All entries for Tuesday 09 May 2006

In defence of the cycle track

Follow-up to Timescales for Kenilworth Road Cycle Track from Cycling to and around Warwick University

The Coventry Evening Telegraph (8th May 2006), published a letter criticising Coventry council. Firstly for re-surfacing Kenilworth Road and secondly for adding a cycle track. The writer opinioned that other roads should have higher priority for re-surfacing and that as the road was hardly used by pedestrians and cyclists it didn't warrant a cycle track.

The text of my reply (which I've just sent off)

Whether or not the Kenilworth Road should be prioritised for re–surfacing (Ted Duggan's letter published 8 May), improvements for cycling are important.

Like most roads, Kenilworth Road is cycle–hostile at busy times. Motorists cannot leave sufficient space when passing cyclists without crossing the central white lines.

At peak times the junction of Gibbet Hill Road with Kenilworth Road is congested. With Warwick University planning for 40% growth over the next few years, traffic problems can only get worse. A switch from car to cycle for some of the people who commute between Kenilworth and the university does offer a partial solution. It would also improve the fitness of those who do make the switch. But most people are reluctant to cycle along roads where a constant stream of cars and lorries whiz by them at 40/50 mph.

George Riches

: 09 May 2006 12:32 |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem