Maintain current cycle lanes first!
AS someone who cycles regularly, could I add my views to the recent debate about cycle lanes? Firstly, I do not think that the residents of Weelsby Road need to be too concerned about being able to park their cars outside their properties.
There is a cycle lane along the north side of Great Coates Road, that I travel along several times a week.
I cannot remember ever getting from Little Coates Church to Toothill roundabout without having to pass at least one parked vehicle.
Whatever the law may say about parking in cycle lanes, it does not appear to be enforced.
None of the options for cycle lanes are without some disadvantage.
If the cycle lane is shared with a footpath, then it needs to be wide enough for cyclist and pedestrians to pass each other safely.
This can be a problem in the second half of the year, when vegetation such as hedges spread across the pathway. Also, it requires pedestrians to be aware of cyclists approaching from behind, and if the pedestrians are on their phones, or listening to music on headphones, they are oblivious to the approaching cyclist, no matter how many bells and horns the cyclist uses.
If the cycle lane is on the road, adjacent to the kerb, then it is liable to be obstructed by parked vehicles. In addition, the state of the road surface is usually at its worst towards the kerb, with broken tarmac, cobble stones and a substantial camber all being hazards for cyclist to negotiate.
In my opinion, and this will only be possible where the road is wide enough to allow it, if roadside parking and a cycle lane are needed, the best arrangement is to put the parking area next to the kerb, then the cycle lane, and then the main carriageway towards the centre of the road. If the local authority really wants to encourage cycling, then it would do well to maintain the existing cycle route before it gets embroiled in creating new ones.
The route between the River Freshney at Little Coates and Mayfair Drive has been closed for three months because the bridge over New Cut Drain is in need of repair. This means that cyclists heading for Healing have to use the main road most of the way to Great Coates. The surface along this section is rough because the tarmac has broken up partially exposing the layer below it.
Tom Hunter,