| Topic: | Reply | |
| Posted by: | Andrew OSullivan | |
| Date/Time: | 28/07/19 07:45:00 |
Shared pavement space works very well where it has been implemented — take Chiswick Bridge for instance. There was a designated cycle lane on the section of pavement in front of the Church until recently and it caused no issues although it rarely seemed to be used. My own view is that the biggest leap forward in cycling safety that could be made is to allow pavement cycling with pedestrian priority. Irresponsible cyclists who are a danger to pedestrians already cycle on the pavements and are heedless of risk to others. Allowing law-abiding cyclists to do so will not reduce pedestrian safety. Despite some evidence free assertions that the current proposals are workable around the Dukes Avenue junction, common sense suggests that they are not. Even if somehow you can squeeze in three traffic lanes and a cycle path at this spot a significant amount of pavement on the northern side will have to go as well as the bus stop. The lanes will narrower than normal and this will increase risk for cyclists many of whom will remain with general traffic at this point because their journeys will be faster. There is no room to be created on the southern side because, as has already been pointed out, the tree roots prevent taking the cycle path further in. Plus abutting the cycle path right up against an iron fence would just be asking for trouble. If a cyclist tried to make way for another coming from the west at the narrowed section of the path there is an increased danger they could hit the barrier putting both riders at risk of a collision adjacent to a traffic lane. The way TfL have behaved all the way through this project and the consultations gives little reason to trust in their good faith. A possible explanation for their latest proposals and reluctance to share details is that they are aware that they are unworkable. However, by saying that they are at this point they can claim to Hounslow Council that two things that might have been red lines to them — a cycle path directly in front of the Church or the proposals for closing off access at Duke's Avene are not going to happen. Once approval is given and ground is broken on the project it will be too late to do anything when TfL says they have to revert to one of the previously rejected options for this section of CS9. |