In this piece, community reporters Jill and Mik talk about the pitfalls of cycle lanes that run behind bus stops.

On Royal College Street

Jill: I didn’t know this was part of the cycle path until the bike got closer on Royal College Street. It looks like part of the pavement but it’s not it’s a cycle path!

Mik: Blimey Jill. That’s so dangerous. How would anyone visually impaired know they were on a cycle lane? It’s so inaccessible and dangerous. Shocked at our council!

On Chalk Farm Road

Mik: I’ve just been for a walk around Camden and notice no zebra crossings have been painted on the crossing to and from the bus stop on Chalk Farm road! The tactile paving is there, but there’s nothing to tell cyclists they have to stop for people crossing for the bus. These marked crossings need painting on ASAP or there is a chance of injury or worse.

Jill: Maybe it would be a good idea to move the bus stop completely to a new bit of the road and not have a cycle lane where the bus stop is because cyclists are not going to listen or stop to let passengers get on a bus.

On cycle lane bus bypasses in general

Mik: I’ve just been sent these photos during an online discussion about bus bypass cycle lanes.

 

They show bus stop shelters installed on the island separated from the pavement by a cycle lane. They take up almost the entire width of the island meaning a wheelchair user would have difficulty getting to the zebra crossing over the cycle lane.

Both are in Camden so again our council needs to stop the roll out of infrastructure that is discriminatory.

Jill: I researched cycle path schemes in different countries to find ones that are safe and work for everybody. Here’s what I found:

 

Mik: The problem is this isn’t legal here unless there are mitigations put in place for access. This video is about cycling, not access for disabled people.

In the video there is no mention of people who are visually impaired knowing when the cycle lane is clear for example.

If they are rolled out in the UK without adaptation to improve accessibility disabled people with be more disadvantaged than they are already.

Jill: But the cycle routes are much better than the ones we have in this country and people in wheelchairs in mobility scooters will be able to use the cycle lanes as well in a safe way and people getting on the buses will be safe as well.

END

To read a blog about what can happen when there are no  bus bypasses click here