Investing in cycle paths to reduce congestion

[HittheroadJ]

Can we get some more investment here please?

NOS Nieuws - Schultz maakt snelle fietsroutes tegen filedruk bekend


from Google translate:

Dutch to English translation
Special routes to traffic congestion
Updated: Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 12:21

To reduce congestion, to Secretary Schultz van Haegen construct 16 new routes. Schultz hopes to encourage more commuters as the car to leave.

The routes connect to major cities and run in part on existing paths. They are being thoroughly addressed. As an example, viaducts and tunnels are built, so that cyclists can drive. The Ministry contributes 20 million euros. Of provinces and municipalities, 60 million requested.

The idea comes from the special cycling Cyclists. That is "extremely happy" that they come now.

 

[Mussels]

I've seen a lot of recent investment in cycle paths, upgrading existing ones and building new ones. Problem is that once they are popular they become slow and IME more dangerous than riding on the road.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

They made loads of nice cycle paths when they developed Telford, where I live, but there has been no maintenance of them in the last 25 years (as far as I can see), and now they are breaking up and tree roots have grown under them raising really feirce bumps. You need a full suspension mountain bike to ride on some of them. However, I still support any plans to make new routes and anything that gets cars off the road.

 

[indalo]

I'm all for increasing cycle ways as I imagine will be everyone else here. Unfortunately, the key word in the title to this thread is "Investing." Even in the best of times economically, it has proved difficult to attract investment in the creation of dedicated cycle routes so in the current circumstances, I suspect the kind of investment we might wish to see comes way down the list in terms of priority.

Recently, I used the Ebury Way from Rickmansworth up to Watford and I was amazed at how quickly I was able to pedal the very pleasant route. It's the bed of a disused railway track and I didn't even realise it exists although I've lived nearby for 22 years! How much more undeveloped former railway track exists which might be suitable for adaptation to cycle ways around the country, I have no idea but I suspect there's quite a bit.

I've always thought it stupid to pay able-bodied people dole money for doing nothing when there are lots of useful jobs which they could do without travelling far from home. Fixing potholes on the roads and doing the groundworks necessary for dedicated cycle routes spring to mind by way of example. If there were enough political will, we could reduce unemployment to virtually nil in the UK. All those currently claiming the euphemistically titled "Jobseekers Allowance" could actually be offered such work, earn a wage, pay tax and in some cases, regain some self-respect.

Ok; I know it's not original as there was an Austrian chap who introduced something similar in Germany back in the 1930s. The initiative certainly proved useful though as the Germans produced a modern road system which was light years ahead of anything that existed anywhere else in europe.

Investment is an interesting word, beyond the understanding of Conservative politicians, (and Lib Dems now as well, it seems!) and often forgotten by Labour.

That was becoming a bit of a rant so I'll stop.
Indalo

 

[Mussels]

Lots of old railway track has already been converted, Sustrans has been working at it for several years.

 

[indalo]

Thanks for that Mussels. Although I'd heard of Sustrans, I really didn't know much about them till doing a Google search a few moments ago.

There are some good links on their website and lots of useful information so I shall be putting their website on my "favourites" list and using it as a reference facility.

Indalo

 

[morphix]

What we need also is more recharging points around the UK to extend the range of bikes, we don't have many at moment do we. I remember seeing one company that supplies the street charging posts to councils. This would be a fantastic investment opportunity if ordinary investors could part-own them with councils for a revenue share plenty. Must be plenty of scope to roll these around in every town as the e-bike industry gathers pace.

 

[ronipozn]

In Tel Aviv, the bike lanes are a joke. If you will hear the city hall announcements about the city bike lanes, you would think that tel aviv is the bicycle heaven.

Here is a short (and very funny movie) and the bike railes over here:

Bike Road Challenge on Vimeo

 

[indalo]

So much for harmonious co-existence between cyclists and pedestrians then!
Exactly the same syndrome can be witnessed closer to home of course. Perhaps if the Jeremy Kyle show were replaced by some public information films, our streets and pavements would be safer places.

Indalo

 

[Scimitar]

So much for harmonious co-existence between cyclists and pedestrians then!
Exactly the same syndrome can be witnessed closer to home of course. Perhaps if the Jeremy Kyle show were replaced by some public information films, our streets and pavements would be safer places.

Indalo

The JK show is a public information film - it lets dysfunctional families know they aren't alone and there are many worse than them.