Nutty cycle lane

[jcb]

Thanks guys - hadn't noticed the Dean Lane route, will use that and see you out there Buddha?!

 

[Andrew_P]

*OLD THREAD BUMP*

Okay this junction is on my regular to work commute, agreed it is crap road layout BUT they have made it even worse, and this effects out and back rides, they have now installed a pinch point, where it is tight to get a car and bike through, and we are talking about a road where it is 40mph speed limit, but most are over. The pinch point is a wide island ped crossing. The homeward bound one is more dangerous as I reckon most are travelling around 45-50 approaching, I would say 80% of the time I have an urgent braker who then hovers. On the way home I am going around 20-25mph so its easy for the drivers to misjudge it.

The purpose of bumping is I wonder if anyone knows where I can make a complaint about it?

 

[mr_cellophane]

[QUOTE 717122"]

No, you are not, an exit slip for entry onto the M23 jct 1.
[/quote]
M23 J1 was planned for Mitcham.  I presume you mean J7 the "temporary" start of the M23.

 

[Andrew_P]

I was going to say that too, but I thought it was planned to go on to Wandsworth, many moons ago someone told me they had purchased all the land and property, but changed their mind/could not afford it.

 

[davefb]

*OLD THREAD BUMP*

Okay this junction is on my regular to work commute, agreed it is crap road layout BUT they have made it even worse, and this effects out and back rides, they have now installed a pinch point, where it is tight to get a car and bike through, and we are talking about a road where it is 40mph speed limit, but most are over. The pinch point is a wide island ped crossing. The homeward bound one is more dangerous as I reckon most are travelling around 45-50 approaching, I would say 80% of the time I have an urgent braker who then hovers. On the way home I am going around 20-25mph so its easy for the drivers to misjudge it.

The purpose of bumping is I wonder if anyone knows where I can make a complaint about it?

phone the local council, they probably arent the right people, but surely they'd have an idea who to contact?

might even be an email for 'highways' on their website??

be worth complaining, so that when the accident happens, the person can point out someone had complained about it

 

[Bman]

I take it we're talking about this bit

 

[mr_cellophane]

I take it we're talking about this bit

The island where cyclists are supposed to wait to cross the M23 looks like it has been run over a few times.  The whole 90 degree turn for bikes looks much too tight to do it safely.

 

[siadwell]

I was going to say that too, but I thought it was planned to go on to Wandsworth, many moons ago someone told me they had purchased all the land and property, but changed their mind/could not afford it.

Detailed account here: http://www.cbrd.co.uk/histories/m23/

 

[Andrew_P]

I take it we're talking about this bit

The original poster was reffering to that, I avoid it by timing my approach to try an coincide with a break traffic from the lights at Hooley and " turn right in to those chevrons, I used to use the crossing.

Further back form that just before the Starbucks the have put Ped Traffic light crossing and used one of those staggered large islands, you can get a car and bike though, but it has to get pretty close, Van and lorries is not so possible. It really annoyed me when the we building it I cannot understand how little though went in to it. The Cycle path starts 100 yards after it.

 

[StuartG]

Many Sundays after a long ride I come back through the Merstham 'Gap' as it is the only real breach in the North Downs. Its a bit hairy heading north where the M23/A23 merge where I adopt an aggressive primary in the nearside lane to force traffic into the overtaking lane rather than get caught in a two vehicle/one bike tussle as the lanes merge.

Now that pinch point puts you in the frame again. Getting through alongside a small car is OK but the traffic is coming so fast that you can be sure there will be a wide/long truck following. Standing out as primary takes nerve and is very unwelcome as the vehicles deaccelerate from 70 having just jockeyed for position. I don't blame the motorists who mostly would have no idea why I am blocking and reinforcing conceptions that bikes are a dangerous nuisance.

I really hope something can be done - a protected cycle lane through the lights or complete removal appear to be the only safe options to me.

AFAIR this bit is outside Croydon Borough - so was it Surrey CC who approved the scheme?

 

[Andrew_P]

Many Sundays after a long ride I come back through the Merstham 'Gap' as it is the only real breach in the North Downs. Its a bit hairy heading north where the M23/A23 merge where I adopt an aggressive primary in the nearside lane to force traffic into the overtaking lane rather than get caught in a two vehicle/one bike tussle as the lanes merge.

Now that pinch point puts you in the frame again. Getting through alongside a small car is OK but the traffic is coming so fast that you can be sure there will be a wide/long truck following. Standing out as primary takes nerve and is very unwelcome as the vehicles deaccelerate from 70 having just jockeyed for position. I don't blame the motorists who mostly would have no idea why I am blocking and reinforcing conceptions that bikes are a dangerous nuisance.

I really hope something can be done - a protected cycle lane through the lights or complete removal appear to be the only safe options to me.

AFAIR this bit is outside Croydon Borough - so was it Surrey CC who approved the scheme?

put so much better than me and exactly how I feel on my way home! I think I will bang off a few emails, as you say you can't really blame car drivers as it is not obivous how much it narrows until you are bang on top of it and also Cyclists will be travelling North fairly quickly as it is a nice and gentle downhill stretch.

 

[Andrew_P]

Well I have finally got round to emailing Surrey County council having struggled with this junction and the plain stupid unused ped crossing they installed. I wonder if they will even bother to return my email!

If anyone else uses this section of the A23 it would be great if you could email them too!

 

[gaz]

Took you 2 years to e-mail the council?

 

[Andrew_P]

Took you 2 years to e-mail the council?

Yeah motivated by two shoot close passes this week and the fact they are night time closing for resurfacing at the end of the month, also watching someone try and hold primary before entry to the ped crossing, made me wince tbh. Apathy rules, tend to put up plus feel it is probably a pointless excercise

 

[gaz]

Is it the crossing at the start of the slip road for the M23? Just after the starbucks (used to be wimpy)?