Issues

This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.

Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.

You can create a new issue using the button on the right.

Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of King's Lynn and West Norfolk Bike Users Group:

  • Highway Code changes

    sound+fury // 1 thread

    A bill is being put forward to sentence any cyclist convicted of dangerous cycling to a 14 year prison term.

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  • Traffic management works that are bad for cyclists and pedestrians

    Created by Cllr Ian Manning // 8 threads

    I've recently moved to be the Lib Dem lead on the County Council's Highways & Infrastructure committee.

    I want to start working through in detail bad and good TM examples with officers to understand whether it's specific sets of contractors that are poor, whether they aren't compliant with the current policy and/or whether I agree with our officers about whether they are.

    For this I need a Cambridgeshire wide list of both good and bad, with locations - so it would be good to get some from Cambridge and other nearby Cycle Campaigns.

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  • DfT Policy Paper - Inclusive Transport Strategy

    Created by Matthew // 1 thread

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-transport-strategy

    Lots of interesting stuff about inclusive transport regarding trains, buses, cars, public realm, streets and yes a bit about cycling too. Quotes:

    Shared Space:

    8.11 While we consider CIHT and DPTAC’s recommendations and how to take them
    forward, we are requesting that local authorities pause any shared space schemes
    incorporating a level surface they are considering, and which are at the design stage.
    We are also temporarily suspending Local Transport Note 1/11. This pause will allow
    us to carry out research and produce updated guidance.

    Objectives regarding Cycling:

    • Update Local Transport Note 2/08, which sets out the Department’s guidance to
    local authorities on designing safe and inclusive infrastructure for cyclists, to take
    account of developments in cycling infrastructure since its publication in 2008 and
    the responses to the draft AAP consultation and publish a revised version by early
    2019;
    • By 2020, explore the feasibility of amending legislation to recognise the use of
    cycles as a mobility aid71 in order to increase the number of disabled people
    cycling.

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  • Cambridgeshire Local Highway Improvement (LHI) Initiative funding

    Created by Daniel Thomas // 1 thread

    Every year there is funding available through Cambridgeshire County Council's Local Highway Improvement (LHI) Initiative to improve county highways. Organisations can submit proposals to improve highways and we should do so to bring about improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure.

    This article describes our successful test case submission for LHI funding:
    https://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/134/article6.html

    This article describes the LHI funding process:
    https://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/137/article15.html

    Each submission must cost less than £11,000 total and while multiple related issues may be included in one submission they should be grouped by county ward (partly to make site visits easier). We should prepare an initial list of ideas by June of each year so that the site visits and liaising with local councillors, council officers, and other organisations can be completed by October. If we want to make more than one submission we will need a different co-sponsoring organisation for each submission as each organisation is only allowed one submission per year.

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  • DfT Cycling and Walking technical support

    Created by JohnP // 0 threads

    The Department for Transport is offering technical support for the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. Two questions.

    Do we know whether any of our Local Authorities plan to submit a request?
    Has any Local Authority consulted CamCycle about a request?

    They need to get a move on because the cut off for requests is 20 June.

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  • No safe cycle access to Brewers Fayre / Premier Inn at Freebridge Farm, West Lynn

    Created by Rob Archer // 1 thread

    There is no cycle (or foot) access to Freebridge Farm from Wisbech Road. Cyclists have to negotiate a series of difficult junctions and unpleasant service roads to access thus popular pub, hotel and restaurant. To leave the site and head into King's Lynn cyclists are faced with a choice of turning left and negotiating the very busy roundabout and returning towards West Lynn, or making an illegal right turn onto the busy Clenchwarton road. Many of the staff at the site cycle and several more would like to if there was safe cycle access. The service road is less than 50m from Wisbech Road with it's reasonable quality cycleway and there are existing gaps in the hedge that could be used. Ideally a controlled (toucan) crossing should be provided.

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  • Poor junction layout, West Lynn

    Created by Rob Archer // 1 thread

    The junction where Wisbech Road joins Clenchwarton Road by East Coast Storage is unsafe. The cycleway continues directly across the junction but is not clearly marked. The red tarmac has been warn away and give way markings painted across the cycleway where it crosses the entrance to East Coast Storage. There are also give way markings across the exit to ECS making it very difficult to ascertain who has priority.

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  • Cut Bridge, West Lynn. No safe cycling facility

    Created by Rob Archer // 1 thread

    The Cut Bridge linking King's Lynn with West Lynn has no safe cycle facility, despite linking two sections of reasonably good quality cycleway. There is a narrow (1.2m) footway which cyclists often (illegally) use but it is too narrow to pass a pedestrian or another cyclist. There is also a low parapet with a risk of a cyclist being knocked over into the river in the event of a collision. This would almost certainly be fatal.

    The 'correct' way to cross the bridge is to rejoin the carriageway, which involves (westbound) crossing on a fast, blind bend then back again after the bridge.

    Possible Solutions:

    1) 20mph limit extended over the bridge - preferably accompanied by average-speed cameras.

    2) Narrow the road and install a wider (Min 3+1 m) shared-use path.

    3) Reduce the road to a single, bi-directional lane with a full-width (2m) cycle lane either side.

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  • St Nicholas to Loke Road link

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    There's an OK cycleway alongside the Bawsey Drain from the Loke Road Junction but the link from the edge of the town centre 20mph zone isn't very good. The section between North Street and Loke Road involves negotiating your way across the multiple lanes of John Kennedy Road which is the northern approach to the town, or illegally using the narrow footway as many people do.


    This section is crying out for one of the three or four lanes to be given back to cycling and walking and the 20mph zone to be extended to the north end of North Street.

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  • Downham Basil/Coriander/Bay 20mph

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    Basil Drive, Coriander Road and Bay Walk are residential streets that probably should be a 20mph zone, at least to avoid sat-nav routing cars that way in preference to Rosemary Way.

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  • Poorly-designed cycleway at junction

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    Between the A10 cycleway and the Hardwick Road cycleway is a complex of sluggish crossings, narrow tracks and dangerous junctions which currently (early 2014) take 7 minutes if you wait for all the crossings. Of course, the red bike lights are only advisory, but then riders and drivers are hindered by the poor visibility at many of the crossings, plus some drivers mistakenly believe that riders should dismount and walk across, to the point of harassing riders who ride across.

    Unsurprisingly, some commuters riding through this junction have developed a number of innovative and, eh, "interesting" approaches to it. This shouldn't be necessary. This junction between the Highways Agency's A47 and Norfolk County Council's A10 and A149 should be cycle-proofed as a high priority, before the planned housing at West Winch and North Runcton.

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  • Woolpack Junction at Tennyson Avenue / Gaywood Road

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    This junction is very important for desire lines to/from the College of West Anglia, but is largely bypassed by through cycle traffic (by some mix of NCN1, the cycle gate into King George V Avenue and routes through North End). It is very busy with motor traffic.

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  • Hardings Way and Connections

    Created by MJR // 4 threads

    Hardings Way is incomplete and frequently under threat. What exists is a fairly good and very popular route from Wisbech Road to Boal Quay, but the route south of Wisbech Road is still not open (2014). Most of the connections are also incomplete: when buses were allowed onto Hardings Way, we were supposed to get improved connecting routes including through the town centre (never happened) and past the Southgates (dangerously botched). Instead, the northern part is under threat of being opened to taxis and minicabs (July 2014 draft Air Quality Action Plan) and there are frequent rumours of it being opened to all traffic, contrary to local and national policies.

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  • King's Lynn Transport Interchange

    Created by MJR // 2 threads

    Some of (the last of?) the s106 money from two out-of-town big box supermarkets is being used to remodel the connections between the bus and rail stations. National Route 1 runs through this area and the bus station may also be Lynn's biggest cycle park, so there's quite a lot of potential for this to do good - or to do harm.

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  • cycle routes around East Anglian coastline

    Richard G // 1 thread

    Hi everyone

    I'm looking on cycling round the east anglian coastline with a group of scouts this summer.

    Has anyone done this & could give hints or suggestions to the routes?

    Sustrans maps show plenty of quiet road type routes, but I'm thinking they are not well signposted.
    the NCR01 route cuts through Norwich rather than round the coast, but I guess may well be better signposted?

    Can anyone help me out with thinking about a route please?
    Thanks
    Richard (Cambridge area)

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  • Downham Market Cycle Network

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    Downham Market has National Route 11 running through it roughly north-south but doesn't have much of a signposted cycle network otherwise. There are some useful cut-throughs so this looks like it could be an ideal market town for cycling with relatively little work.

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  • Gaywood Clock Junction

    Created by MJR // 0 threads

    This junction complex obstructs key desire lines between the Gayton Road cycle track, the shops and National 1. It also has acknowledged air quality problems. The design is a relic of 1980s car-based thinking which even shoved the historic clock to one side http://www.kingslynn-forums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=2548#p2548

    The suggested diversions for Gayton Road - National 1 cycle journeys are a long way round on inferior roads and tracks, plus they don't serve the shops.

    In 2014, Advanced Stop Lines are being added to two approaches to the Queen Mary Road junction, but they only have left-hand entry and crush barriers remain on most corners. (County drawing ref PJ1074-TS-001A)

    This area is crying out for a redesign that discourages through motor traffic and gives more protected space for cycling and walking.

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  • South East King's Lynn Expansion (West Winch/North Runcton)

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    "The adopted Core Strategy designated South East King’s Lynn (this area) as one of the strategic ‘urban expansion’ areas around King’s Lynn. The independent planning inspector who examined the Core Strategy explicitly stated that, compared to the potential alternatives, the expansion areas identified (including South East King’s Lynn) were preferable to the alternatives in meeting the Borough’s need for substantial numbers of additional dwellings over the plan period. It is relatively unconstrained by flood risk and infrastructure problems, etc., and relatively easily accessed and serviced.

    5.2.4 Policy CS09 of the Core Strategy, ‘Housing Distribution’, provides for an allocation here of at least 1600 new homes, with supporting infrastructure. It also identifies this as establishing a direction for future growth beyond the plan period (i.e. beyond 2026). From the sites put forward during the consultation, informed by the work of the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment in connection with the Neighbourhood Plan (see below) a total of 3,000 to 3,500 additional dwellings could be accommodated in the fullness of time. This is indicated diagrammatically in figure 7 of the Core Strategy.

    5.2.5 This is likely to be the largest residential development opportunity in the Borough for many years. It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to form a thriving and vibrant new community immediately south of King’s Lynn. The intention is to integrate a large number of new homes and associated facilities with an existing village community, generate a range of major improvements in a range of areas, and shape a place that promotes a sense of community among its residents, existing and new." (From the Borough Council KLWN, "Preferred Options for a Detailed Policies and Sites Plan", October 2013)

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  • Lynnsport Northern Access Road NCN1/EV12/NSCR

    Created by MJR // 4 threads

    The Sandringham Railway Path is the main cycle route from Lynn town centre to the north, as well as part of National Route 1, EuroVelo route 12 and the North Sea Cycle Route. The councils tried to sneak a bit to the Local Pinch Point Fund to turn part of the cycleway into a fast 30mph drag strip of a road, open to all traffic, to serve the sports centre(!!) and some new housing developments to be built on scrub, sports fields and allotments. As far as we can ascertain, this was the only section of the National Cycle Network under threat from such downgrading. To proceed with that scheme would set a precedent which could have national implications. At the time of reporting this issue, it's now only one option of three possibilities.

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  • Hospital roundabout, King's Lynn

    Created by Rob Archer // 2 threads

    Letter written to NCC today, 08/01/2014. Says it all!

    I visited the roundabout today for the first time since completion en route to Gayton. Whilst it appears to have been constructed to high standard I have to say my fears have been confirmed as to it's usability and safety. I should like to make the following points:

    Eastbound, I used the carriageway. The road was relatively quiet at about 13:00 but traffic speeds seem higher than before and I had a car overtake me then cut left across my path. As an experienced cyclist I anticipated this but a less experienced rider may well have been hit. I accept that whilst this is case of poor driving such a multi-lane road layout encourages this kind of behaviour. To access the new cycle path from the cycle path along the north side of Gayton Road (or from the hospital) would involve crossing all four lanes just beyond the mini roundabout and would be exceptionally dangerous.
    On my return, about an hour later I used the cycle path. It was easy to access from the B1145 but crossing the bypass was very difficult. Drivers leaving the B1145 and travelling south are looking to their right for a gap in the traffic and not looking to the left for a cyclist crossing the road and several drivers appeared confused by the new lane markings and carried on straight ahead onto the bypass whilst indicating to turn left! Crossing the three northbound lanes took 4 minutes 28 seconds at a relatively quiet time of day. The crossing will be impossible to use at peak times without wriggling between stationary vehicles - extremely hazardous with HGVs.

    In my opinion the roundabout is extremely dangerous for cyclists. I would have expected that the Stage 3 Safety Audit would have picked up on these issues. Could you please send me a copy (electronic preferably)?

    I would like to make the following recommendations to be applied immediately if serious injury or death of a cyclist is to be avoided:

    The speed on all approaches to the roundabout should be reduced to 30mph. At the moment it is 60mph which is totally inappropriate for such a sensitive location. (As this will require a modification to the TRO I suggest that temporary speed limits be implemented in the meantime)
    'Cyclists ahead' warning signs (950) be installed on all approaches.
    'Cycle' markings painted on the appropriate carriageway to direct eastbound cyclists to use the roundabout. (We are strongly advising potential users NOT to use the cycle path in this direction because of the difficulty getting onto the eastbound carriageway of the B1145).
    The point at which the path joins the B1145 should be reconsidered. We repeat our call for the path to be extended to the crematorium as soon as possible. In the meantime, extension to a point where a central refuge can be installed is essential.
    In the medium term a toucan crossing should be installed here to cyclists to cross at busy times.
    It also urgently needs sweeping and a maintenance schedule implemented as it was covered in debris presumably thrown up by passing vehicles.

    I'm afraid I cannot overstate the hazardous nature of the roundabout and, in particular the new cycle path. This route is already being used by schoolchildren and their safety must take precedence over 'keeping the traffic moving'.

    Can you let me know as soon as possible what measures will be implemented to improve cyclists' safety. If it would help I would be happy to meet you on-site.

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  • Cycle Parking at West Norfolk NHS/GP/Medical Sites

    Created by MJR // 1 thread

    I have yet to find a NHS site in West Norfolk with cycle parking that is up to standard. Common defects include it being shoved on the far edge of the car park or behind a building, or being inaccessible by bicycle. This might be resolved by the planning process or by the site operators.

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