Broken Bollards, Temporary "Repair"

Last month I put up a post about the top set of plastic bollards on Middlewood Street being broken.




The two bollards were lying in the grass verge amongst the rubbish.



Anyway, it looks like someone from the council has done a bit of a "repair job"...

This does not amount to maintenance at all!



A keep right sign has been used to prop up one of the bollards, even though they don't seem to have succeeded in getting it back into the hole.



The other bollard is now nowhere to be seen...



How long before a passing HGV sends the sign and bollard flying?

Response to Wilmslow Road Consultation

This is my response to the Wilmslow Road consultation on the proposed new cycle route.
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I support these proposals from the principle of providing safe segregated cycle tracks along the length of this route. This route is one I currently avoid when cycling because I consider it to be too dangerous. This is because of the large number of buses, poor driving, bad parking and conflict with drivers looking for somewhere to park. Whilst this design will do nothing to improve any of these it will reduce the impact of all of these on people cycling.

Apart from the plans for Oxford Road these are the only proposals which approach the standard required to enable cycling as an everyday mode of transport in Manchester.

These cycle routes should be safe and convenient to use by anyone, from the age of 8 to 80.


Europaplien, Amsterdam

However, I have major concerns about many of the details of these plans, and their effectiveness in achieving these aims.

General Comments

Firstly, it should be noted that these plans fail to come up to the standards laid out in the TfGM publication "Greater Manchester Cycle Guidance". The designs for this short route are strangely varied, as if it has been designed by several different people with no attempt at a consistent design.

There are a number of key issues that need to be addressed in these plans before this route can be considered safe. A comparison with Scheldestraat in south Amsterdam, a very busy route with many shops and street cafés, is useful to see where some of the problems in the Wilmslow Road plans lie.


Scheldestraat, Amsterdam

The most obvious problem with these plans is the lack of a 20mph speed limit. In such a busy area with many people moving around on foot it is unacceptable to leave the speed limit at 30mph. Most of the surrounding roads have 20mph limit, so it would also be consistent with the surrounding area.

Next there is still an excessive amount of space given over to the roadway in many places. It is unnecessary to accommodate 3 lanes of traffic at any point on this route. Space is very restricted and is needed to give protection to the cycle track not increase traffic flows. The ban on private motor vehicles on Oxford Road will remove Wilmslow Road's role as a radial route into the city centre, so more should be done to reduce traffic capacity along this route.

These plans do not specify the widths of the cycle tracks and the kerb separation widths. Segregated cycle tracks should be 2.5 metres wide, and a minimum of 2 metres wide where space is restricted. There should also be at least 1 meter separation between any parking spaces and the cycle track to avoid people cycling being hit by opening car doors.

Also the kerb heights and types are not specified. The kerbs should be half height (maximum 50mm) and preferably sloped. Full height kerbs, such as those used on the Alan Turing Way are oppressive and potentially dangerous, especially on narrow cycle tracks.

However, the most dangerous part of these plans is the lack of proper junction treatments. In these plans the segregation disappears at the junctions which is the place where most cycle crashes happen. Contrast this with the Dutch approach where there are clearly demarcated cycle route at the junctions and separate cycle phases at traffic lights.


Scheldestraat, Amsterdam


President Kennedylaan, Amsterdam

On Wilmslow Road the cycle tracks should cross the side roads on raised tables to clearly mark the crossing out from the road. Green paint alone won't send a strong enough message to drivers.

Also, many of the parking bays are too close to junctions and crossings and should be removed for safety reasons.

Detailed Comments along the Route

1) Moss Lane East to Great Western Street

Note that the map for this section is incorrectly labeled.

All the images below link to the maps on the council's web site.



Issues to note:-

• The junction with Moss Lane East is not shown on the plans. From the small amount that is visible it is clear that there is no protection for cycling through this junction in either direction. 
• The three lane section of road at this point should be narrowed to two lanes.
• The central island should be widened to improve safety for cycles turning right out of Rusholme Place.
• Narrowing the road would also enable a greater clearence between the parking spaces and the cycle track.
• The cycle track across the side road, Rusholme Place should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road.
• The cycle track across Banff Road should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road.
• There is no segregation past Banff Road, this section should be segregated.
• There is no need for the 3 lane section of road opposite the petrol station. There should only be one lane each way and the lights should be phased to allow each direction to go in turn, removing all turning conflicts.
• The design of the junction with Great Western Street has no protection for cycles. This junction is not safe and should be radically redesigned with proper segregation and a cycles only green phase.

2) Great Western Street to Walmer Street

Issues to note:-

• The cycle track across Dagenham Road should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Dagenham Road with the give way line pushed back.
• There is no right turn facility opposite Dagenham Road. The parking bays opposite should be relocated and replaced with a right turn facility.
• The cycle track across Denison Street should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road.
• There is no right turn facility opposite Denison Road. The parking bays opposite should be removed and replaced with a right turn facility.
• The parking bays and loading bays south of Denison Street interfere with the crossing, they shorten the ziz-zag line area just before Walmer Street. These bays make the crossing unsafe and should be removed or reolcated.
• The parking bay south of the crossing, opposite Walmer Street also is in the crossing safety zone and should be removed.
• The cycle track across Walmer Street should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Walmer Street East with the give way line pushed back.
• There is no right turn facility into Walmer Street - this can be included by removing the parking space.
• The cycle track across Walmer Street East should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Walmer Street East with the give way line pushed back.
• There is no right turn facility into Walmer Street East.

3) Walmer Street to Park Crescent

Issues to note:-

• The cycle track across Thurloe Street should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Thurloe Street with the give way line pushed back.
• There is no right turn facility opposite Thurloe Street. The parking bays opposite should be relocated and replaced with a right turn facility.
• The parking bay on the opposite side of the road between the Jobcentre and Grandale Street encroaches into the safety zone (ziz-zag line area) of the crossing. This bay should be shortened to keep the crossing clear.
• The loading bays opposite Grandale Street encroach into the safety zone of the crossing and interfere with the bus stop. This bay should be relocated to keep the crossing and the bus stop clear.
• The cycle track across Grandale Street should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Grandale Street with the give way line pushed back.
• There is no right turn facility opposite Grandale Street. The loading bays opposite should be relocated and replaced with a right turn facility.
• The cycle track across Park Crescent should remain segregated and then cross the road on a raised table to mark it out. 
• Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Park Crescent with the give way line pushed back.

4) Park Crescent to Dickenson Road

Issues to note:-

• The cycle track across Claremont Road should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Claremont Road with the give way line pushed back.
• There is no right turn facility opposite Claremont Road. The loading/parking bays opposite should be relocated/removed and replaced with a right turn facility.
• The design of the layout for the light controlled crossing between Claremont Road and the Supermarket is a mess. It is inconsistent with the rest of the route and needs to be completely reworked. Southbound the loading bays before and after encroach into the safety zone. these must be relocated for safety reasons. Northbound this is the only place where the cycle route is included in the crossing. The road can be narrowed at this point to preserve the cycle track segregation, and the parking bay removed that is in the crossing safety zone.
• The cycle track across Rusholme Grove should be on a raised table to distinguish it from the road. Also the cycle track should continue in a straight line across Rusholme Grove with the give way line pushed back.
• The junction with Stone Place and Dickenson Road is not shown on the plans. From the small amount that is visible it is clear that there is no protection for cycling through this junction in either direction. The design of this junction needs to be changed to provide a safe passage for cycling.

MediaCityUK Cycle Hub Press Release

I found this Peel press release a couple of days ago whilst trying to investigate out a problem with the MediaCityUK BUG (there seems to be nobody running it at the moment). I have set up a page on Facebook just in case the MediaCityUK BUG has been abandoned by Peel.

The hub will be built as yet another temporary structure made from shipping containers. There are several others around the site, like Love Conquers All and they seem to get moved around every couple of years as the site gets redeveloped.

Still, don't hold your breath, there was a similar press release around this time last year!



Note that “less than £2 a week” is actually £100pa and both ITV and the BBC already have secure, undercover facilities for cycle parking for their staff.

Press Release
READY, SET, GO FOR MEDIACITYUK CYCLE HUB

2 March 2015

A major new 24-hr cycle hub will open this summer at MediaCityUK offering secure parking for 300 bikes.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has developed the hub alongside co-funder The Peel Group, as part of a bid to encourage commuter cycling to the flagship quayside development.

Construction work will start next month on land behind Orange Tower, home to ITV and the University of Salford, and close to the BBC’s Dock House.

The innovative hub design reflects the area’s maritime heritage with four repurposed shipping containers linked and covered by a vaulted glazed roof to allow plenty of natural light.

With smartcard access for members only, the hub will offer separate showers, toilets, changing and locker areas for men and women, alongside a cycle storage area. A mixed range of cycling stands will offer something for everyone, with Sheffield stands, semi-vertical and double deck stands.

Annual and monthly standard or premium hub membership options will be available, with standard membership starting at less than £2 a week.

The hub – due to open in June – will join a growing network across Greater Manchester, including Manchester’s large regional centre cycle hub at City Tower, and smaller district hubs now open in Rochdale, Bury and Ashton-under-Lyne.

Councillor Chris Paul, member and Cycling Champion of the TfGM Committee said: “Cycling to MediaCityUK is already popular and we’re confident the new cycle hub, which is great value for money, will encourage even more people to consider commuting by bike as part of our ambition to increase cycling from 2% to 10% of journeys by 2025.

“The hub will be open 24 hours a day – so with thousands of employees on site working a variety of shift patterns, we look forward to seeing it very well used.

“We’ve already had a lot of interest and I share the excitement of those who can’t wait to see it open this summer.”

Stephen Wild, Managing Director of MediaCityUK said: “It’s great that we can support the burgeoning number of cyclists within the MediaCityUK community and beyond with a designated cycle hub. Its position close to our bike themed café Love Conquers All will only add to the experience for cyclists and will create a real buzz around the hub.”

To find out more and register interest in becoming a member, visit http://cycling.tfgm.com/Pages/join-a-hub-media-city.aspx.

Membership of the MediaCityUK hub will give access to local district hubs including future hubs planned for Sale, Stockport and Leigh as part of TfGM’s Better By Cycle initiative, which is being supported by the Department for Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Green Surge in Manchester

You've probably heard about the Green Surge in the news. The party membership overtook both UKIP and the LibDems back in January. The latest figures put the party membership at nearly 56,000, more than doubling over the past year.

.@TheGreenParty membership stands at almost 56,000 #gpconf #GreenSurge
— The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) March 6, 2015

The key indicator that this membership surge is making a difference is that at the current Party conference 45% of delegates are new members. These new members include a large number of activists.

Just under half (45%) of attendees to @TheGreenParty's Spring Conference are new members who have joined in the last year #GreenSurge
— The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) March 6, 2015

So, what is happening in Manchester? Is there any prospect of the Green Surge making any difference here?

Let's start with a look at the membership figures:-

The membership of the Manchester Green Party has increased by more than 300% in the past year.



So why this rapid rise in membership in Manchester? As far as I can tell the Green Party membership has been kept artificially low for the past few years because of a negative attitude towards new members and new ideas from some senior activists. It would seem that there has recently been a change of committee and the membership surge has swept away many the problems.

So, how is this reinvigorated local party likely to affect the elections in May? Well the Green Party don't stand a chance of gaining a parliamentary seat in Manchester. However, according to the web site http://www.electionforecast.co.uk/ there is a distinct likelihood of the Green Party gaining second place in both Manchester Central and Manchester Gorton with a third place in Manchester Withington. With the Labour Party holding a clear lead in all three voting Green in these constituencies will not damage the chances of Labour winning the seats., but two or three second places would change the prospects for the Green Party's in this area.

The party's prospects in the local elections are another matter. With the Labour Party holding all but one of the seats on the council (the other was elected as a Labour candidate) the lack of any sort of effective opposition on the council is not healthy for local democracy. Last year was the first time the Green Party had come second in the overall number of votes for the Manchester local elections with 12.6%, their highest ever vote in the local elections. They gained over 20% of the vote in five wards and were above 19% in another two:

Hulme - 706 votes - 24% - 2nd - Labour 1731 - gap 1025 - Turnout: 35%
Fallowfield - 780 votes - 22% - 2nd - Labour 2181 gap 1401 - Turnout: 30.6%
City Centre - 511 votes - 22% - 2nd - Labour 1149 - gap 638 - Turnout: 17.2%
Old Moat - 699 votes - 21% - 2nd - Labour 1924 - gap 1225 - Turnout: 29.6%
Chorlton - 1002 votes - 21% - 2nd - Labour 2675 - gap 1673 - Turnout: 44.3%
Withington - 657 votes - 19% - 3rd - Labour 1386 - gap 729 - Turnout: 30.3%
Whalley Range - 883 votes - 19% - 2nd - Labour 2959 - gap 2076 - Turnout: 39.4%

So understandably the Green Party is concentrating on Hulme and Fallowfield. However, both these seats will be hard to crack as they have been solid Labour seats for years, with the one exception when the rapid change in population during the redevelopment of the area over 10 years ago when one Green was elected in an all-out election.

The key issue is that there are other seats in this list that have previously been held by the LibDems. In City Centre, Chorlton, Withington and Whalley Range there is the prospect of the Green Party picking up former LibDem votes and wining the seat. Of particular interest is the City Centre, here the Green Party went from last place in 2011 when the current incumbent was elected, to fourth in 2012 and yet was in second place last year. Here the gap was less than 700 votes last year, by far the closest second place, and with such a low turnout last time, a rise in the number of people turning out to vote could easily give the seat to the Greens.

So this year a Green Vote could well elect Green Party councillors in Manchester and revive the role of the official opposition on the city council. It could also put the party in second place in two parliamentary seats. As the Green Party have shown in Bristol, they can have a positive impact on a council's approach to cycling and walking and help improve the environment of a city. The national events over the coming two months will probably have the biggest impact on the election outcome, but local conditions could make a big difference.

Manchester Cycle Forum 10th March

The next Manchester Cycle Forum is on Tuesday, 10th March.

The meeting will be from 5:30 to 7:30pm in the main Town Hall building in Committee Room 4. This is just inside the Town Hall side entrance, first door on the left.

The meeting will include:-

• Funding and Developing the Future Strategy
• Review of Cycle Forum format
• Management of Roadworks 
• Better By Cycle and Cycle Safety Presentation - Presentation by TfGM
• Infrastructure Update

Please make the effort to attend, the item on "Review of Cycle Forum format" may be particularly important. We need the cycle forum to continue to have influence in the council.

The meetings for the rest of the year are scheduled for:

Tuesday 16 June
Tuesday 15 September
Tuesday 8 December

Freezing February Critical Mass

Ok, so it wasn't quite as cold as January's ride, but many of us got caught out by the sudden drop in temperature at the end of the day. This week was reading week in some parts of the university, so that probably reduced the numbers somewhat. It was quite a small ride but with lots of regular riders it was well controlled and stayed together despite a fast pace.



The ride took a new route at the start to try and avoid the worst of the roadworks,



going down between the Town Hall and the extension



and out on to Albert Square.



Then down John Dalton Street, Bridge Street



and across the River Irwell into Salford.



The ride only ventured as far as Chapel Street, before turning up Blackfriars Street and back into Manchester.



Then in an attempt to cross the city centre, down the end of Deansgate



and up round the Cathedral, where it all got a bit difficult because of the road closures.



We regrouped at the back of the Football Museum and ended up in high-fives with the skateboarders who loved the sound systems.



Then we negotiated the next obstacle course to get us across the tram lines



and out onto Corporation Street and up the very steep hill on Rochdale Road which nearly finished me off! The ride ended at the Angel Pub on the corner.



With three sound systems in such a small ride, the musical accompaniment must have sounded pretty chaotic.



One rider was very appreciative of my more ambient tunes, and wants to form a chill-out zone on one of the summer rides, and was asking if I knew any clubs in Manchester that played this kind of thing.

This ride was mostly drawn from Banco de Gaia, with several versions of Last Train to Lhasa.

Wilmslow Road Cycleway Consultation

Manchester City Council has today posted proposals for the development of the Wilmslow Road Cycleway - Moss Lane East to Dickenson Road, and is carrying out a consultation.

Two events have been arranged for the public to drop in and see the proposals and discuss them with the team on the following dates:

Tue 17 March, 11.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m
Spicy Hut Restaurant, 35 Wilmslow Road

Fri 20 March, 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m
Rusholme Sure Start Centre, Great Western Street

I will post analysis of the plans when I've had a good look at them, but the preview we saw at last Manchester Cycle Forum was promising.



The consultation closes Friday 27 March.