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For the past week I’ve not been cycling to work, I’ve been using the tram. I cycled in on Monday but the cycle path alongside the dual carriageway was icy so I used the road. It wasn’t much fun. Many cycle paths in Sheffield are still not cleared/gritted, even the ones adjacent to trunk roads. The cycle path is still covered in ice.

How about the rest of the country? Here are some perspectives from Twitter.

We’re at the Sheffield on the Move forum – having a go at poor snow clearance on footpaths & cycleways. #sotm

— cycleSheffield (@cycleSheffield) January 24, 2013

Argh! Icy cycle paths, hasn’t snowed in Sheffield for ages! Look at the alternative, This is why I’ve not been cycling twitter.com/Mattturner86/s…

— Matt Turner (@Mattturner86) January 25, 2013

The scene on Upper Hanover Way, Sheffield tonight. Roadway nice & clear:peds & cyclists sliding about. twitter.com/cycleSheffield…

— cycleSheffield (@cycleSheffield) January 22, 2013

In Sheffield we’ve seen a number of transport schemes that have not adequately taken cyclists requirements into account. The council conduct Road Safety Audits on most highway schemes but these do not have a specific section where cyclists needs are considered.

Sheffield Council have committed in many places over the years to conducting cycle audits for highways projects however this has never been implemented and none have ever been done.

The DFT have published guidance on how to integrate cycle audits into the normal RSA process (already in use in Sheffield), and I beleive Sheffield council should use this guidance.

So, my question to the council. When will you implement cycle audits for all highways improvement schemes as promised?

Council 4th April 2007, the following motion passed:

(ix)    requiring all transport schemes over £50,000 in value to undergo a Cycle Audit to ensure the needs of cycle users are considered;

Sheffield Cycling Action Plan July 2006:

Action Point 10: All transport schemes over £50,000 in value will undergo a Cycle Audit to ensure that the needs of cycle users are considered.

South Yorkshire Cycle Action Plan April 2011:

 

6.22 … In addition, we will undertake a cycle audit of all highways improvement schemes to ensure they improve the safety and convenience of cycling.

Sheffield City Council has in the past given cyclists assurances that they will design new infrastructure for cycling in line with best advice.

At a full council meeting on 4th April 2007 the following motion was passed.

x) requiring the design of cycle routes and facilities to be in accordance with advice and recommendations contained within the Draft Local Transport Plan.

A few years ago the Department For Transport announced £600 million investment for the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, the LSTF.

The biggest funding source for local transport authorities for Sustainable Transport is the LSTF, the fund was designed to pay for projects from 2011 to 2015, there are 96 projects across England. What did the Department for Transport hope to achieve with this? They set out their vision for ideas in this helpful illustration. The suggestions for cycle infrastructure don’t give me any confidence that the LSTF will have much of an impact on cycling.

I couple of months ago I highlighted the dangers to cyclists of a new junction in Sheffield City Centre at Furnival Gate/Pinstone Street.

The problem is clear for everyone to see, there isn’t enough room to use both the cycle and road lane with the result that cyclists next to vehicles are dangerously squeezed out.

Warning! This story is long and winding and may induce a feeling of disillusionment and hopelessness. Take a deep breath and prepare yourself before reading, we’re entering the mysterious world of local council highway design!