting wouldn't work would be a zebra crossing.

Mark Evans ● 1592d

I do think the problem of pavement cycling/riding is escalating.  Often those responsible seem to be from the food delivery companies - presumably under huge time pressure to make their deliveries.  On Friday one of the moped deliveroo drivers mounted the pavement outside my house because he wouldn't wait for a taxi who was dropping off a passenger and blocking the road. I was too surprised to look at his reg plate.

Marie Power ● 1590d

I agree the problem of pavement cyclists is huge and possibly growing, but has always been there. I can’t say I agree about the delivery drivers though. Loads of them clattering  past our house endlessly  but always on the road.  How can this problem still be so bad following the billions being spent on infrastructure, road closures etc to make roads safer for cycling  ? Let’s face it, whatever the lobby say, numbers aren’t increasing greatly. It’s just that they prefer the pavement and don’t follow rules very often. Pedestrians will be banned  from certain streets next, mark my words. Sounds crazy? Who’s have thought we’d be where we are now a few years ago ! Ruled by the cycle lobby bully boys.

Maggie Dodge ● 1590d

Pizza delivery riders have been doing that for years and it is very unusual to find delivery drivers who don't have L plates.  Do they ever take a test?

Philippa Bond ● 1590d

Cyclists with L plates😂👍Good idea

Maggie Dodge ● 1590d

“ Do they ever take a test?”No they don’t. They don’t need to.

Steve Taylor ● 1590d

Once again you are misleading by only requoting a part of my question.  Yes moped riders do.  They should not all be riding with L plates for ever without taking a test and should also have taken a test before they take to the road.  It does make you wonder about their insurance.https://www.gov.uk/motorcycle-cbt

Philippa Bond ● 1590d

Philippa thanks for sharing that link re moped riders and tests. I was wondering if they were required to pass a test as there are so many about these days with very poor road sense.

Alexandra McDevitt ● 1590d

Moped riders are supposed to have some official 'basic training' (CBT) and get a certificate which allows them to ride about with L-plates for up to two years until they're ready to take their test. I imagine the original intention of this was to allow solo moped riders to a practice for their test by themselves. However, this option is now being used by vast numbers of moped riders to earn a living delivering stuff when they still have limited riding skills. It would seem simple enough to change the legislation to require people to pass a full test before they can ride commercially. Commercial riders are certainly expected to have specialised insurance, which can easily cost an inexperienced rider around £1000 a year - if they bother.

Peter Evans ● 1590d

More training before they take to the road (including the Highway Code and not riding on the pavement)!The Highway Code can be found online and borrowed from the library.There is also free online cycle training. 

Philippa Bond ● 1590d

There is no law requiring learner riders to take the test. They can simply to the half day CBT every two years (tick box regime) run privately, and they are perfectly legal to ride with L plates. Hence there are so many extremely dangerous riders with L Plates on the roads. It is quite disgraceful. In other countries you have to pass a written test to gain a learners license and you have ONE year to do the full test or you start all over again and sit the written test again.

Steve Taylor ● 1590d

Crikey! No wonder it's starting to feel like the wild west out there - Uzis or no Uzis.

Marie Power ● 1590d