Issues

This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.

Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.

You can create a new issue using the button on the right.

Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of Trust Pathways:

  • Durham bus station redevelopment

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    The Durham City Integrated Transport Approach document, part of the proposed new County Durham Plan, states that it is the Council's intention to relocate the bus station in Durham and to remove the A690 roundabout by the railway station, converting it to an ordinary junction with lights.

    The document can be viewed at http://durhamccconsult.
    limehouse.co.uk/file/2679025 and the relevant sections are 3.49 onwards. The document mentions improving the area for pedestrians but neglects to consider the potential for cycling infrastructure improvements in the area.

    The DBUG response to the County Plan (available at http://community.dur.ac.uk/m.e.phillips/cycling/DBUGResponse.pdf ) devotes a section to this matter (see pages 21 to 23).

    Opportunities for better cycling infrastructure include:
    * restricting vehicle access to North Road and allowing two-way cycling
    * linking the station to neighbouring cycle lanes
    * better connection to Framwellgate Peth and the north of the city
    * remodelling the Milburngate roundabout also
    * removing through traffic from the portion of North Road beyond the viaduct

    We need to lobby not just for immediate cycling needs to be taken into account in the design for the new road layout, but also for future possibilities by bringing forward design of strategic cycle routes through the city, otherwise we risk losing a very rare opportunity to transform provision at a key city-centre junction.

    According to the document, construction will commence in the 2014/15 financial year, with a timescale of 18 months. This means the plans must already be fairly fully developed.

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  • Awkward turning onto cycle path, Shincliffe Peth

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    Coming out of Durham down Shincliffe Peth on the A167, there is a pedestrian refuge at the foot of the hill, by the turning to the cycle-track which skirts the bottom of Maiden Castle hill-fort. You are expected to negotiate a 180 degree turn to access this track, at the same time as avoiding speeding cars and the pinch-point of a refuge. In the other direction, cyclists have to be cautious of using the refuge as the width of it is not sufficient to accommodate a tandem or a cycle with trailer or child tag-along attachment. Visibility is poor when crossing the road from north to south.

    Improvements might include moving the 30mph limit to the foot of the hill, introducing speed cushions or a raised junction table. If the speed were reduced, the central refuge would not be needed and some of the difficulties might be avoided, but that may not be the best solution at this site.

    Speed of the traffic is the main issue here, both for cyclists and the pedestrians who use the popular footpaths.

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  • Does the path towards Shincliffe end here?

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    From the bottom of Shincliffe Peth, past Houghall College, there is a shared use pavement on the south-west side of the A177, as can be seen from the map. However, if you are proceeding south-east towards Shincliffe, it is unclear what you are supposed to do at the point shown in the photograph. It is easy enough for cyclists coming the other way to leave the road as indicated, but going south-east should you cross to the other side of the road, or continue along the increasingly narrow footway, which is not really wide enough for pedestrians and cyclists to share? There is certainly no signage further along the path to suggest that cyclists are supposed to be there.

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  • Strange end of cycle route by Maiden Castle sports ground

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    On the north-east side of the A177 there is a short stretch of pavement cycle route which ends abruptly as shown in the photograph, with no dropped kerb back onto the road.

    The purpose of the sign and the route are unclear. From Google Streetview you can see that there is a path leading into the sports grounds: http://goo.gl/maps/ELHci -- if that is the destination of the cycle path then why does it have an "End of cycle route" sign, if the user is intended to continue into the grounds?

    Even if that's the intention, a dropped kerb would be handy as cyclists may have taken to the pavement not realising that the route was going to finish again so soon.

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  • Framwellgate Waterside roadspace allocation

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The picture shows Framwellgate Waterside, part of the national cycle network route through Durham which also connects with a major route to Newton Hall and the riverbank paths. Yet as a car driver you could be completely unaware that this is a major cycle route as there is no obvious cycling provision. Cyclists can be unsure whether they are meant to be on the road or on the footway by the river.

    At the far end of the shot, the road disappears under the Gates shopping centre, where are located two car parks with a capacity of over 450 places. Despite this we have on-road car parking all along this stretch of road. Providing a fully-segregated bi-directional cycle path of decent width instead would send a much stronger signal that cycling is being taken seriously as a mode of transport. If the parking really is required, then when the passport office site is redeveloped the road should be shifted across to make more room for dedicated cycle infrastructure.

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  • One-way streets in Crossgate area

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    In the area round Crossgate, the older section of Durham City to the west of Framwellgate Bridge, there are a number of one-way streets which make cycling inconvenient. In most cases the streets have been made one-way primarily to make it easier to provide car parking on narrow residential streets or to reduce through car traffic.

    These streets should be reassessed, and where possible opened up to bicycles in both directions.

    Some restrictions are particularly pointless, such as the one in the photograph. In theory, if a cyclist descends South Street, the only lawful option is to turn left and pedal up Crossgate. Just beyond the no-entry sign pictured is a two-way stretch of North Road that leads from Framwellgate Bridge to Milburngate, from which cyclists could access the National Cycle Network routes to Pennyferry Bridge and local routes beyond to Newton Hall.

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  • Narrow cycle route section with kerb

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    This section of NCN 70 from Claypath down to the side of Leazes Bowl roundabout has cyclists and pedestrians on separate halves of the path, rather than shared-use. This has the advantage that cyclists are more likely to be able to freewheel quickly down the hill without upsetting pedestrians. However, the cycle portion of the path is higher than the pedestrian side, with a kerb. As the path is not particularly wide, if you meet a cyclist coming the other way it is quite tricky to pass safely.

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  • Narrow muddy patch by River Wear

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    This stretch of footpath / cyclepath by the foot of Maiden Castle hill-fort is narrow and tends to be very muddy. It's an extremely difficult site as the river banks had to be reinforced here recently. Whether any improvement is possible is hard to assess. In the meantime, it offers the full off-road biking experience on your way to work, should you so wish! There is a case for creating a through route on the other side of the river to avoid this stretch. See http://durhamuniversity.cyclescape.org/issues/897-improvong-route-from-university-to-belmont

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  • Whinney Hill roundabout: cycle lane potential?

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    Like the roundabout at the bottom of Potters Bank, the roundabout at Whinney Hill, the approach to Durham City from the south-east, is designed for high speeds and has no provision for cyclists. The new cycle lane up Shincliffe Peth ceases when it reaches the roundabout.

    From the photograph, taken in the autumn, you can see from the leaves on the road how little of the width of the roundabout is actually required by cars and lorries. This would seem a great opportunity to try a Dutch-style urban roundabout, with a wide cycle lane all round the outside and cutting the entering traffic down to a single lane. The curves could be tightened to reduce speeds and to give pedestrians more direct crossings of the roads.

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  • Cycle lanes on Front Street, Framwellgate Moor

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    Yes, most of the vehicles in the photograph are parked! Despite appearances they are not blocking a dedicated red-tarmac cycle path: there is in fact no particular cycling provision on Front Street. The width of the road, however, would lend itself to a wide bi-directional route being provided, segregated from the road and pavement and with priority over side-roads, with car parking spaces being retained in most cases. This would give an excellent direct route for cycle commuters from Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor, to the proposed Aykley Heads business park, the railway station, and the city centre. There may be parts of the route, such as by the Front Street shops, where this might not be possible, but on-road lanes could be provided. Currently much of the middle of the road is given over to white hatching and right-turn lanes. Some cycle parking by the Front Street shops would be good: there's plenty of car parking on-road but nowhere to lock up a bike.

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  • Worn out road markings, Dragon Lane

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    Where the on-pavement cycle lane comes to an end, the road markings which continue the NCN 14 and 70 on-road are worn out and patchy. The design of the lane to take you southbound onto the pavement is poor, because the adjacent parking means that the traffic is usually driving straight over the top of the dedicated cycle lane in the middle of the road.

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  • Priority to cyclists at car park exit

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The exit from this retail park car park has two lanes. There are no road markings warning drivers to expect cyclists on the shared-use pavement which is part of NCN 14 & 70. This section of pavement was recently rebuilt. Why could we not have a raised table at the exit, giving priority to cyclists and pedestrians here? Why does the through-route for cyclists have to give way to the car park exit? While the shared use pavement is welcome, the lack of priority is what tends to lead to experienced cyclists taking to the road instead, as it can actually be safer as well as quicker. If cycling infrastructure is more dangerous or slower than the road alternative, it is not worth installing.

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  • Cyclists dismount for Tesco car park traffic

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    By the Tesco superstore off Dragon Lane, the road junction was recently rebuilt. On the west side of Dragon Lane is a shared-use pavement which forms part of NCN 14/70. While cars travelling north on Dragon Lane can go straight across on a single phase, cyclists are expected to dismount, and cross with pedestrians at a two-stage crossing. The object is to maximise the flow in and out of the Tesco superstore car park, which is the only purpose of this junction. Designing the junction to give greater priority and convenience to cyclists and pedestrians would help shift the balance back to sustainable living.

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  • Duke of Wellington junction

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The junction by the Duke of Wellington has a number of issues. The only official cycling provision is the shared-use pavement on the east side of the A167, with a toucan crossing over Potters Bank. No provision has been made for cyclists to safely leave or join this path at the junction: it is as though no-one is expected to cycle on Potters Bank or Lowes Barn Bank, but in fact these roads are also well-used by cyclists.

    The photograph shows the sign at the south-east corner of the crossroads, with the cycle-route pointing you to Consett and Bishop Auckland. The sign points you to the toucan crossing in order to continue north up the A167, past Neville's Cross junction to join NCN 70 at Tollhouse Road. Of course, a cyclist with local knowledge going to Bishop Auckland would never choose to go this way: instead you would go west, down Lowes Barn Bank, to join NCN 70 at the Broompark picnic area off Broom Lane. This cuts about a mile from the journey, as well as several awkward road crossings. The sign just doesn't take account of the road and cycle-path network!

    Another issue is the timing of the traffic light phases when coming out of Lowes Barn Bank. This has been reported to the Council via FixMyStreet: http://www.fixmystreet.com/report/393775

    If you observe the lights from the pavement, it is quite clear that cyclists are given insufficient time from the Lowes Barn Bank lights changing to red before the lights on the A167 go green.

    One possible solution here would be a Dutch-style "green phase" where pedestrian crossings all go green and additional cycle-only lights on all approach roads go green as well. This would allow cyclists to turn safely, join and leave the shared-use paths, etc., without suffering conflicting movements from cars. Pedestrians would be able to cross diagonally in one go if needed. Reducing the speed limit on the A167 would also help: the pavements alongside the A167 are used by children going to local schools and the park.

    The junction itself could do with the corners tightening to reduce the design speed of the junction and make it safer for vulnerable road users. Other options include making Lowes Barn Bank a non-through-road for motor vehicles or banning lorries from using it. This would allow the stop line to be brought much closer to the junction. The satellite view of the junction is quite illuminating: see how much road space is devoted to making this junction fast: http://goo.gl/maps/puQ56

    The A167 is one lane in each direction in the sections to the north and south of the junction, but widens to three lanes south approaching the lights, and three lanes north. The need to have high-speed throughput of vehicles at the junction must be balanced against the safety and convenience of pedestrians and cyclists who are most vulnerable at major junctions like this.

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  • Waste of road space, Potters Bank roundabout

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    This photograph shows the roundabout at Potters Bank in the snow. The absurdly-small pedestrian refuge at the foot of Potters Bank is in the foreground. You can see from the snow cover that there are vast areas of the road which are not actually required by vehicles and which only serve to increase speeds through the junction. Junctions are exactly where speeds should be reduced, not increased, as it smooths traffic flow, increases junction capacity and reduces danger.

    The approaches need to be narrowed, to ensure that only one car at a time can enter the roundabout from each direction, making it safer for vulnerable road users. The pedestrian refuges need increasing in size. More radically, the whole roundabout could be removed: this is only a T-junction after all, with the space saved being dedicated to segregated cycle lanes stretching from Prebends Bridge up Potters Bank and along Quarryheads Lane to the university.

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  • Hazardous junction: Potters Bank and Elvet Hill Road

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    There is very poor visibility travelling west to east on Potters Bank and cars often exceed the 30mph speed limit because there is relatively little housing development on this road. If you want to turn right into Elvet Hill Road it is hard to see vehicles travelling up Potters Bank from the roundabout until you are very close to the junction. This places cyclists in a vulnerable situation as you could easily be hit in the rear while waiting to turn right.

    If you try to turn right out of Elvet Hill Road to descend Potters Bank, it is also hard to see if anything is coming from the left. This route forms part of the proposed re-routing of NCN 70 through the centre of Durham.

    See http://goo.gl/maps/VKpSj for a Google Streetview image showing what it's like to turn right from Potters Bank into Elvet Hill Road.

    Given the broad mouth of Elvet Hill Road, there is actually quite a bit of road space available. I think it would make a lot of sense if the up-bound lane of Potters Bank were diverted to swing in to the mouth of Elvet Hill Road, to give a wider turning lane in the middle which could be used for right turns in either direction. Mind you, that still doesn’t help much with turning right out of Elvet Hill Road. Some speed cushions on the approach as you come down Potters Bank might help. Or even fixed speed cameras (which are apparently not used in County Durham at present).

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  • Carparking on Dragon Lane pavement

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The south end of Dragon Lane has a shared-use pavement which is actually a decent width for a change! Unfortunately this means cars and vans end up parking on it. As there is so little obvious signage or paint markings, they probably do not realise they are blocking a National Cycle Network route and long-distance cycle leisure path (Walney to Wear). What's the answer? Bollards? Better enforcement? Paint?

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  • Parking on uphill side of Potters Bank

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 1 thread

    The bottom stretch of Potters Bank is quite steep, and therefore cyclists tend to be going quite slowly up this section of road. In this situation it is nice to have plenty of space so that you can pedal at your own pace without feeling hassled by traffic trying to overtake. Unfortunately on this section of road, there are several car parking spaces on the up-hill side of the road. When they are occupied, passing them on a bike is a slow and uncomfortable business. It would be far better for cyclists if these spaces could be removed and an up-hill cycle lane provided.

    The parking spaces are not adjacent to any properties so there is no particular need for people to park there rather than in neighbouring streets: they are probably mainly used when the spaces in Quarryheads Lane are full.

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  • New Inn junction

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The picture shows the view as a cyclist, waiting at the lights on Church Street. Considering the numbers cycling to the university it is extraordinary that the recent remodelling of the junction (2010, with further work on completion of the Palatine Centre) made no provision for cyclists.

    It is not obvious how cyclists are meant to access the shared-use paths on campus from this junction, or how to rejoin the road from the campus.

    Basic features like advanced stop lines would help, but even better would be a general "green phase", not permitted as yet in UK but under consideration by the DfT. This concept involves green lights for pedestrians and cyclists simultaneously for all directions and is very successful in the Netherlands. It's also what tends to happen, in reality, to some extent at this junction already. Couple it with cycle lanes approaching the junction from each direction instead of the wasteful dual car lanes, and this would be a big improvement.

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  • Priority at side entrances, A167

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    The photo shows the entrance to Durham Johnston school. Sweeping curves allow fast access to/from the main road, and the cycle path basically gives out. OK, this is probably not a busy side-road, but why on earth can we not have a level, moderately straight route for the cycle path, with priority over the vehicles turning in or out of the school? A raised table to make it clear that motor vehicles should give way. There are plenty more examples along the A167 route of side roads that could do with similar treatment.

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  • Durham city centre access

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    A generation ago, cars, lorries and buses drove up and down Silver Street and Elvet Bridge. Now it is pedestrianised (with lorry access for deliveries from 6pm till 10am or 11am). Unfortunately no-one considered cycling provision.

    Although Silver Street is busy at lunch times and early evening, Elvet Bridge is never so busy as to make allowing cycling unduly risky for pedestrians. Cyclists are already allowed throughout the day on Saddler Street (as are cars) and that street is much busier. So I think cycling should be allowed on Elvet Bridge all the time, in both directions.

    On Silver Street, cycling ought to be allowed, again in both directions, whenever deliveries are allowed. In the mornings this would be up to 10am. While there are pedestrians using the street, there are not vast numbers at that time, but opening it to cyclists would be very useful for people travelling to work.

    Obviously, other factors would need to be addressed, such as some of the one-way streets approaching Framwellgate Bridge on the west side, and turning out of Elvet Bridge at the east end.

    Relaxing these restrictions would open up a lot more options for cyclists.

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  • New Elvet hill: parking and traffic lights

    Created by Matthew Phillips // 0 threads

    New Elvet slopes up steeply as you travel south, so cycling is slow. There are two issues which make cyclists feel particularly vulnerable.

    A. On the left there are diagonal parking bays by the shops, with vehicles sticking out into the road, particularly a large van which is often there. Cyclists have to give these a wide berth but then they feel vulnerable to cars wanting to overtake.

    B. The second issue is the left filter on the lights to Hallgarth Street. As the road splits into two lanes, it is particularly tricky if you want to turn right into Church Street: if you stay too far left, cars overtake you and then turn across you to the left. If you manage to move over to the right the lanes are narrow and you're conscious of holding up all the cars.

    Possible improvements:

    A1) Remove the parking by the shops: it's not actually used much by shoppers as most vehicles have resident permits.

    A2) Make the parking by the shops parallel to the road.

    B1) Reduce the approach to the lights to a single lane, and abolish the left filter into Hallgarth Street. This would also make it easier for pedestrians crossing the mouth of Hallgarth Street where there is no pedestrian phase and no way to see any of the traffic lights to tell if you're safe to proceed.

    Another, more radical, option would be to remodel the road layout by carving an uphill cycle lane of reasonable width through the pavement by the shops, to the left of the parking (probably realigning the parking to be parallel) and giving the cycle lane its own phase on the lights at Hallgarth Street so that cycles can get wherever they need to without conflicting with other traffic. Options for making Church Street one-way, or for private vehicle access only from the New Inn end, could also be considered.

    Making Elvet Crescent two-way for bikes might reduce the need to cycle up New Elvet, but it's still the most direct route for various purposes so it's not an adequate solution on its own.

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  • Belmont Viaduct

    Created by Gregory // 1 thread

    I know this has been proposed before, but I wanted to add an issue to Cyclescapes in the hope that it might come up again. We can collect reports and evidence here.

    Reopening the Belmont Viaduct to cyclists and pedestrians could greatly shorten and improve a lot of journeys into and across Durham.
    Previously Durham Council (before the County Council?) were awarded lottery funding for this. I think the issue was with landowners, and so the funding got diverted to projects outside of the city.

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  • New road layout

    Created by Gregory // 0 threads

    New road layout has been finished here, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to look at any plans before they started work. Despite cycling past on a weekly basis, I saw no notices.

    It's not too bad, and extra lanes mean more space. However, I think it would be good to paint an ASL (cycle box) on at the Belmont Industrial Estate Junction. This will make cyclists feel a lot safer and give them a chance to cross the junction then get into a left-hand lane so motorists/lorries can over take after the junction (not dangerously overtake while turning).

    On the industrial estate is a local church, two sports centres, the Royal Mail sorting office, and a number of small businesses. As a result, there is a lot more cycling here than there was 5 years ago. Yet there are lorries and now buses(the bus depot has moved here) causing possible space-tensions between road users.

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