Post by Bracken Van Ryssen on Mar 7, 2015 14:53:43 GMT
Solihull council have proposed a new set of south-bound bus lanes along Lode Lane to alleviate congestion and improve bus journey times.
All the bus lanes will permit cycling and there will be some area improvements in the area surrounding Henley Crescent. The consultation
is running until the 23rd March and the plans and consultation response questionnaires can be found here. Below is the initial draft for the
official campaign response to the plans, if you have anything you wish to add before it is submitted please let us know.
General Comments
The proposed bus lanes clearly will offer significant benefit to public transport users, particularly those that travel between the north and
south of the borough, and are a definite move in the right direction to make public transport more attractive and viable for all.
However it is important to note that while the plans deliver benefits for sustainable travel through increased bus ridership, the project offers
little benefits to cycling and should not be labelled as anything other than a public transport initiative unless specific alterations are made to
increase cycling safety. While bus lanes can offer some safety benefits for confident and fast cyclists that are able to outpace buses, bus lanes
do not offer an attractive proposition to ordinary bike users. One of the bigger risks of slower bicycle users using the bus lane is the 'leapfrogging
effect' whereby a bus overtakes and then pulls into a stop, allowing the rider to overtake before the bus overtakes yet again. The constant
overtaking manoeuvres (necessitating leaving the lane, which may be difficult in heavy traffic conditions) as well as the entry and exit of bus lay-bys
increase the conflict points between buses and bicycle users.
Henley Crescent Area
The closure of the service road entry points and the reduction in the width of the remaining road mouth are definite improvements to the cycle
route running through this section of Lode Lane. Reducing the time spent stopping and starting at road mouths as well eliminating the majority of the
conflict points delivers a welcome improvement. As well as this,the entry point changes also provide an opportunity for the cycle route currently
running along the pavement to be shifted onto the service road itself. This provides an improvement in surface quality and space for bicycle users
as well as working towards eliminating cycle-pedestrian conflict through this area. The service road itself is extremely quite during the majority of
the day and this will provide a good alternative to the bus lanes for the majority of bicycle users. Although this approach will require a cut-through
to be created through the gate separating the service road and Bramcote Drive, it will deliver a large improvement with minimal work.
Solihull Hospital Area
Cycling provision in this area is non-existent which is unfortunate as it is a major route into the town centre for all other modes of transport. If negotiations are proposed to use hospital land for the widening and relocation of part of the road, it would be an ideal opportunity for cycle infrastructure to be provided. Possibly in the form of a footpath style cycling track running parallel to the road on the inside of the hospital car park. If linked to the town centre this could provide an active travel route to and from the hospital right through the town centre and linking to Tudor Grange Park and the Blossomfield area.
Connection to Poplar Road via Warwick Road parking zone
As mentioned above the final connection to the town centre is key and the plans show an effective improvement for bus travel eliminating the difficult turns into and out of Poplar Road. However the pinch point shown in the cut-through to the Warwick Road parking section looks worryingly narrow and may cause conflict between bicycle users and buses, ideally a curb protected lane alongside this section would negate the issue and provide an improvement to current facilities.
All the bus lanes will permit cycling and there will be some area improvements in the area surrounding Henley Crescent. The consultation
is running until the 23rd March and the plans and consultation response questionnaires can be found here. Below is the initial draft for the
official campaign response to the plans, if you have anything you wish to add before it is submitted please let us know.
General Comments
The proposed bus lanes clearly will offer significant benefit to public transport users, particularly those that travel between the north and
south of the borough, and are a definite move in the right direction to make public transport more attractive and viable for all.
However it is important to note that while the plans deliver benefits for sustainable travel through increased bus ridership, the project offers
little benefits to cycling and should not be labelled as anything other than a public transport initiative unless specific alterations are made to
increase cycling safety. While bus lanes can offer some safety benefits for confident and fast cyclists that are able to outpace buses, bus lanes
do not offer an attractive proposition to ordinary bike users. One of the bigger risks of slower bicycle users using the bus lane is the 'leapfrogging
effect' whereby a bus overtakes and then pulls into a stop, allowing the rider to overtake before the bus overtakes yet again. The constant
overtaking manoeuvres (necessitating leaving the lane, which may be difficult in heavy traffic conditions) as well as the entry and exit of bus lay-bys
increase the conflict points between buses and bicycle users.
Henley Crescent Area
The closure of the service road entry points and the reduction in the width of the remaining road mouth are definite improvements to the cycle
route running through this section of Lode Lane. Reducing the time spent stopping and starting at road mouths as well eliminating the majority of the
conflict points delivers a welcome improvement. As well as this,the entry point changes also provide an opportunity for the cycle route currently
running along the pavement to be shifted onto the service road itself. This provides an improvement in surface quality and space for bicycle users
as well as working towards eliminating cycle-pedestrian conflict through this area. The service road itself is extremely quite during the majority of
the day and this will provide a good alternative to the bus lanes for the majority of bicycle users. Although this approach will require a cut-through
to be created through the gate separating the service road and Bramcote Drive, it will deliver a large improvement with minimal work.
Solihull Hospital Area
Cycling provision in this area is non-existent which is unfortunate as it is a major route into the town centre for all other modes of transport. If negotiations are proposed to use hospital land for the widening and relocation of part of the road, it would be an ideal opportunity for cycle infrastructure to be provided. Possibly in the form of a footpath style cycling track running parallel to the road on the inside of the hospital car park. If linked to the town centre this could provide an active travel route to and from the hospital right through the town centre and linking to Tudor Grange Park and the Blossomfield area.
Connection to Poplar Road via Warwick Road parking zone
As mentioned above the final connection to the town centre is key and the plans show an effective improvement for bus travel eliminating the difficult turns into and out of Poplar Road. However the pinch point shown in the cut-through to the Warwick Road parking section looks worryingly narrow and may cause conflict between bicycle users and buses, ideally a curb protected lane alongside this section would negate the issue and provide an improvement to current facilities.
