So this weekend I went for a walk to see if they had been installed...
As I approached it became clear that there was something very wrong.
One Armadillo was on the pavement, a second was in the middle of the cycle lane,
and a third had been smashed into three pieces.
The one in the cycle lane was intact,
but the one on the pavement had also suffered damage.
There were also some bolts lying in the cycle lane.
In order to try to reduce the danger by putting the detached armadillos and the bolts into the scrub by the side of the pavement where they could do no further damage.
This passing rider clearly demonstrated how safe he thought the lane was by sticking very firmly to the road.
Salford council are clearly keen to hear our views on this....
email cyclesalford@urbanvision.org.uk
This instalation has proved just how useless these armadillos are. If they cannot survive for one week in this situation then they are totally unacceptable on schemes like Oxford Road.
Furthermore the experience in Camden is that they also fail to protect the cycle lane from parking vehicles.
I hope TfGM have learnt the lessons from this and avoid cheap and nasty cycle infrastructure.
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I just sent an email to cyclesalford asking when repairs would take place and how much budget had been allocated to ongoing repairs to ensure the safety of cyclists.
ReplyDeleteThe Armadillos were not installed correctly and will be reinstalled by the manufacturers next week - this is what Camden thought of them after 12 months..
ReplyDeletehttp://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/learned-speaking-camdens-transport-boss-cycling/
I suppose the best people to steak to are the cyclists that use them everyday - Camden cyclists and their response to Rob Cole's article
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/camden-defends-use-of-cycle-lane-segregation-18812
Ultimatley their success has to be down to improving cyclists safety - TfL stated
“; it is a safety scheme first and foremost. 50% more cyclists and 0 accidents down from an average of 1 serious and 3 slights per year previously” in regards to the Camden installation of Armadillos.
And what is your source for this "information"?
ReplyDeleteThe broken one I examined looked like very poor quality plastic, so I do not expect the replacements to survive much longer...
The average accidents are from the feasibility study carried out by Camden council in the year after.
DeleteThey can be confirmed by someone involved in the Camden scheme from the outset.
Brian Deegan now at TfL, email BrianDeegan@tfl.gov.uk
They're not built to be hit from 90 degree angle which they were. They will all be removed and re-installed by the supplier in the next 2 weeks.
I sincerely hope I'm not forced to ride over these whilst on a motorcycle or serious injury could occur. Have these people no common sense.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the the one placed in the middle of the cycle lane (particularly as a tricycle rider, but also on a bike). I assume it's warning of the manhole cover, but it's a bigger hazard that that is.
ReplyDelete