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Church Street, Lancaster: response to Traffic Regulation Order proposing 2-way cycling (posted 18 March)
Mr Stuart Wrigley Acting Executive Director of Environment Lancashire County Council PO Box 9 Guild House Cross Street PRESTON PR1 8RD
Dear Mr Wrigley
Reference: HEM/TRO/1/55/JW: Church Street, Lancaster
We have looked at the Traffic Regulation Order for Church Street, which proposes that cyclists be permitted to travel along Church Street from its junction with China Street to its junction with Cheapside in both directions. We have the following comments to make.
1. We strongly support the introduction of 2-way cycling along Church Street; this is a key and much-needed east-west crossing of Lancaster city centre.
2. We are concerned, however, that the contra-flow cycling is to be allowed up to China Street without (it appears from the plan) any infrastructure to protect contra-flow cyclists when they reach the junction of Church Street and China Street and no reduction in on-street parking (which, of course, reduces the width of usable road). There is a great danger of a collision at this junction between a cyclist heading west and a motorist turning right off China Street into Church Street. Motorists tend to be travelling quite fast when they come off the one-way system. Therefore some protective infrastructure and reduction in on-street parking are needed at this junction.
3. If Church Street is to be a cycle contra-flow up to China Street, it makes sense for the pelican crossing on China Street to be made into a toucan crossing, so that cyclists can legitimately cross the one-way system to travel between the west side of town and the town centre.
4. If contra-flow cycling is to be permitted at the top of Church Street, why not at the bottom on Lower Church Street and on the short section of North Road from Damside Street? A look at a map indicates that this is an important cycle route from the Millennium Bridge into the town centre and from China Street to St Leonardsgate.
5. Dynamo would like to propose that the pedestrianised part of Church Street should be viewed as a kind of "cycling demonstration street", which encourages responsible two-way cycling in a pedestrianised zone and enforces the existing vehicle restriction orders. At present cars use Church Street at all times of the day without impunity - a situation which makes something of a mockery of Traffic Regulation Orders.
We look forward to hearing from you with your views.
Yours sincerely |
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NEWS ARCHIVE 2009 - 3 |