Cycling Best Practice
1. People need space for cycling
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- mixing with traffic puts people off cycling, especially children.
Cycle lanes and tracks at least 2.1m wide, away from traffic, make cycling convenient and sociable.
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2. People like simple, direct routes
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- maintains momentum, and routes are shorter and wayfinding is easier.
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3. People prefer cycling away from pedestrians
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- shared-use pavements alongside roads benefit nobody. Such pavements are inconvenient, slow, and misappropriate space from pedestrians.
Shared-use should not be created alongside roads.
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4. People want to maintain momentum
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- stop-start cycling is very hard work. Cycle infrastructure should never involve 90º angle turns but instead should aim towards smoothness of movement. Cycle tracks along a road must not give way at every side road or driveway. Crossings should detect the presence of cyclists, like most traffic lights. Avoid stop-start cycle infrastructure like this.
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5. People want to be visible
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- cycle infrastructure should be designed to allow people see each other regardless of what type of vehicle they are using.
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6. People like level surfaces
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– a route with constantly varying heights requires more effort to ride on and is less comfortable. At driveways and junctions the cycleway should not change height.
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7. People want unobstructed routes -
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no driver would tolerate trees, wheelie bins, utility boxes, or lighting poles in the middle of the roadway. Obstructions of any kind make cycling much more difficult, especially for those with disabilities, or using tricycles or trailers. Obstructions and pavement paths are problematic.
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8. People want to cycle away from parked cars
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- safely overtaking a parked car requires a lot of skill. Car parking must be off-street rather than obstructing the carriageway. Parked cars result in dangerous manoeuvres.
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9. People need somewhere to park their bIke
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- good quality cycle parking is essential for the start and end of a journey. This means providing secure stands near the entrance to a building and on-street.
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10. People want well-maintained infrastructure
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- cycle tracks should be laid to the same quality as roads. They should be designed to facilitate easy maintenance, to avoid overgrowing vegetation and enable winter treatment.