Fw: Cycling: Gritting ( quick poll) m

1 view
Skip to first unread message

kevin.ablitt

unread,
Dec 17, 2009, 3:45:45 PM12/17/09
to cycle-...@googlegroups.com
Courtesy of Will and Steffen at Colchester Cycle Campaign.
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 8:28 PM
Subject: Re: Cycling: Gritting

 

Just to add to this; I'm currently at the Copenhagen climate summit; we've also had quite a lot of snow over the last few days. Within hours most of the major walkways and excellent cycle paths in the city were cleared and life hence goes on. Even in the heaviest snow cyclists are still out and about on their bikes.

It can be done!! (not something one can say about the climate summit itself though...)
Steffen

2009/12/17 William Bramhill <william@bramhill.net>


(Letter for local press in my personal capacity. Copied to Colchester Cycling Campaign for info)

Once again, Essex County Council is only gritting roads ... and neglecting footways, shared cycle routes and trails.
Despite all its fine words to persuade people to walk and bike, pedestrians and cyclists are left to slither and slide.  Many will simply cuss, go back to the car and stay there, undoing all of Essex's good work.
Admittedly, cyclists brave enough to use the main carriageway benefit from gritting (and when it's icy, cycling on the road is usually safer than walking on the footway), but what do others do who use trails and shared-use routes? 
The new High Woods trail is ungritted, and that includes the footbridge adjacent to Colchester railway station. The Wivenhoe Trail (and in particular the section from East Bay to Castle Park) is ungritted. Both the bridge and the trail are used by hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians each day.
For pedestrians, no doubt the town centre and footways beside its approach roads will be as hazardous as ever, as well other main footways connecting the station, hospitals, shops, schools and the university. Essex says it gives gritting priority to bus routes, but that is of little comfort to those who have to Torvill and Dean to their nearest bus stop.
There has to be an argument for gritting the most-used footways (if Essex has the numbers) and hills like Turner Road, North Hill and East Hill.
I wonder how many injuries are caused each year by slips and tumbles, and their total social cost: this can include treatment by paramedic and ambulance, time in hospital, time off work, visits to the doctor, and caring relatives' time off work. Essex's budget savings are probably far outweighed by the price of a few sprained ankles and broken arms!
So what do other countries do? Certainly, the Dutch and Danes grit and blow snow from their cycle network to encourage people to be green all year round. It seems that they have done their sums. 
Bearing in mind Essex's rhetoric to use other forms of transport to the car, not gritting paths and bike routes reduces the effectiveness of its "go green, get fit" policies.
Also, if the policy stays as it is, I would not be surprised to see a legal challenge and claims for compensation from injured pedestrians or cyclists.
Will Bramhill
Mile End Road
Colchester

----------

Will Bramhill
80 Mile End Road, Colchester, CO4 5BY
01206 854045   07758 464 958

     
See my work diary at http://tinyurl.com/whereswillie




__._,_.___
We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at the Bricklayers Arms, Mile End Road (near Colchester North railway station)
For inquiries, go to http://www.colchester-cycling.org.uk or ring 01206 854045.
.

__,_._,___
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages