Bike lane widths

andyealing

Any one know of any mimimum requirements for bike lane widths?

I'm gonna write to my council pointing out how narrow some so called "bikes lanes" are in the borough.

I'll also refer to the US study that says you're better not having bike lanes unless they're over a certain width.

Beware Ealing Council!

downfader

Good on you!

I beleive there are currently only recomendations on width. :?

chuckcork

I believe there was a thread on this a little while ago (probably more than one!)

If you have a look at the warrington cycle campaign website they have some real beauties in their facility of the month area: http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/

In one case a council admited that a cycle lane wasn't there for cyclists but for traffic calming, it was so narrow it was less than a handlebar width.

Unfortunately the guidance in place is in the form of recommendations and isn't mandatory, while there are road design guidelines that include cycle lanes I doubt they get followed that often. Even when councils follow 'best practice' models such as the Netherlands they will invariably cock-it up through failure to consider the different circumstances (legal especially) that apply elsewhere.

Good luck with your complaints (my own repeated complaints to Cork County Council have got me nowhere)

andyealing

I've just come across the London Cycling Design standards.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/ ... apter4.pdf

I might also refer to the CTC policy about recommended bike lane widths.

It really is a joke. I feel another publicity campaign coming on.

:?

The Chingford Skinhead

If you're not a mmeber of the London Cycling Campaign...Why Not! If you are then contact (in fact get involved) in your local group.

But while you wait to join, go to their website. it will have information on bike lanes, a planning tool that local council's use called CRISP which proposes minimim standards for cycle facilities and council's are supposed to share proposals with the local groups who then comment on them. No compulsion to listen and no power of veto but better than nothing.

Good luck - but if you use your energy through your local LCC group then the louder voice may have more effect.

GyatsoLa

2 metres is generally considered the 'optimum' width - its based on northern European research, although I don't have any links to hand. The London guidelines talk about 1.5 metres, but this seems to be based more on what is normally achievable rather than a width based on proper research.

Jeremy Parker

AndyEaling wrote:

Any one know of any mimimum requirements for bike lane widths?

I'm gonna write to my council pointing out how narrow some so called "bikes lanes" are in the borough.

I'll also refer to the US study that says you're better not having bike lanes unless they're over a certain width.

Beware Ealing Council!

There's a book "London Cycling design Standards" which is on the Transport for London website's cycling section somewhere. See <www.tfl.gov.uk>. That will tell you all about lanes. Mind you, the book doesn't agree with my feeling that generally lanes do more harm than good. Putting a dab of paint on the road doesn't make it any wider, it only makes cyclists invisible

Actually, Ealing is one of London's boroughs where the cycling officers, Bob Davies and Colin McKenzie, are good guys, and knowledgible, so if you give the cycling officer department a phone call they will probably know where you are talking about, and can tell you whether they are already trying to get the problem fixed

Jeremy Parker