However, if you are using it to cycle north west you are in for a nasty shock...
It is tricky to cross junctions on the wrong side of the road, and here at the junction with Great Jackson Street the road eats into your space making curved give way lines.
Carrying on it doesn't seem too bad,
but if you are aiming to go north up towards Deansgate then the most obvious thing to do is take this left turn.
However, as these two lads find, you are simply dumped into the path of oncoming traffic.
The large raised traffic island then gets in your way, making things even more dangerous.
From here on it is anyone's guess, one of them goes straight on to the pavement whilst the other dives left across the road.
He did make it across safely, leaving his mate going up the pavement on the other side of the road.
This is one of the worst examples of dangerous cycling half-measures in Manchester, that I have found. I know of one person who was hit by a car here 10 years ago, and I am sure there have been more. I think this was a facility that was unfinished, rather than designed to be this dangerous, but either way round it should never have been left like this.
I find it far safer to stick to the road going north east on Chester Road, and avoid this track altogether.
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Pedestrians and cyclist are not helped by the number of cars that ignore red lights, especially at the Chorlton Road and Chester Road slip road.
ReplyDeleteI agree this is shocking, i don't want to know the number of times I've angrily clambered across that massive island while cars bore down on me.
ReplyDeleteShit.
Agree with the comment above. I use this every day (outbound of Manchester) and the number of red light jumpers is amazing.
ReplyDeleteWhats also bad is left turn off Great Jackson St onto the cycle trail - the curb joining the track and the road is so high i very nearly crashed on it at slow speed. That would have been fun - rolling off into a dual carriageway!
I do this route daily.
ReplyDeleteI am aiming for oxford road. If you keep right here you are dumped into (quieter) oncoming traffic just a few meters down and then have to turn the corner up Hewitt Street. That corner is safe in this direction but heading out of town the number of cars who cut it expecting nothing to be coming leaving no room even for a bike is insane.
I did a ride there recently as I was co-leading a proposed Breeze Ride to the Bike and Tri show. We abandoned our plans for organising a lead ride because it was simply too dangerous.
ReplyDelete