Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Dangerous cycle lane on Wightman road
I couldnt quite believe this tiny cycle lane over the bridge has been painted back in. I thought the days of these had long gone, because they are just so dangerous. It gives cars permission and confidence in thinking they can safetly pass a bike on the bridge without pulling out at all, so long as there car wheel is only as far as the line. Which clearly there isn't room
I cant believe anyone from LCC had anything to do with this.
Anyone in the council, can you paint over this line or put in a lane which is actually wide enough for bikes to ride in. I hate cycling along Wightman road because its so dangerous, and so tend to avoid it and use green lanes which feels much better,mainly due to traffic going much slower. And Im a really experienced cyclist. For less experienced cyclist this is potentially a death trap
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Simon Munk on
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Just to confirm - Haringey group have already emailed in to council officers and Councillors to object.
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Permalink Reply by Haringey Cycling Campaign on
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Thanks Simon. Yes we emailed last Thursday - awaiting response.
The lane is 90cm wide (yes, we've been out with a tape measure
) and is wholly inadequate. Drivers are likely to assume cycles should be in this lane and that they can drive up to the edge of it when overtaking. This is clearly very dangerous. The new lane should at least be the minimum 150cm width recommended by DfT and TfL guidance, and in view of the sharp corner should be protected by 'orcas' or similar.In addition to the wholly inadequate cycle lane we have complained about the virtually non-existent speed humps, which are clearly not built to specified standards and as a consequence are having no obvious impact on traffic speeds.
Clearly we're supportive of wider strategies that seek to reduce or remove through traffic from residential areas, but current arrangements must be addressed as they present a clear and immediate risk to users of Wightman Road.
Finally, you don't have to cycle to join our group as Simon says in his message - those who would like to but currently don't are just as welcome!
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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I think that the bicycles painted on the road, as suggested earlier, are a great idea. Is that something you guys would look into asking about?
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Permalink Reply by tigha on
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Thats interesting John, as I had noticed 1 or 2 painted bicycles on green lanes i think, but had wondered what the point of them was,as barely noticeable. but then Im coming from a cyclist view point,not a driver's.I have also seen road signs up somewhere previously, which advises cars not to overtake cyclists as narrow road. A variation along these lines ,would certainly help, and yes traffic calming humps that actually work
I actually sustained a fractured skull about 20y ago, due to a car passing me too closely on seven sisters road, on the one day i wasnt wearing a helmet. And although i got large payout, it wasnt worth it. So this is close to my heart
Welldone LCC and Simon, great you guys are on it, and yes I have been a member since 1985, and also think everyone should be, as it automatically gives 3rd party insurance,which seems responsible thing do as a road user
karen
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FWIW, logos on road:
a) Useful indicator of the position cyclists are meant to be riding - if they're painted on properly.
b) Useful indicator to motorists to be aware there may be cyclists about.
c) Of course, they don't provide any physical protection - so on busy roads they're not necessarily much use - and we'd always say other measures are much better.
d) In terms of narrow roads - the new London Cycle Design Standards from TfL which are actually generally v good mark as a "critical fail" any road lane width between 3.2m and 4.0m. Basically 3m or under, it's really hard for a motorist to overtake a cyclist - and so they don't. Over 4m, then motorists can pass within the lane generally and it's fairly safe and not too horrible feeling. So it's that middle ground that's really iffy - where motorists will try and *squeeze* past, without appreciating how hostile and dangerous that can be. So, again, rather than sticking a sign up, we'd always advise boroughs to design road widths to go very narrow or very wide and physically encourage better behaviour, rather than just ask drivers nicely and hope for good behaviour.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on
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So I wonder where that leaves Wightman with those death trap traffic islands where drivers insist on overtaking despite the narrowness and if you dare to cycle in the middle of them (giving drivers no space to overtake) you get hooted and honked (and sometimes verbally abused) - its everyone's road after all not just car drivers!
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Classic example of design leading to behaviour. Reducing through traffic in area obviously key, but also speed reduction measures - swap pedestrian refuges ("death trap traffic islands") for proper pedestrian crossings with no refuge/island? That way avoid pinch points and improve road for all. Crossings need to be on raised tables though - to ensure slow speed at them.
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Thanks Simon. Re: a) this borough is not exceptional in painting bike symbols in the 'door zone' - precisely where bike users should NOT ride if they want to avoid being hit by a car door.
Bicycle symbols, painted lanes, etc. are all really just sticking plaster solutions while the elephant in the room is road design that encourages excessive amounts of traffic to travel at excessive speed on a residential road.
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Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on
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Thanks for your work and following up, but how did the powers that be get it so badly wrong, it feels like they've rolled back the clocks 10 years and ignored the cycling commuting revolution that has happened over that period. I'm a member of British Cycling.
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Permalink Reply by Nick G-T on
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It has to be remembered that these road markings aren't new, they were there prior to the bridge replacement and painted with a green strip. The contractor probably just repainted the road based on records of previous road markings, but this certainly would have been an opportunity for the council to consider alternatives.
I am a confident cyclist and actually find the traffic islands prevent drivers from overtaking me as I always cycle centrally on narrow roads. The only section I'm occasionally overtaken on is on the hill up to Harringay station, where there is enough distance between islands for drivers to gain speed and aggressively overtake.
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Permalink Reply by JoeW on
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"this certainly would have been an opportunity for the council to consider alternatives."
Although the Council originally commissioned the Green Lanes Traffic Study to investigate alternatives, the current councillor in charge of traffic Peray Ahmet seems to have a blinkered view: "Wightman Road is vital to ensuring the smooth flow of traffic throu...". The safety of cyclists or pedestrians, and the health and quality of life of local residents, are apparently secondary to the needs of motorists getting from A to B as quickly as possible.
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We said at bridge works consultation stage that if the road is to be reinstated as before the lane should be increased to a minimum 150cm width (the minimum recommended by DfT and TfL guidance), so the contractor and council should be aware.
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