Salford's Substandard Cycle Lanes

Liverpool Street in Salford is a very wide, straight, busy road with cycle lanes on both sides. With all this space and a two metre wide echeloned zone in the centre I would hope to see full width cycle lanes on both sides. Cycle-friendly Infrastructure states that:-

Cycle lanes on links should be a minimum of 1.5m and 2m wide wherever possible. (11.3.2 pg46)

So are these lanes 2.0m wide?



Nothing like it!



Even measuring to the outside of the cycle lane white line these lanes are only 1.4m wide, less than the guidance minimum, and this on a road that could easily take 2.0m wide lanes on both sides.



These lanes are also in poor condition and have intruding drains.



However, these are not the narrowest cycle lanes in the area. Take a look at this cycle lane at the eastern end of Eccles New Road. The lane starts off at around 1.4m wide then narrows suddenly.



Even worse you are then squeezed against a dangerous solid barrier.



This section of the lane has less than 0.20m of usable road surface between the double yellow lines and the white line.



In fact it is less than 0.9m wide, even if you include the gutter, the double yellow and the white lines.






It is just as bad on the opposite side of the road.



It is, of course, of a high enough standard to be included in the National Cycle Network as Route 55.



Salford Council must be proud of it!