English
Found this interesting article via the Times Online, have a read below.
Article published by Ben Webster, Environment Editor Times Online
Cyclists will be permitted to ride the wrong way along one-way streets under a change intended to encourage more people to give up their cars or use them less.
The Government will announce today that cyclists will be permitted to ignore no-entry signs: a practice already followed by many, including David Cameron, the Conservative leader.
The Department for Transport is authorising a trial in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, Mr Cameron’s home authority in West London, in which a small plate saying “Except cyclists” will be attached to poles carrying no-entry signs.
If the trial is successful, the department intends to extend the policy to the rest of Britain and permit thousands of one-way streets to become two-way for bikes. It believes that long diversions around one-way systems are a significant deterrent to new cyclists, who might be less confident about breaking the rules.
This is the first time that the department has permitted an exception to the no-entry rule. Existing cycle “contraflow” lanes require authorities to build separate entrances for cyclists so that they do not have to break traffic rules. The cost of building these entrances, though, has deterred all but a tiny number of authorities from creating contraflow lanes.
Hackney Council in East London pioneered the introduction of contraflow lanes and now has the highest rate of cycling of any London borough.
Sadiq Khan, the Transport Minister, said:
“The pilot contraflow cycling system will help to reduce journey times for cyclists while allowing them to travel safely and legally on the most convenient routes. If this pilot is successful then councils across the country could be offered the opportunity to use similar measures on their roads.”
The Times revealed last year that Kensington & Chelsea was seeking permission to operate a pilot scheme. Daniel Moylan, the deputy leader of the Conservative-controlled council, said then that he was persuaded of the need to make the change after noticing that hundreds of cyclists a day were ignoring no-entry signs on Thackeray Street, which his home overlooks.
He said:
“If this is what cyclists want to do and they can do it safely, then we see it as our responsibility to adapt the legal position to allow them to do it legally.
“We are recognising the reality that cyclists prefer to take the shortest route through quieter streets. The alternative of having a policeman standing on the road to catch cyclists would be foolish and unworkable.”
Chris Peck, policy officer of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, said:
“We’ve been campaigning to allow two-way cycling on one-way streets for years and we are delighted that finally the Government is permitting a sign that is easy to understand.
“It is a safe and sensible option that is standard in all other European countries, so we can’t believe it has taken so long to be accepted here”, he added.
A report by the club said that it might be necessary to reduce the speed limit to 20mph on some roads with contraflow lanes to avoid the risk that cyclists will feel intimidated by oncoming traffic.
It said that the lanes improved safety because they were usually on quiet residential roads and allowed cyclists to avoid using the busier main roads.
In March last year Mr Cameron was recorded on film cycling the wrong way down Dawson Place, a one-way street in Kensington & Chelsea. He said afterwards:
“I know it is important to obey traffic laws — but I have obviously made mistakes on this occasion and I am sorry.”
Is this really a good idea? Drivers and pedestrians won’t be expecting it so I expect more accidents to occur. Note that the signs being proposed are only visible to people entering the one-way road from the wrong end, so motorists won’t be aware of them until faced with a cyclist unexpectedly heading towards them.
Also, to me it sends the wrong message. As a cyclist I want to be treated like any other road user. I want to be accepted on the road by motorists, not forced off it, and I want to be given the same consideration they give to other motorists. This seems to suggest that cyclists want to be treated like other road users except when it is convenient not to be. Cycling through red lights will be next. I don’t see this helping to improve motorists opinions of cyclists on the roads.
Maybe I’m in a minority (of one?) but as a cyclist on the road I feel that behaving where possible as I would in a car helps improve other road users attitudes towards me and other cyclists.
In all honesty this is something I do anyway so if its legal then even better!
steve – i assume your desire to behave like a car wouldn’t stretch to waiting behind other cars in a queue of traffic?
I agree with Steve with regards to being treated like any other road user. I cycle 18 miles daily to work in Birmingham, and get frustrated by car drivers who do not give due consideration.
However, my experience with one of these contraflow routes that exists on Hurst Street, with the segregated entries is generally negative. It has been built so that cars and lorries can park extremely close to these, and in some cases store deliveries have blocked the exit point opposite, forcing me to enter that potion of the street, which is not indicated as a contraflow for cyclists anyhow apart from the entry/exit points outside of this entryway. If the law were changed, this would certainly be of benefit to local governments, but could lead to abuse from car drivers who are not aware of the changes. In order to prevent this, the signage on one way streets should be altered to warn car drivers of oncoming cyclists.
Another concern is that many of these streets are quite narrow, and therefore cyclists could theoretically be forced uncomfortably close to the gutter when passing oncoming vehicles.
If it becomes the norm I will happily take up the oppotunity to use the one way streets, where I feel it is safe and practical. However, whether it becomes accepted or not, I will generally continue to use what I feel is the safest and most efficient route for me WITHIN THE BOUNDARIESOF THE LAW.
Lets see what happens shall we.
I’m with Steve on this one – I think creating new rules to allow cyclist to do what other road users can’t sends the wrong signal out to the “you don’t pay road tax” brigade.
Also, commuting into central London daily I have enough close encouters with pedestrians stepping out without looking as it is, but at least the traffic stream you have to swerve into is going in the same direction.
And as for “The alternative of having a policeman standing on the road to catch cyclists would be foolish and unworkable.” – why is it unworkable to police the road traffic regulations we have in place? If cyclist started getting fined for jumping lights, etc. a little more often, perhaps we’d all start to behave a bit better on the roads….
I am both a driver and a cyclist. Whilst I can see the advantage of shortening an arduous journey through a one way system by cutting through the ‘wrong’ way, I can’t help but think that this must be a dangerous thing.
Narrow cycling lanes, inexperienced (or downright foolish) cyclists pedaling against the flow of motorised traffic whilst the drivers have little warning of oncoming cyclists, is a recipe for disaster. This is before you take into account cars entering from a side road, where the driver is looking only where traffic is expected to be. Even drivers who only look in their door mirrors rather than ahead before flinging a door open.
For these reasons, actual cycling lanes need to be clearly marked out, and preferably given a kerbed edge to stop oncoming cars etc straying into them.
I think that as Michael said, the blue contraflow sign at every motorised vehicle entry point is a must, not just ‘except cyclists’ under the no entry sign.
Unfortunately within London, driving standards and general consideration for vulnerable road users seem to be vanishing, so unless this scheme is given full consideration, people will get hurt.
Personally, I think that I’ll get more exercise by going the ‘right’ way round a one way, plus it avoids the possible head-on with an HGV.