Would you fancy riding against the direction of general traffic in a dedicated cycle lane that is 1.3 metres wide, with no physical protection? Cycling group slam 'nonsense' proposal suggesting 1.3m 'murder strip' cycle lane in Harrogate cycling
Would you fancy riding against the direction of general traffic in a dedicated cycle lane that is 1.3 metres wide, with no physical protection? That is one of the proposals made by North Yorkshire County Council in a consultation on active travel for two roads in Harrogate, with a local cycling group describing the contraflow cycle lane suggestion as"dangerous" with no benefits for active travel.
The first option, that HDCA describes as"excellent", would see a modal filter on Beech Grove and the adjacent Lancaster Road, while a nearby junction would be no entry to southbound traffic to prevent drivers heading away from town using it as a through-route, or 'rat run'.The second option would make Beech Grove one-way for motor traffic heading away from Harrogate town centre, with space for parked cars on the left and cyclists travelling in the other direction on the right .
HDCA describes the narrow width of the contraflow lane as a"murder strip in the gutter", and says the road is not wide enough for car parking, a general traffic lane and a contraflow cycle lane. "Option 2 is nonsense, and should not be presented as an option at all in this consultation," adds the HDCA."We have pointed this out on multiple occasions going back to 2020 but Area 6 have not listened."
Though this proposal may never see the light of day, it's perhaps concerning that those responsible for the consultation were either unaware or willing to disregard the Government's