City Cycle Forum Sep 2009
From CycleSheffield
The formal minutes are here. The main items on the agenda were:
Contents |
Green and Open Spaces
The Cycle Forum is writing to the Green and Open Spaces Strategy people to recommend that the by-law banning cycling in parks is rescinded.
Park Square / Commercial Street
Cycle routes around Park Square are to be enhanced, Eventually there should be a segregated cycle route all the way round. This work is being done in parallel with a resurfacing of Park Square, making [cycle part of] the scheme much more affordable, given that it comes out of the year's cycle budget. Related nearby work is a toucan crossing across Pond Hill which awaits road strengthening (over the river underneath) and a cycle contraflow up Pond Hill (Electric Works planning gain) - for now just up to the Queen's Head, the remainder to Pond St is dependent on finding money for this in a future financial year.
20's Plenty For Us
Rod King - the founder of the 20's Plenty campaign - will be coming to the next Sheffield on the Move Forum (22nd October?) to present the campaign there.
City Centre Bike Park
A bike park is planned for the city centre using one of the disused shops that have been vacated for the Sevenstone retail development (itself now on hold). This would exist until the new retail development is built. It would provide cycle parking including showers. There is also the possibility of sale of bike spares & merchandise, or of hosting Dr Bike there. It is hoped to have this operational by the start of January 2010. Given that it would only last until the retail development restarts, it is something of a pilot: If it's seen to be successful this would give a strong impetus to having a permanent version elsewhere in the city. Plaudits to (I understand) the Greens and PedalReady for both having done work behind-the-scenes to make this project happen.
AOB + Cycle Sheffield Members' Issues
- Penistone Road / Hillfoot: On the recent NCN6 ride it was noted that the cycle crossing at Hillfoot/Penistone road didn't seem to have been re-timed to take advantage of the new left turn only lane making this a very long wait.
- This scheme was designed to improve traffic flow, not to change the toucan pedestrian/cycle time
- Corporation Street: Roundabout over river cycle lane: The signal-controlled cycle lane across the centre of the roundabout from Mowbray St to Nursery St is activated by a waiting cyclist. On arriving at this signal traffic is often emerging from Nursery St suggesting that it would be safe to cycle across rather than stop – but the signal is on red and it takes quite a while to wait for the next Nursery St phase. Changing this would speed up cyclist journeys and increase use of this cycle lane.
- Should be no problem to do this.
- Update Nov 09: Response from council misses the point - it was confirmed that the sensor does detect the cyclist, although it was noted that the 'request' the sensor triggers is cancelled if the cyclist goes beyond the stop line. The lights are on a roughly 120 second cycle, or 60 seconds if there's a bus waiting to come the other way.
- West St / Eldon St: The cycle bypass to allow cyclists uphill onto West St has a no-entry sign – is it missing an 'Except Cyclists' sign underneath? (FYI this is easily viewed on Google Streetview)
- To be reviewed
- Abbeydale Road / Fieldhead Road & Staveley Road: How about a toucan crossing on Abbeydale Road at Fieldhead and Staveley Roads? This would allow cyclists to get across more easily in traffic and complement the existing cycle route here. A lot of pedestrians struggle to get across here too.
- From a cycle [budget] perspective there is limited utility provided for the cost of probably £70k - £100k. It would only really be justified on road safety grounds, if such a case can be made.
- However Cllr. Bernard Little noted that there was a lot of latent pedestrian demand for this measure from local families needing a crossing for their kids to get to Mount Pleasant Park - so there may be synergies there.
- The suggestion is to write to the council (such as John Bann - Head of Transport).
- Update Nov 09: This has been put forward as a suggestion for a scheme as a pedestrian crossing, but its chance of success is considered to be low.
- Mappin St - the contraflow lane was "overlooked" when this was made one-way, then delayed by the RNIB re-build. When will this now be implemented?
- Soon
- Update Nov 09: To be implemented this financial year (ends ?April 2010?)
- Clarkson-Osborne building, Penistone Rd - I read in the Telegraph that this is now to be demolished, which is a great shame as it is a classic building of its type. However, it does give an opportunity to sort out this section of the Penistone Rd cycle route, NCN6, which passes too close to the vehicle access points of the building for safety. Could officers please ensure that this problem is addressed?
- This is on the radar for transport planners although it's unclear what will happen here.
- We were advised that Supertram cyclist's safety work would commence during this financial year, but we have yet to see anything on the ground. When is this scheduled for?
- Delayed until next financial year - the work was trumped by other costly projects: Claywheels Lane, Blackburn Valley, Commercial St / Park Square (see above) which got the upper hand because they were cheaper to implement this year rather than next due to matched funding or other major work at the same location giving cost synergies.
- Also noted that this work will be competing with the Broomhall / Hannover Way toucan crossing in the next financial year.
- The good news is the schemes that have happened (or will happen soon) this financial year - including the Blackburn Valley scheme, which extends the off-road cycle route going north from Meadowhall to much closer to Chapeltown.
- Bramall Lane subways - is there any progress on "cycle-ising" this, as it now has cycle lanes approaching from nearly every direction? (With the exception of Bramall Lane - London Rd to the south of St Mary's gate, which would be useful for some journeys)
- The cost of achieving this is fairly high, so it's not considered a good use of the cycle budget. However it is a good candidate for a 'Planning gain' scheme, perhaps as part of the Bramall Lane F.C. development.
- We understand that the Community Forums have a sizeable Small Highways Budget so perhaps some of these enhancements could be funded through this.
- Yes. Andy Wild or Dick Skelton will forward requests to the relevant people.
(Other Cycle Forum reports on the Reports page)
