Q: Cyclists should use the carriageway along with other traffic and not be treated as second class road users.
A: Leeds City Council recognises that cyclists have as much right to use the road network (except motorways) as any other user. On-road conditions for cycling are improved wherever practicable when maintenance takes place and when roads and junctions are redesigned.
In order to encourage more people to cycle, with all the benefits that it brings, signed, safe, easy and convenient routes are required. Such routes will encourage people who would like to cycle but who are currently deterred by major roads and junctions. The routes will also enable us to raise awareness as to just how convenient cycling can be for regular journeys.
It is likely that confident cyclists will bypass some of the facilities proposed as part of the Leeds Core Cycle Network (LCCN), but there will elements that even the most experienced will be thankful for.
Please also note that some sections of the LCCN act as routes to school, and these are designed to be usable by children. In most cases there will be a quicker on-road alternative that more experienced cyclists can take.
Q: Cyclists should never be signed to use footways. Footways are for pedestrians only.
A: National guidance is that footways should be formally designated for shared use between cyclists and pedestrians only as a last resort. There are circumstances where this is the best arrangement overall for road users. Typically these are where traffic lanes are narrow and busy with high speed traffic, and where footways are wide and little used by pedestrians. In such circumstances shared use footways help less confident cyclists. These arrangements can also be very cost effective.
Where pedestrian levels are higher and there is enough space, then arrangements are being considered in which cyclists may make use of a track that is adjacent to a footway.
Q: If you really want to reach the great number of people who could cycle to work, school etc, then pleasant off-road routes should be provided.
A: Unfortunately there are very few opportunities for providing entirely off-road routes into the city centre. Canal towpaths, sections of route along the new East Leeds Link Road and some other facilities have been provided and are proposed but cyclists will generally need to use quiet roads, shared-use footways, cycle lanes and similar for at least some of their journey. The spaces for continuous off-road provision just don’t exist.
We are often asked if we can install cycle tracks (or shared-use footways) alongside busy roads. Even if there is space to do so this can often be prevented by the number of side roads that are required to be crossed. Each side road represents a potential conflict point between cyclists and other vehicles turning in and out of the side road, potentially leading to such facilities being inconvenient and unsafe.
Q: Why aren’t all off road routes lit so they can be used 24 hours a day?
A: In an ideal world we would like to light all off-road cycle tracks. Where the route travels through green space wildlife could be affected, but the main issue is personal safety. An off-road route lit at the end can be inviting for pedestrians and cyclists but in many cases as they travel part way down they find that lights have been vandalised leaving them in a dark area remote from people and housing. They may not be able to spot obstructions on the track and may become vulnerable to attack. This is the view of the police and the risk of vandalism in born out in practice on our existing lit routes. It is unfortunate that we are not able to promote these routes as being usable in the dark.
Q: Why aren’t key cycle routes such as the A65 and A660 Otley Road included in the project?
A: The LCCN project is only one part of the effort being made to improve conditions for cycling. Improving conditions for cycling also forms an important part of many other highway schemes. An example of this is the A65 Quality Bus Initiative; the installed parts of this scheme also improved conditions for cycling and the work beginning later this year work will improve for cyclists the difficult inbound section between the viaduct at Willow Road and the city centre. There are also ongoing studies looking at bus and cycle provision on A647 Armley Road, Easterly Road, A61 Scott Hall Road, and bus and cycle lanes are due for installation on Chapeltown Road in 2009/10. Cycle routes were also embedded in recent road construction schemes on the new East Leeds Link and Inner Ring Road Stage 7.
Q: Why isn’t my route included in the project?
A: There are only limited resources for the installation of cycle facilities. It was decided to concentrate on areas within 7km of the city centre as relatively few people will cycle further for a regular commuting journey. (There are one or two longer routes where good links to schools or bridleways were identified.) We felt that these routes would stand the best chance of reaching the most people.
If the route you want is not included do not despair. Improvements could be provided as part of general traffic schemes plus we are starting to look at what could be in future LCCN schemes.
Q: Why can’t secure cycle lockers be placed at all rail stations and in the city centre?
A: One reason lockers are not provided in the city centre is lack of available space. The other main reason is management and maintenance. At railway stations we have found that if lockers are not managed, i.e. kept locked with keys issued to known individuals, they quickly become misused and vandalised. Other lockers at staffed or unstaffed rail stations have been subject to theft and vandalism, and repair costs have been considerable.
Our current approach is to ensure private, secure cycle parking is provided at all new buildings in the city.
Q: Why can’t cycle lanes be provided on all roads?
A: National guidance is that cycle lanes should be a minimum of 1.5m wide, plus the general traffic lane needs to be a minimum of 3m wide (more on roads faster than 30mph). This road width is not available on many roads. Those that are wide enough often have on-street parking that prevents installation of useful lanes. Double yellow lines can be introduced on streets where houses have adequate off street parking, but many streets in Leeds have terrace housing for which residents have no alternative but to park on the road.
Q: When will the LCCN routes be built?
A: This depends on financial resources. Currently we are looking to install two to three routes per year, but this may increase if funding can be obtained from external sources.
Q: What else is being done for cycling?
A: Lots, including:
- Numerous junction schemes across the city which will include advance stop lines and toucan crossings;
- A scheme to provide cycle parking in shopping areas and other places where members of the public might want to park their cycles (let us know if you are aware of somewhere where cycle stands could be usefully provided);
- The planning process leads to improvements being made by private developers to highways and public spaces;
- The UTravel Active scheme promotes cycling to the universities and includes a staff and student cycle hire scheme;
- Improvements to the Public Right of Way network which will benefit leisure cyclists;
- School Travel Plans and Safe Routes to School;
- Improvements in workplace cycle facilities through the planning process; and
- Cycle training provided to children of about 100 schools annually.
FAQs specific to the Middleton to City Centre Cycle Route
Q: Why build a cycle route up a major hill?
A:We see the main commuter usage of this route being from Beeston, Hunslet and the surrounding areas to the city centre and Cross Green and Aire Valley Employment area. The route creates many other links other than the main radial route itself and most of these are in the relatively flat area north of Middleton Park.
For those who do want to commute to Middleton, the park route offers an off-road alternative to Belle Isle Road or Dewsbury Road / Ring Road Beeston. It also provides an off road link between Middleton, South Leeds High School and the John Charles Centre for Sport.
The route through the park and up the hill was also already in place and its use comes at no cost.
Q: Why run the route around South Accommodation Road when there are more direct links to the city?
A: Running the route this way enables links to Cross Green and the Aire Valley Employment Area linking employment sites to areas of dense housing. It also allowed us to include the link between the Aire Valley Towpath and Trans Pennine Trail National Cycle Network Routes.
Links from the Middleton Route toward the west of the city centre are also being pursued and cycle facilities will be included in general traffic schemes
Q:Why is the towpath used instead of the route along Clarence Road and through the Armouries?
A: We are hoping to come to an agreement with land owners that enable the route to use Clarence Road and avoid the steps that lead to the Towpath. In the meantime the towpath is to be cleared of the vegetation and silt that built up when the towpath was flooded.
Q: Why was it decided to use the footways on Middleton Park Avenue?
A: We went through many design options for the route here. We wanted to provide a safe route to serve the schools in the area and also to provide a traffic free route to Middleton Park.
Site lines were not good enough to provide cyclist priority crossings at the numerous junctions along the road and so we felt unable to recommend this route to all cycle groups as for many commuter cyclists it would prove inconvenient.
Instead we recommend confident cyclists to use the carriageway (which is partially traffic calmed) and gain access to the route proper at Middleton Circus. Novice cyclists and children are now able to use the footways but must be mindful that they