Cycle Lane Maintenance - Who's Responsible

[top-tube]

Cycling out to Forth Road Bridge on Saturday, I took the NCN 1 which follows the A90. Between Cramond Brig and Dalmeny, the cycle path is essentially the footpath by the A90. I hit a 'speed bump' in the path, caused by a tree root growing under the path, which had lifted the height of the tarmac to form the bump: this was also a shaded section so visibility not great in the drizzle. Lost control after going over the bump, and ended up crashing into the verge about 10 yards on.

Grazed my thigh, shredded my shorts, and my beloved Raleigh Pursuit strangely 'gave' on the top tube and down tube just behind the head tube, bending back the head tube and forks and effectively significantly shortening the wheelbase: strange the forks didn't give way instead of the main frame.

Anyway, frame was cheap ebay purchase (£31), Aldi shorts (£8), so not much lost financially, and in terms of injuries, it could have been a lot worse. Managed to limp home, but the frame is a write off.

At the very least, I think I should write to the council (if they are responsible for footpath maintenance) to alert them to this potentially dangerous stretch of cycle lane. I'm not a litigious person, so don't intend pursuing for anything else.

Any advice please on who is responsible for cycle lane upkeep, and what I should do?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

As it is part of the NCN it is going to be Sustrans and/or the Local Council.

Cycling out to Forth Road Bridge on Saturday, I took the NCN 1 which follows the A90. Between Cramond Brig and Dalmeny, the cycle path is essentially the footpath by the A90. I hit a 'speed bump' in the path, caused by a tree root growing under the path, which had lifted the height of the tarmac to form the bump: this was also a shaded section so visibility not great in the drizzle. Lost control after going over the bump, and ended up crashing into the verge about 10 yards on.

Grazed my thigh, shredded my shorts, and my beloved Raleigh Pursuit strangely 'gave' on the top tube and down tube just behind the head tube, bending back the head tube and forks and effectively significantly shortening the wheelbase: strange the forks didn't give way instead of the main frame.

Anyway, frame was cheap ebay purchase (£31), Aldi shorts (£8), so not much lost financially, and in terms of injuries, it could have been a lot worse. Managed to limp home, but the frame is a write off.

At the very least, I think I should write to the council (if they are responsible for footpath maintenance) to alert them to this potentially dangerous stretch of cycle lane. I'm not a litigious person, so don't intend pursuing for anything else.

Any advice please on who is responsible for cycle lane upkeep, and what I should do?

 

[HLaB]

Edinburgh City Council may be approached but my advice would be to avoid that section its cr@p. A while ago somebody advised me to instead go by Burnshot Road from Crammond (the airport road) then turn right up the road to the Queen Elizabeth yard and left at the crest of the hill by it. At the end turn right on to the B8000 which leads to the FRB. I like to turn right into the pfs and take the road behind (but the east side of the bridge is closed just now and you have to take the accesss road to the other side) or you can stay straight and turn right at the signalised rbt and go down the slip road onto the west side of the bridge. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though and I hope you are OK.

 

[fimm]

Might be worth telling Spokes (Lothian cycle campaign) about it - they can't do anything to fix the path, of course, but stats about cyclists having accidents due to poor infrastructure are useful to that kind of organisation.

 

[Daniel T]

Don't get me started on crappy cycle paths!

There's one path that covers about 4-5 miles of my commute and is on a semi rural stretch. I often get the feeling that cars passing me (I don't touch this stretch of path lol) on the road are wondering why I'm not making use of such brilliant council facilities!!!

Some of the cracks on the path, (a crack every 20 yards or so) have bloody huge weeds growing clear out of it, When I first used it I hit some cracks at about 20mph that felt like mini potholes.......never again.

I'm always ready to shout "it's a ROAD bike!!!".....but so far have never been asked why I'm riding on the road rather than the 'cycle' path

 

[summerdays]

As far as I know Sustrans never owns a path ... and normally it is the local council that maintains them but presumably some paths do cross private land.

 

[_aD]

Surely highways are maintained by the county authority and cycle tracks/lanes are treated the same? (Possible wishful thinking)

 

[HLaB]

Just a quick thought as the path runs next to a trunk road it might not be the responsibility of the Council but the Trunk Road Authority (Transport Scotland) and they will have franchised its maintenance out; I can't remember who they use there BEAR or AMEY or someone else.

 

[kenuk1]

Top_tube - Sustrans generally have a local area co-ordinator for sections of NCN routes they liaise with local councils, so you can raise the issue with them, drop me a PM and I'll see if I can get the contact for your area.

 

[top-tube]

Thanks for the advice guys. In the first instance, I've emailed maintenance@sustrans.org.uk, and sent them pictures of the bump in question.