Safe Speed Forums

maybe not you or me but do you think little Billy will be getting that bike for Christmas if it's going to cost his parents an extra £50/year to stick a number plate up his arse for Ken's pleasure?

You teach'em responsibility from a early age.

I'd make sure the kids paid from the pocket money I allow them. I'd probably deduct at source to make sure it got paid!


But would teach them the valuable lesson that things ain't free and you gotta pay your way and be responsible.

No wonder my kids call me an old "scrooge" (I think that's the polite version )

But he appears to have backed down for now.

It will rear its lycra bum again though as more take to the roads on bikes. Pee-cee legislation in the disguise of "wanting to protect ourselves from ourselves" and make some cash from it.

Cyclotopia does not exist - and like anything else - when masses start doing something - HSE and politicians start mithering and come up with ways of fleecing us. I think it will happen one day - especially if a significant chunk of the current 32 million drivers give up their ca s or use a bike more than the car as a result of fuel costs and so on.

I am afraid a government used to £60 billion in total revenue from motorists will try to find a way to plug that gap anyway.

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Interested in knowing what facilities for cycles exactly. Yes, cyclists can go through barriers where roads have been closed off but that's not a major deal.

Now of the primary routes in the North of London which are the ones maintained by Tfl:

A406 (North Circular Road). A lot of the new parts are closed off from cyclists. The remainder contains no particular cycling facilities.

A41. My main route to work because Finchley Road happens to be the flattest route. Cyclists are allowed to use the bus lanes and there are a few cycle advanced areas at traffic lights but that's about it. Meanwhile there are signs directing cycles up and down big hills like Kidderpore Avenue on the "rat runs". (Finchley Road is a small uphill between Heath Drive and Platts Lane, Kidderpore Avenue goes up a massive hill then down one). No cycle facilities at all on Hendon Way. No paths for cyclists to get to the front of traffic queues. The time a sort-of cycle path does appear is when traffic is allowed to park on Finchley Road because that makes the remainder of the lane too narrow to use for any traffic other than a pushbike.

A1. Another route I have used. Archway Road was built originally because the old route via Highgate (B519) was too steep for horses to climb. Well the job hasn't been done well enough, there is still an uphill to the junction with B550 and then a downhill. Which is why I don't use this route unless I happen to do a "park and ride" leaving the car close to Archway. And actually I often find Hornsey Road a preferable cycle route (or the little road in between). Cycles can use the bus-lanes once again on Archway Road and Holloway Road but there are no special cycle paths.

A10. I have used this road a few times too. Cyclists are not even given the right to use the Tottenham contraflow heading South. Then on Kingsland Road there are so many traffic lights for every little minor road.
An alternative route altogether is via B104 Albion Road and another via De Beauvoir Road.

A503. Haven't cycled on this road (Camden Road/Seven Sisters Road) as often. No cycle facilities, can use bus-lanes.

RingRoad (mostly A501). Going anti-clockwise there are some bus contraflow lanes that cyclists may use. A steep downhill towards Kings Cross but the cycles often get held up by buses at the end of this as there is no room to pass. Park Lane is not used much by cyclists as there are alternative routes through Hyde Park or the backstreets of Mayfair. There is a dedicated alternative route that runs parallel to the section that is called Euston Road.

Only on the A13 have I detected dedicated cycle paths. A lot of this is a fairly new road so I guess they planned for them.

Some other cycle paths:

- The cycle route parallel to Euston Road via roads like Tavistock Place.
- Useless cycle route on A5202 Southbound (St Pancras Way) - includes a not-needed contraflow for part of it, the Southbound one leaves you on the wrong side of the road and with a problem crossing back over. I don't use it.

What I would like:

- Dedicated cycle paths on main routes, particularly straight flat ones.

- Grade-separated cycle by-passes (at not too steep a gradient) at some big junctions.

- Bridges and tunnels to overcome some of the big hills. (One particular such path would go under Hampstead Heath between somewhere close to where Hampstead Heath station is to the end of Wild Hatch, NW11 (which comes off the Meadway/Hoop Lane roundabout). Complete the route by providing also a bridge between Bridge Lane and Bell Lane NW4. Pedestrians could use this bridge too.

- Proper surface on Parkland Walk

Pay for this with the congestion charge money, instead of spending it all on filling every little side street with buses.

in London? It's flat! The worst "hills" I've ridden over in London are all of a few hundred metres long. Hardly worth tunnelling through.


how do you propose they fit 2 extra full-width lanes onto most London roads, or are these just lanes for people who get around at 5mph?

How about you try Hampstead (either the A502 Haverstock Hill/Rosslyn Hill or the alternative South End Road / East Heath Road.) You at least get to go down North End Way / North End Road at the other end. Or take the hill on the other way.

And then take yourself to Archway and try to find a nice route to Finchley. Of course you are probably one of those super-fit cyclists for whom a hill like that is nothing.

I'm talking about attempting to attract more people to cycling.

[/quote]
A lot of the time by removing all parking from certain main roads, except for deliveries at specified times. Many shopping areas have a service road behind for deliveries.

I know... Let's make all the roads downhill.

Sorry. I'll get my coat.

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Could be done if you then provide "cycle lifts" to get them back up again. Not sure how much energy that would use up though - it may be more efficient to let everyone drive cars.

I'm referring to bridges to by-pass where the road takes a huge downhill followed by a huge uphill, and tunnels for where it goes the other way.

I'm sure a tunnel under Hampstead Heath would be very popular and would encourage a lot more people to cycle to work. Once you're passed that point life is fairly easy - well hill-wise anyway.

It would be interesting to see contour maps of London. I haven't found any yet online.