Show them how good it is

[G3CWI]

I have started making some videos documenting typical commute journeys in Macclesfield. Our Local Authority is keen to promote active travel so I thought they might like to see it from the perspective of a user. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuPQ5u139IE-ox9lEGi_Kyw?view_as=subscriber
Do subscribe to catch the next thrilling instalment!

 

[sheddy]

Good work.
Maybe try to mention safe cycling provision for children (and the less confident).

 

[G3CWI]

Maybe try to mention safe cycling provision for children (and the less confident).

Good points. I will work that into the next one. What I plan to do is to cycle along all the main routes into town to evaluate their cycle friendliness. I will also walk into town a few ways. The thing that struck me today was that I saw no other cyclists - not even one. That should ring alarm bells (but won't).

 

[mjr]

The guy doing the intro (you?) needs not to tilt his head back so far. That looks odd. Is he straining to see himself in a screen?

Henbury to Town Hall vid is OK. That's a pretty rubbish cycle lane. Also, the narration says 1.5m is the minimum, but the current edition of Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN 1/20) says 2.0m. I expect it's also got more detail on things like junctions.

At 2m55, the video refers to the cycling infrastructure having disappeared, but the blue signs are still up so you could still ride there, but I agree with the video in that the point wasn't obvious: there doesn't seem to be any direction sign on entry and the infra doesn't appear to continue after the roundabout. It looks from maps like it may have been just to reach the Toucan before the roundabout and use it to turn right into the cycleway to Brooklands Avenue.

The concluding comment about not seeing another cyclist seems unremarkable to me: route planners seem to send cyclists to Victoria Road for that journey, 0.3miles longer but on much quieter roads. How was the route selected?

Good production quality and interesting to see how things are elsewhere. For comparison, my usual ride to town is
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abaqaCUzaFg
then Highways England's disaster zone at
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyqI-IUj8io
then
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpbKTu6clI
- the videos are nowhere near as good as yours.

 

[G3CWI]

The guy doing the intro (you?) needs not to tilt his head back so far. That looks odd. Is he straining to see himself in a screen?

Henbury to Town Hall vid is OK. That's a pretty rubbish cycle lane. Also, the narration says 1.5m is the minimum, but the current edition of Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN 1/20) says 2.0m. I expect it's also got more detail on things like junctions.

At 2m55, the video refers to the cycling infrastructure having disappeared, but the blue signs are still up so you could still ride there, but I agree with the video in that the point wasn't obvious: there doesn't seem to be any direction sign on entry and the infra doesn't appear to continue after the roundabout. It looks from maps like it may have been just to reach the Toucan before the crossing and then turn right into the cycleway to Brooklands Avenue.

The concluding comment about not seeing another cyclist seems unremarkable to me: route planners seem to send cyclists to Victoria Road for that journey, 0.3miles longer but on much quieter roads. How was the route selected?

Good production quality and interesting to see how things are elsewhere. For comparison, my usual ride to town is
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abaqaCUzaFg
then Highways England's disaster zone at
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyqI-IUj8io
then
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpbKTu6clI
- the videos are nowhere near as good as yours.

Thanks. It’s a first attempt. I smiled about your comments on Victoria Road. I live on that very road and it will be featured in another video. Noted on the blue signs. Macclesfield has quite a bit of lost and orphaned infrastructure. Again I feel another video on that might be interesting.

 

[Hacienda71]

You have to do the Tytherington Cycle Lane in both directions, go too fast and you might crash or get air! To be honest apart from before the Shell garage heading South I don't use it as it is plain dangerous.

 

[G3CWI]

You have to do the Tytherington Cycle Lane in both directions, go too fast and you might crash or get air! To be honest apart from before the Shell garage heading South I don't use it as it is plain dangerous.

It's on my list!

 

[mjr]

Macclesfield has quite a bit of lost and orphaned infrastructure. Again I feel another video on that might be interesting.

Yes, it might. I spotted on streetview some isolated little blue bike+arrow signs, plus cycle route signs to "Upton Priory" starting from Jordangate so maybe there were signposted routes once upon a time, but there seems very little infrastructure on the route, most of the reverse "Town Centre" signs are missing and I'm not sure how they expect cyclists to get from the town hall to Jordangate to start with, with all those one-ways trying to send people back out to that nasty inner ring race track.

 

[G3CWI]

@Hacienda71 Today I have braved Manchester Road in Macclesfield. Enjoy.
View: https://youtu.be/IXaio--SKwY

 

[G3CWI]

Today I prove that some designers of cyclepaths have no idea how they are actually used.

View: https://youtu.be/wUMFV51uoXY

 

[Hacienda71]

According to Strava I have ridden that way along Priory Lane 138 times. I have never ridden on the cycle lane. In contrast I have ridden North bound on the A34 from Monks Heath /Alderley Park to Wilmslow 574 times of which I would say 99% have been on the cycle lane. It is a lovely segregated lane with no sudden changes in level direction or intersections. Not sure what that says apart from shite lanes are underutilised as they don't appeal to people on bikes.

 

[G3CWI]

According to Strava I have ridden that way along Priory Lane 138 times. I have never ridden on the cycle lane. In contrast I have ridden North bound on the A34 from Monks Heath /Alderley Park to Wilmslow 574 times of which I would say 99% have been on the cycle lane. It is a lovely segregated lane with no sudden changes in level direction or intersections. Not sure what that says apart from shite lanes are underutilised as they don't appeal to people on bikes.

Can I encourage you and others to comment directly on the videos on YouTube? I know that some Councillors are viewing the videos and feedback there would be useful. Thanks!

 

[G3CWI]

Someone asked my to do a video about how the Middlewood Way connects to the town centre. Here it is! If you do have any comments please comment on YouTube if possible and I know that some Councillors are watching these videos.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij9wFg-RHrk

 

[mjr]

@Hacienda71 Today I have braved Manchester Road in Macclesfield. Enjoy.
View: https://youtu.be/IXaio--SKwY

Most of it's great but I think you're a little harsh on the cycle track. Walkers using it is probably due to few cyclists using it and them expecting bells if any are, but there doesn't look much wrong with it in itself except it gives way and has an unmarked crossing of that side road (and that is sufficient for braver riders to remain on road - it shouldn't happen if built to today's spec - are there even any warning signs for crossing road users?) and that it connects nothing much to nothing much yet (but all networks start somewhere... but I guess that one hasn't developed in many years).

That said, there's not much right with it either!

I don't comment on youtube because it's a pig to log in there.

 

[G3CWI]

Most of it's great but I think you're a little harsh on the cycle track. Walkers using it is probably due to few cyclists using it and them expecting bells if any are, but there doesn't look much wrong with it in itself except it gives way and has an unmarked crossing of that side road (and that is sufficient for braver riders to remain on road - it shouldn't happen if built to today's spec - are there even any warning signs for crossing road users?) and that it connects nothing much to nothing much yet (but all networks start somewhere... but I guess that one hasn't developed in many years).

That said, there's not much right with it either!

I don't comment on youtube because it's a pig to log in there.

Noted - thanks for the feedback. With these paths, for me, the real measure of success is how many people use them. They are definitely used (good) but by a minority of cyclists (bad). When I am bored one day I will have to sit along there and do a survey of some sort.