Serpo
6th December 2012, 12:43 PM
Bungling council workers create contender for world's shortest cycle lane with 8ft path barely longer than a bike
The bike lane on Ridgeway in Plymouth, Devon is just 8ft 2ins long
Other bikes lanes in Britain have been criticised for being too short
Plymouth council said the lane did not cost them anything
It is to 'alert motorists to cyclists joining the road'
By Alex Ward (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Alex+Ward)
PUBLISHED: 18:49 GMT, 6 December 2012 | UPDATED: 18:49 GMT, 6 December 2012
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Bungling council workers have created a challenger for the world’s shortest cycle lane which measures just 8ft-long.
The bike lane on Ridgeway in Plymouth, Devon is just 8ft 2ins - barely longer than a bike - and has left cyclists wondering what the point of it is.
It is not the first time ridiculously short bike lanes have been marked out on British roads with another in Devon measuring just 8ft long earlier this year, and in 2006 a 5ft-long lane made headlines in Shrewsbury.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/06/article-2244145-1661ABE0000005DC-271_634x729.jpg Barely longer than a bike: A cyclist uses the 8ft-long cycle lane in Devon which has left bike riders baffled by the logic of putting in a bike lane so small
Council workers in Cardiff were criticised for building an 8ft bike lane in 2010 at the estimated cost of £2,000.
Welsh cyclists were left baffled with the logic behind the lane when an official told them it was to 'highlight the interface between the eastbound carriageway and the beginning of a new contraflow facility'.
More...
Child's heartbreaking tribute to lollipop man, 82, killed by driver on the road he had patrolled for 13 years (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244045/Last-words-lollipop-man-Raymond-Elsmore-82-killed-driver-Ill-hospital.html)
The Batman-style bike light than warns drivers by projecting a warning logo onto road ahead of cyclist (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2239993/Batman-style-bike-light-warns-drivers-projecting-warning-logo-road-ahead-cyclist.html)
Arrogant, abusive and oh-so smug - why do so many cyclists think they're above the law? (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2242003/Arrogant-abusive-oh-smug--cyclists-think-theyre-law.html)
For clarity a council spokesman added that it was to alert cyclists to the left hand turn into a new facility.
A Plymouth council spokesman said their latest path did not cost the council anything.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/06/article-2244145-1661AB4C000005DC-181_634x432.jpg 'Planning obligations': A council spokesman said the bike lane indicated where cyclists join the general traffic, giving them 'space' to do so safely
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/06/article-2244145-1661AB34000005DC-979_634x353.jpg No cost: Plymouth council did not pay for the bike lane (pictured) but council workers in Cardiff were criticised in 2010 for creating an 8ft bike lane which cost an estimated £2,000
She said: ‘It was paid for by the developer of a power station as part of its planning obligations.
‘The red area marks where the off-road pedestrian and cycle route ends and cyclists join with general traffic.
‘It is designed to alert motorists to cyclists joining the road, as well as give cyclists the space to do safely.’
But cyclists have been left scratching their heads on how best to use the new ‘lane’.
One cyclist said: ‘It’s ridiculous. Is it really worth having such a small cycle path?
‘You couldn’t cycle in it because it’s so small. You just have time to get in the saddle before getting off again.’
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/26/article-0-0D2B1CA000000578-284_634x547.jpg
Short in Birmingham too: Cyclist Tom Gaffney noticed last year that there was three 20ft-long bike lanes marked out out just a quarter of a mile apart
In Birmingham last year, three 20ft-long bike lanes were marked out just a quarter of a mile apart in the Sutton Coldfield area of the city.
Cyclist Tom Gaffney, 21 said at the time: 'If an area is going to have cycle lanes to save pollution and traffic, they should at least make sure they go somewhere, or are at least long enough to bother cycling on.'
But a spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: 'The cycle lanes make it clear where cyclists should go.
'The lanes clearly guide cyclists to the dropped kerb where they can leave the road and ride on the footway to a safe crossing of the busy Eachelhurst Road.’
Even across the North Sea, the Dutch city of Epe made their own ridiculous bike path, 8ft 8ins, with ‘Bike Path’ signs at each end.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244145/Plymouth-council-creates-contender-worlds-shortest-cycle-lane-8ft-path.html#ixzz2EJ4bagR5
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The bike lane on Ridgeway in Plymouth, Devon is just 8ft 2ins long
Other bikes lanes in Britain have been criticised for being too short
Plymouth council said the lane did not cost them anything
It is to 'alert motorists to cyclists joining the road'
By Alex Ward (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Alex+Ward)
PUBLISHED: 18:49 GMT, 6 December 2012 | UPDATED: 18:49 GMT, 6 December 2012
Comments (0) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244145/Plymouth-council-creates-contender-worlds-shortest-cycle-lane-8ft-path.html#comments)
Share (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244145/Plymouth-council-creates-contender-worlds-shortest-cycle-lane-8ft-path.html#socialLinks)
Bungling council workers have created a challenger for the world’s shortest cycle lane which measures just 8ft-long.
The bike lane on Ridgeway in Plymouth, Devon is just 8ft 2ins - barely longer than a bike - and has left cyclists wondering what the point of it is.
It is not the first time ridiculously short bike lanes have been marked out on British roads with another in Devon measuring just 8ft long earlier this year, and in 2006 a 5ft-long lane made headlines in Shrewsbury.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/06/article-2244145-1661ABE0000005DC-271_634x729.jpg Barely longer than a bike: A cyclist uses the 8ft-long cycle lane in Devon which has left bike riders baffled by the logic of putting in a bike lane so small
Council workers in Cardiff were criticised for building an 8ft bike lane in 2010 at the estimated cost of £2,000.
Welsh cyclists were left baffled with the logic behind the lane when an official told them it was to 'highlight the interface between the eastbound carriageway and the beginning of a new contraflow facility'.
More...
Child's heartbreaking tribute to lollipop man, 82, killed by driver on the road he had patrolled for 13 years (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244045/Last-words-lollipop-man-Raymond-Elsmore-82-killed-driver-Ill-hospital.html)
The Batman-style bike light than warns drivers by projecting a warning logo onto road ahead of cyclist (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2239993/Batman-style-bike-light-warns-drivers-projecting-warning-logo-road-ahead-cyclist.html)
Arrogant, abusive and oh-so smug - why do so many cyclists think they're above the law? (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2242003/Arrogant-abusive-oh-smug--cyclists-think-theyre-law.html)
For clarity a council spokesman added that it was to alert cyclists to the left hand turn into a new facility.
A Plymouth council spokesman said their latest path did not cost the council anything.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/06/article-2244145-1661AB4C000005DC-181_634x432.jpg 'Planning obligations': A council spokesman said the bike lane indicated where cyclists join the general traffic, giving them 'space' to do so safely
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/06/article-2244145-1661AB34000005DC-979_634x353.jpg No cost: Plymouth council did not pay for the bike lane (pictured) but council workers in Cardiff were criticised in 2010 for creating an 8ft bike lane which cost an estimated £2,000
She said: ‘It was paid for by the developer of a power station as part of its planning obligations.
‘The red area marks where the off-road pedestrian and cycle route ends and cyclists join with general traffic.
‘It is designed to alert motorists to cyclists joining the road, as well as give cyclists the space to do safely.’
But cyclists have been left scratching their heads on how best to use the new ‘lane’.
One cyclist said: ‘It’s ridiculous. Is it really worth having such a small cycle path?
‘You couldn’t cycle in it because it’s so small. You just have time to get in the saddle before getting off again.’
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/26/article-0-0D2B1CA000000578-284_634x547.jpg
Short in Birmingham too: Cyclist Tom Gaffney noticed last year that there was three 20ft-long bike lanes marked out out just a quarter of a mile apart
In Birmingham last year, three 20ft-long bike lanes were marked out just a quarter of a mile apart in the Sutton Coldfield area of the city.
Cyclist Tom Gaffney, 21 said at the time: 'If an area is going to have cycle lanes to save pollution and traffic, they should at least make sure they go somewhere, or are at least long enough to bother cycling on.'
But a spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: 'The cycle lanes make it clear where cyclists should go.
'The lanes clearly guide cyclists to the dropped kerb where they can leave the road and ride on the footway to a safe crossing of the busy Eachelhurst Road.’
Even across the North Sea, the Dutch city of Epe made their own ridiculous bike path, 8ft 8ins, with ‘Bike Path’ signs at each end.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244145/Plymouth-council-creates-contender-worlds-shortest-cycle-lane-8ft-path.html#ixzz2EJ4bagR5
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter (http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=MailOnline) | DailyMail on Facebook (http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail)