Cycle facility improvements on Campus?

I note with interest that one of the first cycle-related pieces of work carried out shortly after requesting suggestions from BUG for ideas for improvement, is the addition of 'No Cycles' signs on the railings opposite the front of the IMC building….

These railings are next to a wide footpath, which is little used because it's quicker to walk straight across the courtyard. So it's not even as if parked cycles here are in the way. There are often plenty of them, which indicates a need for some cycle parking.

Were I feeling excessively cynical I might speculate that the reason these signs have appeared is more aesthetic than practical….

: 03 Nov 2005 10:36 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

A429 improvement

Writing about web page http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/web/corporate/pages.nsf/(DisplayLinks)/D9A0A97A36C9E0D380257037005487CA

Warwickshire County council seems to be going ahead with widening the footway on the west side of the A429 and re-designating it as a shared pedestrian/cyclist track.

Coventry Council is about to begin a public consultation about constructing an off-carriageway cycle track on west side of A429 between the Warwickshire border and Gibbet Hill Road, separate from the footway.

A study of A&E admissions in Southampton revealed that a third of cyclists presenting at A&E had crashed going onto or off from the footway or an off-road path, at official and unofficial access points.

Anyone who might use such a facility willing to check the designs?

: 02 Nov 2005 21:39 |  Tags: Routes From Kenilworth |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Men's Trek Bike for Sale

Hi everyone,

Have decided it's too much hassle having an expensive bike so am selling mine on Ebay at a low price and going to buy a cheap one.

Just thought I'd let you know in case you're interested.

Also included in the sale are 3 Kryptonite New Yourk Fagettaboudit locks. Could be sold on for a profit.

The bike is for sale at link

Thanks

: 01 Nov 2005 09:32 |  Comments (6) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Right turn from University Road towards University House

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/estates/ct/programme/oa/transport/cycling/

From Sally Hicks:

[...]
My biggest complaint is about actually getting from University Road to
University House.
The "pathway" is signed as a cycle route but there appears to have been
no thought as to how one actually gets on to it.
I tend to either use the zebra crossing (my indication that I am
turning right is confusing since there is also a right turn into the
road to Car Park 15 ) or have to turn right on the bend (where the sight
line for oncoming traffic is not very good). Also, one is having to
"bump up " on to the pathway from the road.
I would welcome some signs to know where I should be turning and that
would also warn motorists that this is a point for cyclists to turn.

: 22 Oct 2005 09:34 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Delineation

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/estates/ct/programme/oa/transport/cycling/

There are now bicycle survey comments and suggestions on the web at link

You can use this blog to comment & debate the proposals. Email me if you want to start an entry and haven't yet got author access.

I'll kick things off by creating an entry about delineation. I'm rather skeptical about using white lines to mark off areas reserved for cycling from those reserved for walking.

Won't some pedestrians wander over to the cyclists' side, causing cyclists to get annoyed and possibly "buzz" them in retaliation? To avoid a pedestrian, a cyclist might have to cross into the pedestrian area, causing other pedestrians to feel aggrieved about cyclists encroaching on their territory. Except where the delineation is rather strong and the distance rather long, I rather think the best solution is for cyclists to moderate their speed according to the conditions. We can always ring our bells or call out "excuse me" or an ironic "Good Morning" whenever a gaggle of pedestrians is managing to block the whole path. It's only 250 metres between University and University House. Is it really much of a sacrifice to keep one's speed down at busy times?

As I regard attempts to build comprehensive traffic-free networks for cyclists as hopeless impractical in existing built up areas, I'm a strong believer in motorist/cyclist shared use. Motorists must moderate their speed, so that people aren't intimidated from cycling on the carriageway. In the few cases where cyclist/pedestrian shared use is a better idea than motorist/cyclist shared use, is too much to ask those using the faster means of transport to moderate their speed?

Also I don't see those interested in aesthetics letting someone paint white lines all over the place!

: 21 Oct 2005 12:06 |  Tags: White Lines |  Comments (13) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Routes from Kenilworth

Follow-up to Cycling from Leamington from Cycling to and around Warwick University

I've moved the comments about routes between campus and Kenilworth from "Cycling from Leamington"

########
Mark Downes

Hi,

I have recently started cycling from kenilworth to campus. Could you please tell me the best best/quickest routes?

Many thanks

06 Oct 2005, 09:23

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Trevor Brown

Re Kenilworth-Campus: quickest and safest from Kenilworth is along Coventry Road (unlit 'til you get to the posh houses, so if you use the footpath when the clocks change then I won't tell), left at the Gibbet Hill crossroads, right into Gibbet Hill Campus, along the cycle path through Tocil Wood. Depending on where you're going, the safest way to the main campus road is to turn right towards the Health Centre and up Health Centre Road. Reverse to get home! Your route through Kenilworth will depend upon which corner you live in.

The Stoneleigh road to Gibbet Hill crossroads isn't very nice – big hill and grumpy traffic.

06 Oct 2005, 16:54

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Catherine Fenn

Re Kenilworth – Campus
A possible alternative route (from the Castle side) for main or westwood campus
Beehive Hill/Clinton Lane junction down A452 to Red Lane (using the rough footpath for short stretch) up Red Lane (long upwards drag) turn right onto Cromwell Lane then take next right onto Westwood Health Road (down hill!).
This takes you down to the Kirby Corner Road/Gibbet Hill Road roundabout.

07 Oct 2005, 10:15

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Steve Rumsby

That right turn from the A454 onto Red Lane is a major pain when there's lots of traffic. Not only do you have to wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic, you have to worry about the traffic from behind that really doesn't like being held up. But if you wait on the inside you have to find a gap in the traffic in both dorections at the same time. Not nice.

Apart from that, this is a nice ride. Depending on your starting point this is probably longer than Trevor's route, but more pleasant.

You could also go through Crackley, I suppose, but the road is narrow and the cars that usually drive along there like their speed. It can be a bit intimidating.

07 Oct 2005, 14:32

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George Riches

Clive Dove-Dixon used Hollis Lane for 8 years until he moved to Leamington. Use Cryfield Grange Road to access the Gibbet Hill site or Crackley Lane to access the main site or Westwood.

See link

Re Crackley Lane – perhaps the local council (Warwickshire CC ?) could be approached to add traffic calming.

08 Oct 2005, 11:44

########
Trevor Brown

Re Kenilworth to Campus

Crackley Lane is a great route on a weekend, but a bit 'grumpy' at commuter times – there's a lot of blind corners too. It still about 9–10k I think (long time since I've rode this way home)

I often use Red Lane, and extend my commute round by Balsall Common and Berkswell, coming into Coventry via Tile Hill and Westwood Heath. Approaching and turning into Red Lane isn't my favourite bit. I think that the shortest variant would be a little over 10k – but I usually find 20k or so :o)

Coventry Road works out at about 6.5k for me.

11 Oct 2005, 13:11

: 16 Oct 2005 21:17 |  Tags: Routes From Kenilworth |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Bicycle Tagging in Birmingham

This is an email I received via Cycle-ise West Midlands – don't know if the offers apply to only Birmingham students or all – but just in case anyone is up that way…...

On the 12th (Wednesday this week), 19th and 26th Oct plus the 2nd Nov between 10am
and 4pm there will be cycle related activity going on in the Staff
House courtyard and foyer. You may recall that last June the Company of Cyclists
brought their road show to campus. Well they are coming back to do a
similar activity. So we will have a range of different bicycles, folding bikes,
trikes and recumbent cycles to try out. Plus information sheets to
browse or take away. Advice on cycle purchase and cycling in general will be
available both at the stand and (if I can sort out the display boards in
time!) in the Staff House foyer. There will be Doctor bike sessions as previously so
you can get minor adjustments carried out on your bike as well as
getting some advice on maintaining your cycle.

The Police crime reduction bus will be on hand to do cycle post-coding. There is NO
CHARGE for the post-coding which is based on an acid-etching process
(I haven't seen this in operation but I presume it is like what Autoglass does on
car windows) so you will need to bring your cycle along.

As part of the efforts to reduce the unflattering losses of cycles from the campus,
the University and the Police are subsidising the sale of cycle locks
at this event. This is aimed primarily at STUDENTS (undergrad and postgrad) who
will need to produce their student ID card to qualify for the Sold Secure
Bronze Standard D lock for £5. Staff are not excluded from the purchase but will
need to produce their bike AND their ID card. This is designed to try
to ensure that the locks really are being used to protect bikes that are being
brought onto the Campus (rather than as a cheap lock for your child's bike
at home). Around 50 or 60 locks will be available at this price on each of the 4
dates so it is a case of first there, first served and only ONE lock per
person at the subsidised rate.

Also available for sale at the event will be a small number of high visibility
waistcoats at the first event. It is hoped that the sale of these will
fund the purchase of another batch for sale the following week and so on for the 4
weeks. The Police team will be responsible for selling these jackets.

The Company of Cyclists are hoping to bring some cycle lights for sale (front and
back we hope) so if you or a coleague/student you know has bought a new
bike recently, they should come along and kit themselves out to be safe, secure and
visible.

Travelwise, CrimeStoppers and other security product manufacturers will be in Staff
House during the 4 week period (although not every week – so you'll
just have to wander past each week to see what is going on!).

Please spread the word about this event to your students and cycling colleagues.
There are posters being put up around the campus to advertise the event
(but we missed the Buzz deadlines so the information is not going to appear there).

: 12 Oct 2005 18:44 |  Tags: Cycle Thefts |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Flashing to be legalised

A press release:

Following sustained campaigning by CTC, the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation, and just in time for when the clocks go back this year, it should at last become legal to use flashing lights on your bike. The Minister of State, Dr Stephen Ladyman, this week signed the order; and provided there are no parliamentary objections before then, it should become law in October.
The details were decided in close consultation with CTC's technical officer, Chris Juden, who said: “This is a welcome liberalisation of cycle lighting law because provided they are bright enough, flashers front and rear will not only be legal, but will be all the lights you need.”
In brief, to be legally approved a light may flash at least once and not more than four times per second with a brilliance of at least four candle-power. Most of the better quality flashing lights on sale today, meet that simple requirement.
Unfortunately DfT felt unable to make any changes beyond the matter of flashing lights. This will have some strange and unintended consequences. Since lamps emitting a steady light must still conform with BS6102/3 and all that entails, it now becomes much simpler to be legal by flashing than not! DfT are aware of this paradox and intend to add a recommendation to the Highway Code (currently also under review) to use a steady headlamp on unlit roads.
CTC continues to campaign for a similar, simple legal approval of lamps emitting steady light, and for a permitted alternative to pedal reflectors in cases where these cannot be used or seen. Until then: cyclists who sensibly light their way with one of those brilliant rechargeable headlamps, that emit thousands of candle-power but are non-the-less, non-BS, can most easily make themselves legal by also fitting a little 4-candela flasher.

See link

: 16 Sep 2005 15:52 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cycle parking ideas?

The University is surveying usage and needs for cycle parking across campus as part of the Carbon Management Project. Hannah Jones (H.S.B.Jones@warwick.ac.uk) is the researcher conducting the survey and would appreciate your comments on where cycle parking needs improvement and also suggestions for designs (covered, secure, etc). Please send suggestions directly to her.

P.S. If you are wondering what Warwick University can do about reducing the amount of carbon it releases into the atmosphere, see suggestions

: 14 Sep 2005 20:43 |  Tags: Cycle Parking |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Lyon's rentabike scheme

Follow-up to Why campus bike hire won't work from Cycling to and around Warwick University

See link

The key point is that "high tech" is used to provide a strong incentive not to abuse the system. It's no use labouring under the hippy-era illusion that most people would be public-spirited enough to return bikes after use unless they knew they would be held accountable. Also "high-tech" cuts down on the paperwork.

: 13 Aug 2005 10:30 |  Comments (6) |  Close comments |  Report a problem