General Discussion
Are the local road planners bucking the national trend by narrowing all or any roads in the area.The latest being just along from
the Catholic Church,where now it is now unsafe to have two cars and a cyclist passing at the same time.The plan to remove the
bus laybyes at the top of the hill coming into Dawlish sums up the idiot who thought it up.Cars have to wait while passengers
fumble for the fare,and traffic builds up.
Here is the reply from Jamie Hewitt - Highways officer DCC when questioned about the safety of the said road narrowing. He was also asked if the road camber and the tilting effect on tall vehicles had been taken into consideration.
In reply to your email. Yes the running lanes of the A379 are being reduced in width to accommodate the extension of the cycleway into Dawlish town centre but they are still going to conform to Dept. of Transport guidance. As there are already many section of the A379 which are narrow some of which are even to narrow for a centre line we are not fundamentally altering the driving experience of this road.
In the summer when we can realaistcaly expect there to be a car/caraven verses heavy accident perhaps this statement can be remembered. Also note the lack of concern and comment from our elected councillors both town and district.
Is this man for real? Does he not realise the amount of traffic accessing Dawlish town centre, especially at peak periods in the holiday season? How can it be anything other than a backward step to narrow the road at that point, putting all road users in jeopardy whatever vehicles they are using.
In addition to the blatant rejection of safety concerns there was also no comment on how much the work has cost to accomodate a minority group and no explaination of where the money had come from seeing as TDC cant even keep public toilets open. Also no estimation of how many cyclists were expected to use the path and no projection as to what financial benifit this has to the town. There will also be no local by-law forcing cyclists to use the new path instead of the now restricted road.
Total waste of time, money, rescorces, and materials with the end result being inconvienience, delays and disruption. Perhaps local businesses should try to claim compensation
This is a ridiculous state of affairs, I cannot believe this useless piece of cycle path has been sanctioned over the right turn at the Catholic Church. My gob has been well and truly smacked.
They honestly believe this is going to revitalise the town my question is how many cyclists will we gain and how many cars full with kids coming to have a nice day in Dawlish will bypass us to get away from from the traffic jams. This is what will happen a car wants to turn right into Elm Grove but has to wait because of cars heading out resulting in a traffic jam cyclists who wont be using the cycle path will undertake all the cars resulting in dozens of p****** off drivers. Cyclist's don't use cycle paths in the UK they do in Holland why because it's the law and so it should be. Fred and myself keep banging on about this but why spend all that cash when they refuse to use them. But then cyclists dont believe the law applies to them i came very close to killing a lycra lout this afternoon who ran a red light at Jubile bridge when i hit my horn he gave me two fingers i should have hit the bugger but then i would probably be charged with driving without due care and attention. I rest my case.
There was a published article i read cant remember what it was in but it stated "The new cycle path will attract thousands of cyclists and revitalise the town of Dawlish" my thoughts then and now b*********t
from today's Gazette http://www.dawlishnewspapers.co.uk/article.cfm?id=101494&headline=Lack%20of%20cycle%20crossing%20point%20causes%20%20concern§ionIs=news&searchyear=2016
Make's you laugh dosent it "biker Bob" is now a cyling expert, and his mates at TDC design a cycle path with a dead end that leads no where. Also if your on a cycle why would crossing the road be an issue, just turn left or right like all other road users do. Oh forgot that would mean obeying the highway code wouldnt it sorry about that little error.
Anyway now that the "expert" has deemed the cycle path unsatisfactory which indirectly means himself and others wont be using it. Can we expect the road to be re-instated to its previous state and width or will the idiots continue wasting our money on these ludicrous schemes
Cassandra, Jamie Hewitt from my contact with him in the past knows Dawlish well and has a family connection to the town. The narrowing of Exeter Road was the only way to connect the cycle route to Dawlish. I have spoken to the Sustrans Officer and Jamie Hewitt and I believed the access to the Railway Station was via a newly created slope that would link into the steps at Richmond Place. As for where the cycle route would go from there I do not know.
I do agree that the new bit of road nearest Lanhearne should have be curved more to guide the traffic and not left in such an angular design, which is most disconcerting and should be realigned. I also think they should change the law and if a cyclist fails to use a provided cycle path they should be fined for putting other road users in danger.
In my experience, there are already quite a few cyclists who ignore existing legislation (cycling the wrong way down a one-way street, for example) & so I don't think they will take notice of new laws that are passed as no-one will implement them anyway. I still think the whole project is misconceived & will add another bottleneck to what are already multiple bottlenecks on the A379.
I followed at 12mph 3 orange clad cyclists three abreast from Elm Grove Road to Sainsburys one or two frustrated drivers tried to overtake from a few cars back with a few close shaves it strikes me what they want is the road to themselves. I dont mind them constructing cycle paths but no one uses them i havent seen a cyclist on the cycle path for months i have seen plenty on the footpath on the opposite side saw two today on the way back from Sainsburys and in front of me was a police car but they are not interested they have bigger fish to fry. I predict it will be madness at school times with cars quing to turn right into Elm Grove holding up through traffic a lot of this again goes back to decrim when DCC took over Police powers for parking and roads prior to decrim the Police had there say on everything from yellow lines to new road layouts and often put a stop to road alterations. Giving it some thought during the day and i use Exeter Road on a daily basis i haven't seen more than 20 or 30 cyclists on the cycle path in the last 12 months its just not used i see more on the opposite side and loads on the road it is a waste of effort and money.
The reason for starting the thread was after following a cyclist,it was impossible to pass him safely while
cars were coming the other way.Can't wait for a car breakdown at this point.Still Jobsworth has done his
gormless best.
Total waste of time and abuse of public money and as everybody has commented it won't hardly be used. another project for some idiot behind a desk trying to justify their job. The majority of these Protestors (Cyclists) dressed up in their multi-coloured fullbody lycra condoms, silly hats and the "I'm gonna tell on you" cameras make me sick. They claim they're keeping cars off the road and saving the planet but how many have cars on their drives for when it rains. They don't abide by the highway code as they should if they use the roads, often they are seen to jump a red light and swerve around all over the road. What makes it worse is they get preferential treatment, crossings with cycle graphics so they can hold up the road fund paying traffic when they change direction rather than follow the roads, cycle paths and free usage of the roads. A small road fund fee of £10 would go a long way to helping towards the costs they incurr, more would be even better. As for the line of the new kerb, that seems to draw you into the end of the wall and then theres the camber the other side, absolute madness.
Promoting cycling in Dawlish is a positive step forward, reducing pollution, congestion, improving health, less financial burden on the NHS and generally promoting a healthier lifestyle. So what if creating a cycle path did cause some extra traffic. It might make people consider walking or cycling to their destination, rather than getting in their cars for a journey less than 1 mile!
With a large percentage of adults in the UK not even achieving the minimum of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, anything to help increase physical activity is a positive move.
@Digby - doesn't matter if cyclists still own cars, if they're using them less this can only be a good thing. you also mention cyclist don't abide by the highway code. i don't think it's wise to generalise all cyclists over a few incidents you may have witnessed. when i'm driving i often see drivers speeding, on their mobile phones or not indicating, but this doesn't mean i believe all drivers act this way. also, making fun of cyclists is probably just a bit childish really.
All these post sound a bit bias, open your mind and maybe even use the cycle path when it's finished. You might even enjoy yourselves ;)
The point is cyclists dont use the cycle path they use the opposite FOOTpath or the road i have nothing against cyclists but when millions of tax payers money is being spent the least i expect is for them to use what has been built to keep them safe it is that simple. The other point is we are lied to it was said it will attract thousands of cyclists it wont it doesnt attract them now and it wont in the future at best it may get used 200 times per year. Last summer i monitered the cycle path for seven days at the hight of the holliday season and it was used once by a two adults and three children now is that a good use of taxpayers money well in my eyes its not i would dig it up and plant more dafs why because i like dafs and they make folk happy.
@leatash - which cycle path or bit of cycle path was it that you monitored? did you do it all day for those seven days?
I can't say I noted the exact numbers of cyclists I saw using the various cycle paths during the summer or the numbers of more elderly aged cyclists that I saw in the town in September /October of last year, BUT I do know that the number was such that it was noticeable (to me at any rate) and that I remarked about this increase in cyclists to others of my acquaintance.
But I do agree that the A379 can be a night mare of a road especially at certain points on it.
Perhaps, money allowing of course!, there should be a new road built, by-passing Kenton, Starcross and Dawlish. .........
Lynne I monitored it at marine garage i was house sitting at the time and put a webcam on it and recorded 0900 to 1800 daily i should have saved the footage to show how little it is used and just a waste of money my thoughts are that cyclists groups push for these cycle paths because they can.
And the cyclists are pushing at easily opened doors.
So a question to be asked is why are these doors so easily opened?
Why not get rid of the coastal railway line, rip up the rails and sleepers and tarmac it. Then it can be used by cyclists, walkers, etc....!
Driving homealong Sannerville Way at approx 10.50am passed a yellow and black lycra clad cyclist with Exeter Wheelers on his back low and behold no hands on the handlebars talking on his mobile phone Beyond belief
I watched four cycling the wrong way down Brunswick Place at 1330 this afternoon turn left over the bridge then right through red lights they do it all the time.
0912 This morning cyclist with high vis top green back pack ran red lights turning right at jubille bridge.
Maybe they should have to apply for cycle number plate to allow them to use a public highway, so that if they do anything illegal then we could take a pic of their number and report them! Those without the number plates that do not use public highways still can use off road sites like on Haldon or cycle only routes and if they need to go near a road they will have to get off and push their bikes, or they will be breaking the law! There could also be a small yearly fee since they are causing wear and tear on the roads just as much as other vehicles, and this could be put to a pot hole fund, since it is more dangerous if they hit them than any other vehicle apart from a motorbike. A bike is a man made form of transport and every other mode of transport is charged for using a public highway via road tax, so maybe it is time they also contributed something!
Leatash - this morning on Exeter Rd I saw 5 car drivers travelling at 40+mph in the 30 zone, one driver on a phone, and one turning without indicating.
What's your point exactly?
Barbarawils68 - Car tax rates for vehicles less than 100g/km are £zero. Why should cyclists have to pay when those car drivers don't?
I knew this would happen cyclist -v- motorist. Shame as there's a really important point with the uselessness of the currently proposed cycle path, irrespective of whether it's used.
They could increase VAT to 25% on a new bike but my concerne is the money spent on cycle paths that are not used they are not there for show they are there to seperate cyclists from cars and HGV,s its a safety issue. I know that car drivers dont keep within the law speeding,mobiles etc etc but they know if they are seen by a Police Officer they could face prosecution yet cyclists seem imune how many tickets do cyclists recieve for no bell, no lights, its a legal requirment to have a working bell on a cycle most haven't got one. When is the last time you saw a car driving the wrong way down Brunswick Place i have seen so far this week 7 cyclists do it. They used to get fined when we had the Police Traffic Wardens i know for a fact that they issued a large amount of tickets to cyclists for one way street violations no bell or lights after dark and riding on footpaths the problem now nobody enforces the law.
Well maybe the law cannot be enforced because the law enforcement agencies, like other public sector services, are being starved of cash = fewer officers.
The problem is that Police traffic powers ie on minor offences have been watered down the PCSOs have had there traffic powers removed and it was in there remit to deal with cyclists,obstructions etc so now there is no one and peeople know it thats drivers and cyclists alike. The idea was that the CEOs dealt with these things but one they haven't the man power, consider we see one in Dawlish 3 or 4 times weekly for 2 or 3 hours and we used to have 2 full time and 1 part time Police Traffic Warden. The second problem is the legislation is complicated and they just would rather not deal with it. For example a CEO stops a cylist the first problem is he has no powers to do that, then if the cyclist stops how does he get there details he has no powers, so because of the de crim regs a void has been left mainly because it was all done in a hurry and it wasnt thought out properly. De crim came about because it was costing the Police millions to manage tickets and as all fines issued by the Police are paid into goverment central funds it was a loss making exercise. All the Labour goverment of the day had to do was let Police Forces keep all or part of the money from issued tickets and we wouldnt have the mess we have today.