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Council urged to stem escalating cyclist versus motorist conflict in North Yorkshire
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swldx...@gmail.com
Sep 23, 2021, 9:34:25 AM9/23/21
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A LOCAL authority which has seen surging numbers of cyclists on rural roads since staging the Tour de France Grand Depart has defended its record in safeguarding riders amid claims it needs to be more proactive in averting bike collisions.
A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive heard while the county’s 9,000km road network had seen an upward trend in cycling inspired by the 2014 race, since the pandemic there had been a sharp increase in riders on rural roads.
Ahead of leading councillors approving the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy, opposition members questioned whether more could be done to resolve an escalating conflict between cyclists and motorists in rural areas.
The calls follow the authority coming under sustained pressure to reconsider its policy to focus cycling road improvements on urban areas, and in particular Harrogate, claiming it benefits more people.
Officers told the meeting statistics showed while cyclists and drivers were equally to blame for cycle collisions in urban areas of the county, cyclists were at fault for about 70 per cent and drivers 30 per cent of cycle collisions on rural roads.
Councillor Stuart Parsons, leader of the authority’s Independent group, called for twin educational campaigns to teach motorists what they need to do when encountering a large group of cyclists in places like Wensleydale and to teach cyclists how they should be riding on the lanes.
He said cyclists were “making themselves a great number of potential enemies and therefore dangerous situations by their approach to using the roads, especially when they are not road taxpayers when using it for their cycles”.
Cllr Parsons added: “Cyclists do drive motorists somewhat insane, especially when they are travelling two or three abreast, which they seem to be doing more and more so. On these winding roads it makes it difficult for anybody to pass safely.”
The authority’s executive member for highways, Councillor Don Mackenzie replied that while some cyclists needed to learn not to “create obstructions on the highway”, his sympathies were with cyclists as their equipment weighed a few kilograms as opposed to cars that weigh one or two tonnes.
Councillors heard the increase in cyclists would be reflected in government changes to the Highways Code this autumn, such as drivers needing to give greater space to cyclists and cyclists needing to ride single file to help vehicles overtake.
The meeting was told the authority was already trying to educate drivers and cyclists, but the council’s Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Bryn Griffiths said the council’s highways department appeared to be “reactive rather than proactive” over dealing with risks on the roads.
He said despite some roads being riddled with potholes and being popular cycling routes they never appeared to reach the council’s criteria for road repairs.
Cllr Griffiths said: “In industry it is considered good practice to look at near misses and be proactive and engineer or manage out issues that they have.
“Because of the state of the road cyclists are having to meander all across the road to avoid bumps, lumps and hollows and you get near-misses. But these near-misses aren’t recorded and used to help manage the highway.”
The meeting heard the council had higher maintenance standards for popular cycle routes.
Cllr Mackenzie said the authority was aware sides of roads tended to get potholes which forced cyclists to swerve, but added the council had spent a record amount on road repairs this year.
He said near-misses were difficult to measure and as the council had limited funding for road safety it directed focused on locations which accident data showed were the most hazardous.
Cllr Mackenzie said: “I hear every day ‘this road is an accident waiting to happen’. I’ve heard that about certain roads since I took on this portfolio in 2015 and we’re still waiting for the accident to happen.”
https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/19598717.council-urged-stem-escalating-cyclist-versus-motorist-conflict-north-yorkshire/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor
A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive heard while the county’s 9,000km road network had seen an upward trend in cycling inspired by the 2014 race, since the pandemic there had been a sharp increase in riders on rural roads.
Ahead of leading councillors approving the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy, opposition members questioned whether more could be done to resolve an escalating conflict between cyclists and motorists in rural areas.
The calls follow the authority coming under sustained pressure to reconsider its policy to focus cycling road improvements on urban areas, and in particular Harrogate, claiming it benefits more people.
Officers told the meeting statistics showed while cyclists and drivers were equally to blame for cycle collisions in urban areas of the county, cyclists were at fault for about 70 per cent and drivers 30 per cent of cycle collisions on rural roads.
Councillor Stuart Parsons, leader of the authority’s Independent group, called for twin educational campaigns to teach motorists what they need to do when encountering a large group of cyclists in places like Wensleydale and to teach cyclists how they should be riding on the lanes.
He said cyclists were “making themselves a great number of potential enemies and therefore dangerous situations by their approach to using the roads, especially when they are not road taxpayers when using it for their cycles”.
Cllr Parsons added: “Cyclists do drive motorists somewhat insane, especially when they are travelling two or three abreast, which they seem to be doing more and more so. On these winding roads it makes it difficult for anybody to pass safely.”
The authority’s executive member for highways, Councillor Don Mackenzie replied that while some cyclists needed to learn not to “create obstructions on the highway”, his sympathies were with cyclists as their equipment weighed a few kilograms as opposed to cars that weigh one or two tonnes.
Councillors heard the increase in cyclists would be reflected in government changes to the Highways Code this autumn, such as drivers needing to give greater space to cyclists and cyclists needing to ride single file to help vehicles overtake.
The meeting was told the authority was already trying to educate drivers and cyclists, but the council’s Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Bryn Griffiths said the council’s highways department appeared to be “reactive rather than proactive” over dealing with risks on the roads.
He said despite some roads being riddled with potholes and being popular cycling routes they never appeared to reach the council’s criteria for road repairs.
Cllr Griffiths said: “In industry it is considered good practice to look at near misses and be proactive and engineer or manage out issues that they have.
“Because of the state of the road cyclists are having to meander all across the road to avoid bumps, lumps and hollows and you get near-misses. But these near-misses aren’t recorded and used to help manage the highway.”
The meeting heard the council had higher maintenance standards for popular cycle routes.
Cllr Mackenzie said the authority was aware sides of roads tended to get potholes which forced cyclists to swerve, but added the council had spent a record amount on road repairs this year.
He said near-misses were difficult to measure and as the council had limited funding for road safety it directed focused on locations which accident data showed were the most hazardous.
Cllr Mackenzie said: “I hear every day ‘this road is an accident waiting to happen’. I’ve heard that about certain roads since I took on this portfolio in 2015 and we’re still waiting for the accident to happen.”
https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/19598717.council-urged-stem-escalating-cyclist-versus-motorist-conflict-north-yorkshire/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor
JNugent
Sep 23, 2021, 10:09:21 AM9/23/21
to
On 23/09/2021 02:34 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> A LOCAL authority which has seen surging numbers of fairy-cyclists on rural roads since staging the Tour de France Grand Depart has defended its record in safeguarding fairy-cyclists amid claims it needs to be more proactive in averting fairy-bike collisions.
>
> A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive heard while the county’s 9,000km road network had seen an upward trend in fairy-cycling inspired by the 2014 race, since the pandemic there had been a sharp increase in fairy-riders on rural roads.
>
> Ahead of leading councillors approving the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy, opposition members questioned whether more could be done to resolve an escalating conflict between fairy-cyclists and motorists in rural areas.
>
> The calls follow the authority coming under sustained pressure to reconsider its policy to focus fairy-cycling road improvements on urban areas, and in particular Harrogate, claiming it benefits more people.
>
> Officers told the meeting statistics showed while fairy-cyclists and drivers were equally to blame for cycle collisions in urban areas of the county, fairy-cyclists were at fault for about 70 per cent and drivers 30 per cent of fairy-cycle collisions on rural roads.
>
> Councillor Stuart Parsons, leader of the authority’s Independent group, called for twin educational campaigns to teach motorists what they need to do when encountering a large group of fairy-cyclists in places like Wensleydale and to teach fairy-cyclists how they should be riding on the lanes.
Perhaps they could start issuing fairy-cyclists with copies of the
Highway Code. And with copies of the traffic legislation relating to
roundabouts, traffic lights, etc, as well as information on
legally-required safety equipment (brakes, lights, etc) which must be
fitted to and used on fairy-cycles.
> He said fairy-cyclists were “making themselves a great number of potential enemies and therefore dangerous situations by their approach to using the roads, especially when they are not road taxpayers when using it for their fairy-cycles”.
>
> Cllr Parsons added: “Fairy-cyclists do drive motorists somewhat insane, especially when they are travelling two or three abreast, which they seem to be doing more and more so. On these winding roads it makes it difficult for anybody to pass safely.”
>
> The authority’s executive member for highways, Councillor Don Mackenzie replied that while some fairy-cyclists needed to learn not to “create obstructions on the highway”, his sympathies were with fairy-cyclists as their equipment weighed a few kilograms as opposed to cars that weigh one or two tonnes.
>
> Councillors heard the increase in fairy-cyclists would be reflected in government changes to the Highways Code this autumn, such as drivers needing to give greater space to fairy-cyclists and fairy-cyclists needing to ride single file to help vehicles overtake.
The Highway Code (see above); Rule 168: "...Never obstruct drivers who
wish to pass.
Some fairy-cyclists seem to under the impression that it is worded:
"Always do your best to obstruct drivers who wish to pass; regard road
safety as a distant second priority, if not lower than second".
It may come as a surprise to them to have the actual wording made clear.
>
> The meeting was told the authority was already trying to educate drivers and fairy-cyclists, but the council’s Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Bryn Griffiths said the council’s highways department appeared to be “reactive rather than proactive” over dealing with risks on the roads.
>
> He said despite some roads being riddled with potholes and being popular fairy-cycling routes they never appeared to reach the council’s criteria for road repairs.
>
> The meeting heard the council had higher maintenance standards for popular fairy-cycle routes.
>
> Cllr Mackenzie said the authority was aware sides of roads tended to get potholes which forced fairy-cyclists to swerve, but added the council had spent a record amount on road repairs this year.
> A LOCAL authority which has seen surging numbers of fairy-cyclists on rural roads since staging the Tour de France Grand Depart has defended its record in safeguarding fairy-cyclists amid claims it needs to be more proactive in averting fairy-bike collisions.
>
> A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive heard while the county’s 9,000km road network had seen an upward trend in fairy-cycling inspired by the 2014 race, since the pandemic there had been a sharp increase in fairy-riders on rural roads.
>
> Ahead of leading councillors approving the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy, opposition members questioned whether more could be done to resolve an escalating conflict between fairy-cyclists and motorists in rural areas.
>
> The calls follow the authority coming under sustained pressure to reconsider its policy to focus fairy-cycling road improvements on urban areas, and in particular Harrogate, claiming it benefits more people.
>
> Officers told the meeting statistics showed while fairy-cyclists and drivers were equally to blame for cycle collisions in urban areas of the county, fairy-cyclists were at fault for about 70 per cent and drivers 30 per cent of fairy-cycle collisions on rural roads.
>
> Councillor Stuart Parsons, leader of the authority’s Independent group, called for twin educational campaigns to teach motorists what they need to do when encountering a large group of fairy-cyclists in places like Wensleydale and to teach fairy-cyclists how they should be riding on the lanes.
Perhaps they could start issuing fairy-cyclists with copies of the
Highway Code. And with copies of the traffic legislation relating to
roundabouts, traffic lights, etc, as well as information on
legally-required safety equipment (brakes, lights, etc) which must be
fitted to and used on fairy-cycles.
> He said fairy-cyclists were “making themselves a great number of potential enemies and therefore dangerous situations by their approach to using the roads, especially when they are not road taxpayers when using it for their fairy-cycles”.
>
> Cllr Parsons added: “Fairy-cyclists do drive motorists somewhat insane, especially when they are travelling two or three abreast, which they seem to be doing more and more so. On these winding roads it makes it difficult for anybody to pass safely.”
>
> The authority’s executive member for highways, Councillor Don Mackenzie replied that while some fairy-cyclists needed to learn not to “create obstructions on the highway”, his sympathies were with fairy-cyclists as their equipment weighed a few kilograms as opposed to cars that weigh one or two tonnes.
>
> Councillors heard the increase in fairy-cyclists would be reflected in government changes to the Highways Code this autumn, such as drivers needing to give greater space to fairy-cyclists and fairy-cyclists needing to ride single file to help vehicles overtake.
The Highway Code (see above); Rule 168: "...Never obstruct drivers who
wish to pass.
Some fairy-cyclists seem to under the impression that it is worded:
"Always do your best to obstruct drivers who wish to pass; regard road
safety as a distant second priority, if not lower than second".
It may come as a surprise to them to have the actual wording made clear.
>
> The meeting was told the authority was already trying to educate drivers and fairy-cyclists, but the council’s Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Bryn Griffiths said the council’s highways department appeared to be “reactive rather than proactive” over dealing with risks on the roads.
>
> He said despite some roads being riddled with potholes and being popular fairy-cycling routes they never appeared to reach the council’s criteria for road repairs.
>
> Cllr Griffiths said: “In industry it is considered good practice to look at near misses and be proactive and engineer or manage out issues that they have.
>
> “Because of the state of the road fairy-cyclists are having to meander all across the road to avoid bumps, lumps and hollows and you get near-misses. But these near-misses aren’t recorded and used to help manage the highway.”
> Cllr Griffiths said: “In industry it is considered good practice to look at near misses and be proactive and engineer or manage out issues that they have.
>
>
> The meeting heard the council had higher maintenance standards for popular fairy-cycle routes.
>
> Cllr Mackenzie said the authority was aware sides of roads tended to get potholes which forced fairy-cyclists to swerve, but added the council had spent a record amount on road repairs this year.
swldx...@gmail.com
Sep 23, 2021, 12:05:24 PM9/23/21
to
On Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 2:34:25 PM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
swldxer1 2 hrs ago :-)
User ID: 2375617
0 Nobody pays a "road tax" as it was scrapped in 1937.
>
> https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/19598717.council-urged-stem-escalating-cyclist-versus-motorist-conflict-north-yorkshire/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor
swldxer1 2 hrs ago :-)
User ID: 2375617
0 Nobody pays a "road tax" as it was scrapped in 1937.
>
> https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/19598717.council-urged-stem-escalating-cyclist-versus-motorist-conflict-north-yorkshire/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor
swldx...@gmail.com
Sep 23, 2021, 12:45:10 PM9/23/21
to
On Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 2:34:25 PM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
It's widely known that Yorkshire experienced a boom in recreational cycling after the 2014 Tour de France depart, and again during the 2019 UCI Road World Championships; and ahead of North Yorkshire County Council approving the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy for 2021-26, some opposition councillors have been sharing their opinions on how cyclists and motorists can co-exist. Not all of those opinions were fact-based, unfortunately...
The Yorkshire Post (link is external) reports that some members wanted to know what could be done to resolve "escalating" conflict between cyclists and motorists in rural areas, and the anti-cyclist bingo game began with the introduction of Cllr Stuart Parsons:
Cyclists were “making themselves a great number of potential enemies and therefore dangerous situations by their approach to using the roads, especially when they are not road taxpayers when using it for their cycles," he claimed.
"Cyclists do drive motorists somewhat insane, especially when they are travelling two or three abreast, which they seem to be doing more and more so. On these winding roads it makes it difficult for anybody to pass safely.”
The authority said it was already trying to educate drivers and cyclists on sharing the roads. Cllr Don Mackenzie saying that while some cyclists should learn not to “create obstructions on the highway”, cyclists had his sympathies because their vehicle only weighs a few kilograms as opposed to cars weighing up to two tonnes.
Officers also shared statistics at the meeting to show that cyclists were "at fault for about 70 per cent and drivers 30 per cent of cycle collisions on rural roads", statistics that road.cc will be questioning further with an FOI request to North Yorkshire County Council.
https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-23-september-2021-286571
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