Worst cycling city/town

DA_BURB

I try to commute 2/3 dayas a week. My full journey to Edgbaston, Birmingham is 25 miles so I usually drive to Sedgeley and cycle the remaining 11 - 13 miles (depending on route).

I have to say I find Birmingham roads very un-cycle friendly. There are busy dual carriageways with very wide verges but no cycle lanes etc. The state of the nearside metre or so of road is usually in the worst condiiton, potholes, drains etc.

Having recently been to Ypres, Belgium - a very different story - cycle lanes on nearly every road and roundabout and lots of cyclist using bikes for their everyday journeys - Birmingham's idea of cycle routes seems limited to leisure use so the cycle paths that do exist don't seem to go anywhere useful.

Which is the worst city/town in the UK for cycling?

Slim Middleton

I commuted into Birmingham from Lichfield for a number of years. The roads aren't ideal but for the most part, the traffic is slow moving and not a particular problem. There are (or at least were) quite a few bus only lanes that were also designated for cycle and taxi use. Not ideal but they do allow you to get in and out of the city away from the worst of the traffic. Of course, you still have to do battle with the bus drivers.

I had a number of different routes but my far and away favourite took in the canals around Birmingham . I would defintiely recommend trying to work the canals into your route if you can. They may slow your average speed a bit but over 11-13 miles, that shouldn't be such an issue. I also used to ride through Sutton Park to get away from the traffic.

All of that said, I really miss the cut and thrust of my commute into Birmingham. I used to arrive at work feeling very alive and, dare I say it, I kind of liked the fact that it wasn't so cycle friendly. Made it feel like more of a challenge.

tagmnbagm

I have to say I find Birmingham roads very un-cycle friendly.

Sorry to nit pick, but surely you mean cycle unfriendly :?: or did you mean uni-cycle friendly LOL :!:

Belv

I find Basildon has the potential to be a really good cycling town, but the cycle paths just aren't quite easy enough to use. In places there are big, wide paths (or a white line dividing a footpath) and blue signs directing you along them and then they stop with no indication of how to continue to find the next one.
There is on instance on my way home where two cycle paths are connected by an alleyway which is specifically marked with the 'no cycles' sign. Why? It's not a narrow alley and half of it has been left to grow. Conversely, a 'dual use' path with no separating line about a mile along is not wide enough for two pedestrians to pass comfortably.
If i could do a school report on it: Could do better!

always_tyred

Out of Plymouth, Exeter, Oxford, Reading, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling
my vote is for Glasgow.
In fact, I'd go as far as to say :evil: GLASGOW. :evil:

karl j

i'd be surprised if there hadn't been some sort of "official" poll into this by one of the national newspapers or tv stations.

Massimo

I've been doing my 15 mile round trip commute into the centre of Birmingham for almost 17 years. I've been hit 4 times and hospitalised just once (nothing serious - just a sprained wrist and 9 stitches). I've been lucky enough to have cycled in various parts of the world and I must agree that the car drivers of Birmingham are among the worst - the petty, vindictive, overtly agressive behaviour is a real problem. I think it has something to do with Birmingham being the home of the car industry - if you don't drive, I think you are seen as some sort of traitor. Apart from the obvious (ie the woman who was too busy texting to see that she'd rolled into my back wheel and was pushing me into the car in front) there are those who would be really happy to see you crash (ie the passenger in the white van who threw a full glass bottle of smirnoff ice at me).

However, in spite of all of this I still would't commute any other way. It's the moments abject terror/anger/frustration/pain that make the good times (tailwinds/new bikes/overtaking porsches/girls in the office admiring my legs) all the more pleasurable

chronyx

The excuse of a cycle path from Addlestone to Woking on the A320 (The pavement) pretty much sums up Surrey's cycle path scheme; i.e. Use the pavements. Complete with their pedestrians, and the constantly fluctuating uncomfortable surface (Lots of drop kerbs of course) so they are never level.

There are some good drivers. There are slightly more who just leave their brain at home, and will do anything to beat everyone to the next red light.

paulym31

Just moved from Lincolnshire (very flat for those fo you who don't know) to Dunedin, NZ. One of the places I'll be working 2 days a week is about 5 miles away, so rather than walk or drive it's perfect for the bike, all very rfreshing after having been tied to a car for 5 years in the UK.
The route in in spectacular, a short uphill section to warm me up, followed by a steady sweeping 30mph downhill, followed by another short climb, then a mahooosive 45mph downhill (thank god for the Avid Juicys) then a couple of miles on the flat to cool off before arriving.
The route back (as you would expect) is something of a challenge. I gain 200m, most of it in about a mile.
The traffic is nice and easy though.

Paul

upsidedown

Stourbridge is pretty awful. There is a hideous ring road, with random bits of cycle path. If you survive that you have the traffic nightmare through Amblecote, not nice.

You usually pass the same car about 4 or 5 times in the space of 2 miles, each time they feel they have to squeeze past you again.
Mind you, if i'd just driven from Birmingham, as i guess most of them have, i think i'd be pretty fed up.

El Capitano

Barry to Cardiff (approx 10 miles) is pretty dire. I've been knocked off a couple of times and had various altercations with cars/busses/lorries.

I'd still rather ride than drive though.

cakewalk

Massimo wrote:

I've been doing my 15 mile round trip commute into the centre of Birmingham for almost 17 years. I've been hit 4 times and hospitalised just once (nothing serious - just a sprained wrist and 9 stitches). I've been lucky enough to have cycled in various parts of the world and I must agree that the car drivers of Birmingham are among the worst - the petty, vindictive, overtly agressive behaviour is a real problem. I think it has something to do with Birmingham being the home of the car industry - if you don't drive, I think you are seen as some sort of traitor. Apart from the obvious (ie the woman who was too busy texting to see that she'd rolled into my back wheel and was pushing me into the car in front) there are those who would be really happy to see you crash (ie the passenger in the white van who threw a full glass bottle of smirnoff ice at me).

However, in spite of all of this I still would't commute any other way. It's the moments abject terror/anger/frustration/pain that make the good times (tailwinds/new bikes/overtaking porsches/girls in the office admiring my legs) all the more pleasurable

Totally agree. I commute a mere 3 miles to New Street Station. Someone actually tried to run me off the road the other day - caught up with him - he informed me that I 'should have been on the cycle lane'.

graham_g

Having moved away from Birmingham - I can see some advantages of cycling there:

1. There are hardly any cycle lanes so you don't get grief for not cycling in them.
2. The big wide roads give people lots of room to overtake and reduces the need to take primary and be perceived as being 'in the way'
3. Hardly any other cyclists around to annoy you - never thought I'd think this, but now that I'm constantly undertaken at crossings and red-lights I have to say that other cyclists can really get on my tits.
4. More cycle parking in the city centre than people who cycle (or so it would seem!) so there's always a spot - even at Brindley Place multi-storey by the manned security office!
5. All the ridiculous huge roads and dual carriageways carry the majority of off-peak traffic leaving the alternative (and still fairly direct) routes fairly traffic free for the tipsy ride home.
6. It's actually fairly flat.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone

Stourbridge ring road is definitely a joke - none of the adjoining roads move as quickly as the ring road itself. Dudley have a pretty backward highways department who refuse to accept anything that might disadvantage drivers.

always_tyred

Graham G wrote:

Having moved away from Birmingham - I can see some advantages of cycling there:

1. There are hardly any cycle lanes so you don't get grief for not cycling in them.
2. The big wide roads give people lots of room to overtake and reduces the need to take primary and be perceived as being 'in the way'
3. Hardly any other cyclists around to annoy you - never thought I'd think this, but now that I'm constantly undertaken at crossings and red-lights I have to say that other cyclists can really get on my tits.
4. More cycle parking in the city centre than people who cycle (or so it would seem!) so there's always a spot - even at Brindley Place multi-storey by the manned security office!
5. All the ridiculous huge roads and dual carriageways carry the majority of off-peak traffic leaving the alternative (and still fairly direct) routes fairly traffic free for the tipsy ride home.
6. It's actually fairly flat.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone

Stourbridge ring road is definitely a joke - none of the adjoining roads move as quickly as the ring road itself. Dudley have a pretty backward highways department who refuse to accept anything that might disadvantage drivers.

#6 isn't an advantage, surely? Think of all those wasted gears!

We could probably learn a lot by comparing cities.

Edinburgh and Glasgow are 40 miles apart. Glasgow nearly put me off cycling for life, Edinburgh is pretty much a joy to cycle in. So what's the difference?

In Edinburgh, the closest to the city centre you can get on a dual carriageway is about 5 miles. So, you can't just "pop into the city centre" by car. Not withstanding the normal traffic blackspots you get in any city, this arrangement seems to act to diffuse the traffic throughout all of the streets in the city. Sure, you get heavy traffic, but not gidlock.

In Glasgow, the M8 does the best job possible of flushing the largest quantities of traffic possible right into the heart of the city.

My recollection of Glasgow was that you'd get congestion from people coming into the city, and coming out of the city in both directions during both rush hours, because some people go out of the city by driving in towards the M8, and some go out directly, and vice versa.

So my experience as a cyclist was that the traffic was unremitting and you got a lot more agression and also a lot more of that unpredictable lane changing, darting down supposed rat runs, uturns etc.

I've not spent much time there, but I wonder if that's the case for Bristol, for example (don't the M32 and other dualed arteries converge quite close to the centre?)

Sea_Green_Incorruptible

That is EXACTLY the case in Bristol. Though you could also add in 3-4 years worth of major roadworks at the end of the M32 due to the construction of the new city centre... Oh. And a dysfunctional city council and a mononpolistic and incompetent bus service provider. Great city otherwise mind. :P

spen666

Always Tyred wrote:

Graham G wrote:

Having moved away from Birmingham - I can see some advantages of cycling there:

...6. It's actually fairly flat.

....

#6 isn't an advantage, surely? Think of all those wasted gears!

...

not a a fixie there isn't

graham_g

Sea_Green_Incorruptible wrote:

That is EXACTLY the case in Bristol. Though you could also add in 3-4 years worth of major roadworks at the end of the M32 due to the construction of the new city centre... Oh. And a dysfunctional city council and a mononpolistic and incompetent bus service provider. Great city otherwise mind. :P

Yup! The one thing which I believe would drastically improve Bristol in Transport terms would be the demolition of the M32. First time I ever used it I couldn't believe how you just got spewed out right into the city centre, from motorway to 30mph city centre roads in the space of about 200 yards!

secretsam

Aylesbury.

Flat. Loads of cycle lanes. Relatively OK traffic-wise.

But full off Max-Power n0bheads and constand HEADWINDS in EVERY DIRECTION YOU TRAVEL!!!! ARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!