£2 billion package to create new era for cycling and walking

[whole diary]

[CyclingSid]

Sensible article in the Guardian about Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs^▸ (Low Traffic Neighbourhood)) and the noise about their introduction. As with similar surveys, more appear to be in favour than against (3 to 1).
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2020/oct/22/despite-a-loud-opposing-minority-low-traffic-neighbourhoods-are-increasingly-popular

And according to Carlton Reid it is partly caused by the humble satnav https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/25/rat-running-residential-uk-streets-satnav-apps. What better excuse do you need?

[Red Squirrel]

I don't know if my nagging had anything to do with it, but it looks like Google has at last stopped routing cars over Bristol Bridge...

[Bmblbzzz]

Lewins Mead to return to two lanes of motor traffic without cycle lane, supposedly in order to reduce pollution.
https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/rees-admits-new-cycle-lane-totally-messed-up-major-bus-route/

[Red Squirrel]

Lewins Mead to return to two lanes of motor traffic without cycle lane, supposedly in order to reduce pollution.
https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/rees-admits-new-cycle-lane-totally-messed-up-major-bus-route/

I'm trying to find details of the proposed amendments. I've not seen anything that says the cycle lane will go, just that two traffic lanes will be restored to allow the bus lane to work.

The spokesperson did not have any more details about the new scheme at that stage but they warned that the planned changes may be delayed by the second national lockdown.

The pinch point is The Haymarket, which has a central reservation with fences to prevent pedestrians crossing what was once more-or-less an urban motorway. Now that it's a 20mph road, it ought to be possible to take down the fence and narrow the traffic lanes, giving space for a cycle lane without slowing down the buses.

We'll find out what the new plans are soon enough...

[Bmblbzzz]

We'll probably see some plans some time... Meanwhile, both the Post and the 24/7 are reporting the mayor as saying the cycle lane has "Messed up bus routes".

[Red Squirrel]

We'll probably see some plans some time... Meanwhile, both the Post and the 24/7 are reporting the mayor as saying the cycle lane has "Messed up bus routes".

I'm sure it has, but that's not the same as saying the bike lane can't be accommodated.

Of all the pop-up cycles lanes that have appeared recently, this one seemed the least likely to survive without modification because it reduces motor traffic to one lane in The Haymarket, so buses get held up by private motorists. In addition, cyclists don't understand it! A lot of bike users don't realise that they are supposed to use the crossings and shared path around the Bear Pit roundabout, and end up cutting across traffic the get to North Road. I've watched this, and despaired.

Some of these pop-up lanes were already well-planned when the government gave councils two weeks to come up with schemes; others weren't. If they'd been given time to do consultation, this scheme might not have gone ahead in it's current form.

BCC^» (Bristol City Council - about) is very keen to avoid any more of this kind of problem, and is working hard to get engagement and consultation right for future projects. I hope they succeed!

[Bmblbzzz]

In addition, cyclists don't understand it! A lot of bike users don't realise that they are supposed to use the crossings and shared path around the Bear Pit roundabout, and end up cutting across traffic the get to North Road. I've watched this, and despaired.

I pointed this out just after it was installed!

[Red Squirrel]

How Bristol City Council will put right major bus route it "totally messed up" during lockdown

A permanent bus lane and cycle lane will be installed but there will also be a temporary fix after 20 buses ended up gridlocked

[...]

Bristol City Council cabinet member for transport Cllr Kye Dudd says officers have now come up with a solution they believe will work as originally intended.

He told a cabinet meeting a permanent bus lane and a cycle lane would be installed to run all the way along Lewins Mead to solve the problem.

In the meantime, the temporary cordoned-off cycle lane will be moved from the outside lane where it currently is to the inside to stop existing problems of cyclists cutting back into general traffic, including buses, near the Bearpit.

See full article

Source: Bristol Live

[CyclingSid]

How nice to hear of a local authority with a positive "can do" attitude.

[Bmblbzzz]

Lewins Mead layout has now been altered. Starting just after the crossing at the bottom of Christmas Steps, counting from the left it's now bus lane, cycle lane with wands on the left and solid red/white roadworks style barrier on the right, cars. One lane of each. The cycle lane ends at the crossing by the Bay Horse, the bus lane just before the Bearpit bus stop.

[Red Squirrel]

Let's hope that's not the final arrangement - it gives up just when you need it most, which is the opposite of the spirit of Gear Change. The previous arrangement was, as someone pointed out, safe for a family with kids. This isn't:

https://twitter.com/beardedjourno/status/1325770972092313600

[Bmblbzzz]

I've just been out to test it. It bears in some ways more similarity to the layout In The Before Times than the offside lane recently removed. Things you might want to look out for:
The entrance is divided asymmetrically, if you go left of the central wand it might be rather tight.
Possibility of lane changing cars and buses at two points.
Barriers offset immediately first lane change point, whether deliberately to prevent cars driving along it or because it's been hit (or just accidentally misplaced), I don't know.
All the road markings at the roundabout itself are worn away and surface is quite potholed.

Other oddities:
Although the cycle lane occupies an entire 'car lane', it gives cyclists significantly less width to ride in, due to the placing of the wands and barriers some way within the lines.
Together with the longer continuous bus lane, this leads me to wonder if the unspoken purpose isn't (and wasn't) so much to function as a cycle lane but to reduce non-bus road capacity. Marvin Rees did say in the summer that he was hopeful the changes introduced so far (Bristol Bridge etc) would reduce city centre traffic to remove the need for a clean air zone.
If so, it seemed to be working today, about 4pm. Very little traffic.
All the buses in front of me at the roundabout itself were in the middle lane, through some coincidence, leaving me as the only person in L1 for North Rd.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'd sum it up as being "Good as far it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. Like almost all cycle provision in UK^▸ (United Kingdom), it doesn't connect anything to anything."

[CyclingSid]

How nice to hear of a local authority with a positive "can do" attitude.

Anyway Mr Page knows better?
https://road.cc/content/news/government-cycle-lane-micromanagement-supreme-bollocks-278929

[Red Squirrel]

Sigh: https://twitter.com/beardedjourno/status/1372970088207413256