7 July (Part 1) - On your bike, Bexley
The
fact that the borough’s cycling
injuries have gone up by 70% in a year
reminded me that there used to be a cycle lane in the middle of Abbey Road at its junction with
Knee Hill. What its purpose was remained a mystery until it disappeared nearly ten years ago. Why
is the New Road Layout sign still there?
I’ve only ridden a bike in Bexley once or twice and serious biking would only be
possible for me in an East/West direction, I have never seen anyone cycle up
Knee Hill and the other direction is accessible only to amphibious vehicles
thanks to Bexley council’s transport strategy;
however there are cyclists around and one sent me a message, complete with photographs.
Bexley council talks of
creating a mini Holland; well a good start was
made with Broadway. No cycle lanes away from the
traffic. There was their chance to show the council’s commitment to cycling. The
choice seems to be Broadway or hospital but at least there is a place to park
your cycle while you are away.
Does Bexley council have anyone who understands cycling? It no doubt brings in
so called experts; or gold diggers, to further rip the council taxpayers off.
To address cycling borough wide may be be expensive but it has to be all or
nothing. To put down a few cycle lanes, then claiming credit is not a commitment to cycling.
I’ve raced cycle speedway and
road cycling, cycled to Paris, the London to Brighton and Cambridge along with others and have seen how councils think they are cycling committed.
Putting white lines down as cycle lanes together with a few signs does not show commitment.
Bexley’s cycle lanes which lead nowhere may look good for the council’s leaflets and website. The
non-cycling community may think it’s green and great. But it’s not.
A lot can be done to address cycling safety, at very little cost but not spending much does not
massage councillors’ egos! Spending or wasting loads of money on mad ideas does.
Take a look at the cycle lane near Sainsbury’s in Crayford. Cyclists are left in the middle of the road
where traffic comes out of the supermarket and the petrol station. Great thinking, by people who don’t cycle!
For another idiotic cycle path,
click here.
It’s no different today than six months ago.