Hi ChrisI appreciate your reply but I've been occupied photographing typical cycle lane events on Isleworths London, Twickenham, Richmond, StMargarets roads and Church Street. I've labelled 6 or 7 of these and include them below at the end (hopefully if my mastery of technology works).Like you I'm a cyclist but what surprised me about some of these pictures is that all too often we aren't aware of what we look like from the behind. It's quite scary n these busy roads and accidents are easy to happen - say there's a 1 in million chance of car/cyclist collision then cycling 2 hours a week on a 1500+ vph means every 6-10 years there's an average chance of a crash or for 10 cyclists an average collision every year. So the more safety can be provided cyclists the better. Have you any reference where Hounslow, Isleworth, Brentford statistics on road accidents, type, their road location and cause are kept - I can get national, but not local?The roads I checked generally had cycle lane widths of 1m to 1.08m but the full range was .85m to 1.2m (1.2m was the most recent). From this I'd guess that noroad in Hounslow had cycle lanes of the recommended 1.5m or above. This would seem a widespread deviation of TfL's cycle lane policy of "normally 1.5m wide but 2m where space permits" and "the exception to this is in congested situations where a narrower lane may be useful to allow cyclsts to pass slow or stationary vehicles. A lane as narrow as .8m is acceptable in this situation".And as I show a tricycle (or trailer) can just squeeze in a 1m lane, cyclists with baggage open themselves to risk. Cyclists generally ride in the middle of the lane. And cycling is particularly useful to the above users as workmen going about their daily job or disabled people accessing shops.Hounslow's 2005 draft transport strategy highlights cycling with walking as activities it wishes to facilitate - T1: to promote sustainable development ...reduce reliance on thge private car and promote the use ..of environmentally friendly modes", T2: "To promote sustainable transport modes (walking, cycling, waterborne transport) which improves access for all members of community, T4: To plan and manage Borough's road network...by giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists..and reducing the use of the motor car", T5: To create a safe, healthy and pleasant environment. If the performance measure of this are cycling lanes above the safe 1.5m minimum then Hounslow doesn't seem to be matching these objectives.What is Hounslow doing for walking and cycling? I believe the cost of a cycle lane is 60pounds per linear metre. Is this how money spent to promote safe cycling is spent? As you say there is a school of thought which says improving road surfaces or structural road alterations is better.So here comes the technical bit where I try to import photos:- ...................
Michael Fletcher ● 7048d