Bike Hire Breakthrough

At last Manchester has a bike hire system with usable bikes and infrastructure. The bikes can frequently be seen in use around the city centre and there are now sufficient numbers of them available for use after initial supply problems.

There are two different types of machine on offer, a straightforward pedal powered bicycle, with hub brakes and gears and a step-through frame and a smaller number of an electric assist version with a motor integrated with the bottom bracket. While the basic bicycle just has a front rack with strap to carry stuff, the electric version also has a rear rack over the battery.

 

 

The great thing about these hire bikes is the way they normalise cycling. The people using these machines are almost all dressed in ordinary clothes with no hi-viz or helmet. Even the TFGM photos reflect this. It is also beneficial from the perspective of driver behaviour as it makes cycling part of the city, not an activity that sets people out as different.

https://beeactive.tfgm.com/cycle-hire/

TFGM's Abandoned Bike Hubs

Not sure whether the TFGM Cycle Hubs themselves have been abandoned, or whether they mostly contain abandoned bikes these days, but the situation I found in Bury and Bolton a few weeks ago looked pretty sad.

These headline grabbing schemes were always a bad idea. The one in Manchester City Centre in an underground car park cost £500,000 which works out at £2,500 for each cycle parking space, and that is only if it was fully utilised. Similarly, the above ground, Bolton hub cost £350,000 for 200 spaces, a mere £1,750 per parking space.

Bolton

On a recent weekday visit to Bolton I saw how the hub has evolved.

While on the outside it still looks like a functioning site, the interior tells a different story

 

 And close up the bikes look like some may have been abandoned.

A total of 7 bicycles on a normal weekday morning in a facility designed for 200 demonstrates the failure of these projects. At a total cost of £350,000 for the facility that is £50,000 per bike!

Bury

A few days later in Bury the situation was much the same and unlike the Bolton hub, this one takes some finding, being hidden away behind the Bury Interchange in the car park. The Bury Local Transport Plan "The cycle hub is remote from the Metrolink and bus facilities...." Though it goes on to say it "lacks capacity." 

 Well it would certainly not appear to lack capacity, at least in its current form. Again there were only 7 bikes in the facility, though these did look in better condition, as if the bicycles are still being used.

There were also plenty of unused bike locks, many of which may have been abandoned,

along with the contents of some of the lockers.

The lesson from all of this is that these schemes were designed to be headline grabbing projects for government ministers to open and had nothing to do with the practicalities of commuting by bike.

They've shrunk Wigan!

I'm returning to a rather old project which got parked in the long grass many years ago. I won't share details yet as I may not have time to finish it, but I will say that it involves maps, specifically maps of cycle routes to complement the route descriptions on this blog. So my starting point was to try and get my hands on copies of all the Transport for Greater Manchester cycle network maps. That didn't succeed, as the 2022 maps are now out of print and TFGM are waiting for all the local councils to update their routes, so despite several attempts I still don't have copies of three of the maps.

So, the alternative approach was to download the PDF versions of the maps and print them out on A3 paper. This turned out to be quite a good way of visualising the GM cycle routes as I could tape the sheets together and make one big GM cycling map, except there was one problem...

The sheets for Wigan, on the left, could be matched up with each other, but didn't fit into the rest of the maps. It took a few attempts before the penny dropped, they are a different scale to the rest of the maps. While the scale on the Wigan maps insist that the map is a 1:16,000 scale, like all the others, it is actually 1:20,000. On closer inspection it is clear that the Wigan maps have been shrunk, rather than re-scaled, with smaller text and narrower lines.

So, possibly ever since they were first produced, the Wigan cycle network maps have been printed with the wrong scale, just one of the many errors that persist in this map series, along with non-existent cycle routes. 

I eventually managed to fit Wigan into the rest of the maps by up-scaling the sheets on the printer, so I can get on with the next stage of the project.

12 years of Popup Bikes

It is now over 12 years since Popup Bikes first opened its doors. I visited it within a couple of months of the opening and wrote a post about it. The place started out aiming at coffee and cycle parking with some bike repair and has evolved into a thriving bike repair operation with coffee. Unlike many mainstream cycle shops in Manchester, Popup has not only survived lockdown it has flourished with a workshop that is busier than ever.

 The workshop soon grew in size and moved down to the far end of the arch.

 The slope now accommodates stock, customer bike parking and the latest acquisition, a mobile workshop in an electrically assisted trailer

There is not just freshly made coffee and snacks now, there is also ground coffee for sale.

 And the cafe area has been improved, though sadly the lawnmower has gone...

I can thoroughly recommend Popup Bikes. Three of my machines have been serviced there and that included a major rebuild of my touring bike and they always do a really good job. May the place thrive for another 12 years!

Deansgate Cycle Slalom

 Deansgate is famous for it's on-street sports events and Manchester City Council seem hell bent on inventing a new one, cycle slalom.

The new northbound cycle lane weaves it's way between pavement and a forest of bollards with priority being given to vehicle parking, loading bays and traffic coming out of side streets.

What's wrong with building cycle lanes that actually go in a straight line along a straight road?

Southbound you are running with the traffic negotiating badly designed bus gates before you are suddenly directed to cross the traffic onto the opposite side of the road only to be dumped back into the traffic just before the end.

Tempted to call it a load of bollards...

Deansgate Closed for Cycling

 Manchester City Council have allowed contractors to close Deansgate northbound for cycling for electrical works.

 #cyclistsdismount

Liverpool Street Popup Cycle Crap

There has been plenty of bullshit around popup cycle facilities in this area.

However, the reality on the ground is pretty dreadful.

Even before I got to Liverpool Street today, this shit blocked the cycle track.



Like many of the dreadful private hire drivers in the area this one has registered their vehicle as a private hire in Wolverhampton...



Mind you once I reached Liverpool Street, a local post person blocked the cycle lane with their van.



After that was the proof, if needed, that temporary cycle facilities, are just that, temporary.

Easily damaged, in this case it looks like a motor vehicle had hit the plastic barriers and blocked the cycle lane.



Salford council clearly couldn't care less about this facility. It is shit. There has been no effort to repair the dreadful road surface.

This is just not good enough!

Boycott Ridelow Manchester

This is so utterly disgusting.

From the Independent:-

A British businessman has been slammed on Twitter after applying to trademark the expressions "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe".

Georgios Demetriou made applications on 6 June to trademark the phrases associated with the vast protest movement following the killing of George Floyd in police custody last month.

Georgios Demetriou is the founder of License to Thrill — which has operated the online bicycle store Ridelow in Manchester since May 2000.

Oxford Road Cycle Track Closure

A whole section of the Oxford Road cycle track, southbound from Charles Street to Brancaster Road has been closed overnight.



It seems that the building work on the old BBC site has been given permission to take over the whole of the pavement and the cycle track.



So the only safe way to cycle along here is to take the centre of the lane to prevent unsafe overtaking.



My bet is they will now simply use the extra space to park vans & cars...



So much for, so called, popup cycle lanes and new infrastructure.

Oxford Street Popup Cycle Lane Closure Signs...

Here's a sorry tale of anti-cycling measures that ends well for a change.

Whilst the executive member of the council appearing on TV extolling the virtues of cycling and walking, the council officers, who are much less enthusiastic about cycling, were making plans to close the cycle lanes on Oxford Street in Central Manchester.

I first noticed the markings on the road...



Then the signs appeared...



However, it turns out that the executive member had seen the plans and blocked them, so words have been had and the signs have been removed.



I know these cycle lanes are pretty crap, but they are better than having a queue of buses up your backside!

Deansgate Victory - Cycle Ban Lifted

Thanks to the assistance of one of the ward councillors the cycling ban on Deansgate has been lifted, at least as far as the signs go.



This is a very important change, because whilst the cycling ban was in place the police could arbitrarily target people cycling in the area, and as we have often seen in the past there are PCSOs who love getting in the local press for their anti cycling campaigns.



I have yet to see the amended traffic order, I understand there were other problems with the one way working past Parsonage Gardens where some very influential people live...

However, the fact still remains that the rest of Deansgate is still a four lane race track when there is plenty of space for popup cycle lanes.

Deansgate Update

I now have a copy of the traffic order, thanks to our local councillor.



The key problem is the Prohibition of Vehicular Traffic. There is no exception for cycles.

Strangely though the signs have been removed this morning, so watch this space...

Deansgate: don't believe the hype.

There has been a lot of bullshit in the past few days about new popup cycle facilities in the media. However the reality on the ground in central Manchester is looking grim. The much vaunted closure of Deansgate is only a short section at the northern end of the street. Here is a video of the full length of Deansgate, shot last Sunday 17th May.



The rest of Deansgate is still being used as a racetrack by motorists now there are few other drivers to block their way. Speeds of 50-60mph are not uncommon.

Not only that but the details of the closure are unclear. The council web site states that "This will provide a shared space for both pedestrians and cyclists." see https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/info/500352/roadworks_and_closures/7959/deansgate_temporary_closure/2 However the signage at the closure is for "No Vehicles"



This indicates that the closure excludes cycling, the Highway Code states the sign means "No vehicles except pedal cycles being pushed by hand"

see page 17 of https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/519129/know-your-traffic-signs.pdf

So either the signage is wrong and needs to be changed or the council web site and press releases are incorrect in saying that this section of the road is open for cycling.

Secondly the signage further south down Deansgate where the road is still open is significantly narrowing the pavement




causing people to have to walk in the road to keep 2m distancing. This is very dangerous, with the dangerous driving along this streatch.

In other parts of central Manchester, like Oxford Road the new writing on the road strongly suggests that cycle lanes are going to be closed in order to widen the pavements.


I may have to resort to FoI requests to find out what the traffic orders actually say.

Irwell Towpath - WTF?

This idiotic design for the new bridge over the entrance to the night soil dock was exposed for all it's shortcomings over the weekend. Some idiot with no experience of the force of the Irwell in flood thought it was a good idea to put in a loose surface!



Large amounts of it got washed away on Sunday leaving this mess!



The crap in the railings show just how high the water reached.

 

Much of the rest of the path is covered in up to 10cm of silt - so it's pretty much out of action for the foreseeable future.

Salford Council fail again!

Deansgate mass bike ride...

Yesterday I saw this group of youngsters riding down Deansgate.



They were pulling wheelies from time to time.



The group was mostly male,



So I'm assuming it had nothing to do with the recent climate protests or Clean Air Week...

Chorlton Cycleway Consultation

The public consultation Manchester City Council's proposed Chorlton Cycleway is now open and will close on the 11th January 2019.

Comments can be made via the link on the webpage.

https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/info/200024/consultations_and_surveys/7699/manchester_to_chorlton_cycling_and_walking_route_proposals/1

Chorlton Cycle Way plans preview

Concept plans for the new Chorlton cycle route have been released to the local press and were featured on local TV this morning.



The key feature from the images in the MEN is that the junctions appear to include separate cycle phases at the traffic lights. This is a huge improvement over the Oxford Road corridor where the junctions are dangerous.

TfGM City Centre Survey

Another poorly publicised TfGM transport survey - this time about the city centre.

Time to ban the motor vehicles...!

https://www.tfgm.com/your-city-centre



Survey closes 17th October 2018.

Ellenbrook Loopline

The Ellenbrook Loopline is a short 1.4km rail path from the Leigh Guided Busway at Newearth Road to the Roe Green Loopline, east of Parsonage Road. There has been a path of sorts here for some time, but it never seemed worth a post as it was in very poor condition and was blocked at the western end. However, Salford council upgraded the path last year and the path now makes a useful and usable link.



The entrance off the busway path is well signposted and marked with clear signage, though it is debatable as to how long these will last, given that some have been vandalised elsewhere.



There is a token barrier as you join the path, but nothing too difficult for a bike and trailer or trike.



The first striking thing you notice when you join the path is the surface, it's fantastic!

Compared to the grit strewn, noisy, uneven busway path this is a delight. It is 50% recycled tyres and so quiet. It is also slightly soft and very grippy, so far, far safer than the dreadful surfaces covered in grit. It also has a well laid, even finish and looks like it is porous, so water can drain through it.

This should set the standard for all new rural cycle routes!



The route starts on the old railway route,



but drops off the line of the railway on the approach to Mather Fold Road.



Here there is a bit of a diversion round the gates close to the old Valve House - left of the photo below.



Again there are barriers, but not too much of a problem.



Then back up onto the railway route.



However at Hilton Lane there is a missing bridge, so the path drops quite sharply to road level.



A somewhat odd combination cycle/pedestrian crossing doesn't feel particularly safe and not sure about it's legal status...



On the other side of the road the gradient is really steep. According to the plans this shouldn't be any steeper than 1 in 12, but with a sharp corner half way up it's a bottom gear climb or get off and push, with steps for walkers.



Next the bridge takes the path under the railway,



and then opens out for a short while before closing in again



and curving round to the left to join the Roe Green Loopline.



The entrance at this end is marked by another of the large rectangular sign.



The upgrade has turned a difficult muddy route into a useful short link with a fantastic surface. It's so quiet you can enjoy the sound of the birds as you cycle along.