Perth cycle lanes not fit for purpose
Dear sir The cycle lanes in Perth are awful, it’s almost as if they were designed by someone who has never ridden a bike.
They are dangerous and narrow; they are not joined up so when they come to an abrupt end cyclists have to then try to rejoin the flow of traffic; and the ones on the Glasgow and Scone Roads are interspersed with traffic islands denying the road cleaners access so you have to cycle through a pile of muck and debris.
Unfortunately they persist with the latest new bike lane out to Willowgate, surely being one of the most dangerous designs I’ve ever seen where cyclists dice with death, either crossing two lanes of fast traffic or trying to rejoin the flow.
But most of all these cycle lanes create a perception that cyclists must cycle in them and that it’s okay to pass them within inches even if there is little space to do so.
The danger was so tragically confirmed with the dreadful accident in Bridgend at the weekend.
It is little known that cyclists are allowed to cycle in what is known as ‘the primary position’ or sometimes referred to as ‘taking the lane’. This is where a cyclist cycles in the middle of the lane.
Contrary to what many may think, it is often safer to cycle in this position where you can see better and also be seen more easily, particularly in busy town centres. It can also discourage vehicle drivers from performing dangerous manoeuvres like overtaking when there isn’t enough room or there is an oncoming vehicle.
Cycling Scotland, the government and the Ministry of Transport via the Highway Code could do a lot more to raise awareness of this, which would perhaps lead to less animosity between the various road users and eventually, the roads would become safer places.
Unless cycle lanes are segregated, continuous and joined up then they are not fit for purpose but resource constraints mean it is unlikely this is ever going to happen. So here is an alternative solution for Perth which may sound rather controversial – get rid of the current cycle lanes and paint a logo (like in the bus lanes) on the road every so often to remind everyone to share the road.
We also need to be more tolerant of each other.
Bikes and vehicles are inanimate objects. They don’t cause accidents, it is the person operating them who does.
We all need to think of each other as people, not objects, who are all entitled to use the highway. We need to share the road, not claim it. Susan Morrison Pitcullen Terrace,Perth
OpenlettertoPKC councillors
Dear sir We were very distressed to learn of the The fire engine was unable to get down Linn Road, Stanley
tragic death of one of our neighbours on Saturday.
She cycled on a regular basis, from all appearances with confidence and skill.
For this and other reasons, the traffic in Bridgend needs to be managed so as to result in greater safety for all.
There are regularly many pedestrians, including visitors to the area, staying at bed and breakfasts and families with children on foot or in buggies.
There are also many pensioners as well as wheelchair users and dog-walkers.
Add this to the heavy traffic, including HGVs, and it results in a recipe for disaster, which was indeed the case for the unfortunate woman on her bike on Saturday.
The cycle lanes are narrow and seem to start and stop.
The bridge is too narrow to include cyclists in the nearly constant flow of traffic.
Perhaps one of the footpaths on the bridge could be used as a “cycle-only” route, leaving the other footpath for pedestrians; a similar usage for the footpaths through Bridgend and up Strathmore Street towards Scone would be a simple step towards alleviating the situation – a speed limit of 20 miles per hour (enforced by speed cameras) would undoubtedly be effective in creating a safer flow of traffic for all road users in this constantly (and increasingly) busy area of Perth.
Please act on this issue before there is further loss of life.
We cannot wait until the new bridge opens for something to be done – the growing freight on this road from Scone and through Bridgend, combined with the excessive speed of drivers on this route, can only lead to further injury and/or fatalities on these roads – it also flags up the failure of the council and the roads department to accommodate alternative (and green) transport options (especially cycling and walking) as vehicular traffic takes precedence.
We look forward to a prompt response to this letter with proposals/actions from you in respect to the points raised. Christopher and Andrea Cooke, Dupplin Road, Perth
Actionneeded atbeachroad
Dear sir I would like to congratulate you on your excellent coverage of the recent problem in Linn Road, Stanley, when a fire engine could not reach a potentially serious fire because so many cars were parked on the one mile single track road that leads from Stanley village to the increasingly popular Stanley Beach on the River Tay.
However, this one incident is only indicative of a much wider and apparently insoluble problem.
The fantastic weather has resulted in so many people coming to the beaches that we have on occasions had about 30 cars and vans parked and abandoned in the lane.
Every passing space is full of cars, and you will see from the photograph the end result.
When every available slot is filled the net result is that cars coming down to the river find nowhere to go and then have to reverse up the hill meeting those also coming down. Chaos and frayed tempers ensue. Just last week, the post van could not get down to the river to deliver mail, on Tuesday carers couldn’t attend a stroke victim, on Wednesday residents couldn’t get out and on Thursday the dustmen couldn’t get down either and on Friday the fire occurred.
To add fuel to the fire the verges have not been cut this year obscuring the one metre deep ditches and as a result several cars have already had to be recovered from these ditches by recovery vehicles who themselves could not get down the lane until late in the evening.
The road itself is breaking up, having only recently been resurfaced.
This is a major incident waiting to happen.
With so many families and children the potential for an accident is huge and no ambulance would be able to attend. Peter Mackie Vice-chair Stanley Community Council
Bookingfeeleft asourtaste
Dear sir My daughter recently purchased a large batch of tickets for my grand daughter’s dance display.
She was charged a booking fee of £1.50 per ticket. What an absolute rip off. Come on Horsecross get your act together.
D S Stewart Tulloch Road, Perth