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 Leeds Cycling Campaign:

  • Osthorpe Road Improvements

    Created by M Stanley // 1 thread

    This has been earmarked for major streetscape improvements in the next 5 years. However, due to nearby construction sites, some short term improvements are proposed.

    Plan will be added when we get it.

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  • Removal of ASLs on Armley Ridge Road

    Created by M Stanley // 1 thread

    From member R.A.G.

    There used to be two very useful cycle boxes (ASLs) in either direction at the junction traffic lights where ARR crosses SR. However, they have relayed the junction, and also repainted, but these two ASLs have disappeared.

    While I actually think that a lot of ASLs are not that necessary (when the only option is to go straight on or turn left, and the volume of cyclists is always very low) as I'm sure you are more than aware, ASLs in positions such as these ones, are actually very important. If you are turning left from ARR onto SR the it is not an issue, however if you are continuing on ARR across the junction, then it is. ARR crosses SR with a slight left right shimmy, so you have to turn left first, then be in the right hand lane on SR, before you turn right to continue onto ARR, which is almost impossible/very dangerous without taking up the centre of the ARR single lane, before temporarily turning left onto the SR right hand lane of two.

    I would like to think that they will be painted back in time, but it would seem that all other painting has been completed, and the workmen have moved on, so it doesn't look likely.

    It is mildly ironic, while supposedly increasing cycling safety down SR, they have in turn decreased it on an adjoining roads such as ARR, and perhaps numerous others.

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  • Churwell Hill - Cats eyes

    Created by M Stanley // 1 thread

    Concern was raised by Leeds Cycling Campaign members about newly install cats eyes under the railway bridge on Churwell Hill.

    These could be a danger to cyclists.

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  • North Lane: cycle parking

    Created by TMiles // 1 thread

    Cycle stands are needed on the north-west side of North Lane, a street with a number of independent shops and a relatively high flow of cyclists.

    Well-used cycle parking does exist on the other side of North Lane, but parked cars and traffic make the street difficult to cross.

    A bank of stands could either be sited on the walkway (with consideration given to the width of the pavement) or occupy one parking space.

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  • Victoria Rd / Headingley Ln

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    Vehicles trying to turn right out of Victoria Road at this busy intersection often partially block the outbound lane of Headingley Lane (A660), causing an obstruction to all road users and forcing outbound cyclists to move into the main flow of traffic. The exit of this street should either be physically blocked to motorised vehicles or controlled by traffic lights in coordination with the nearby crossroads.

    It must be recognised that any measures reducing the appeal of Victoria Rd to eastbound motor traffic may displace the problem to other access points onto Headingley Lane (for example its junction with Buckingham Road). It may be wise to first analyse the source of this traffic flow and encourage more appropriate routes.

    Nonetheless, action does need to be taken as the junction in its current form is a risk to the relatively high numbers of cyclists on this radial route.

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  • St Michael's Rd - Kirkstall Ln

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    St Michael's Road can be a useful local route for west-bound cyclists avoiding the central junction in Headingley and its approach roads, dominated by queuing traffic or parked cars.

    The current configuration could be improved to allow cyclists approaching the junction to cross directly from St Michael's Rd into the cycle box immediately in front of the traffic lights at the northern extremity of Cardigan Road.

    A dedicated traffic signal, coordinated with the parallel pedestrian crossing (to the extreme right of the image), would allow cyclists to cross from the island in the foreground to the advanced stop line in the far lane.

    These improvements would require very little actual ground work, instead making use of smarter signal control. Further adjustments to the sequencing could see cyclists granted a synchronized left turn into Kirkstall Lane.

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  • Armley - Headingley

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    The route marked between Headingley and Armley is heavily used as an intra-urban connector between north west and south west Leeds. Congestion can be particularly acute because it uses one of the few crossing points over the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool canal in the west of the city.

    The addition of cycle lanes in both directions along the length of this route has the potential to encourage a modal shift from cars and make a real impact on congestion. These cycle lanes would help to establish a more comprehensive network outside the radial routes, and would be a useful on-road addition to the Leeds Core Cycle Network (forming itinerary Ar - W). The proposed route offers connections to the improved cycle facilities on Kirkstall Road (A65) and the future CityConnect facilities.

    The addition of cycle lanes would be of particular benefit to uphill cyclists, minimizing their conflict with motorists.

    In addition to the environmental, economic and health benefits, the project would improve car-free mobility between three very different communities in Leeds: Headingley, Hyde Park and Armley.

    The width of the pavements along the northern sector would allow for a widened carriageway in order to accommodate the cycle lanes. The loss of pavement width would be outweighed by the benefits of calmed traffic. The carriageway of the southern sector is already generous and would make the implantation of cycle lanes relatively straight forward.

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  • East Parade

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    East Parade forms part of the one-way Leeds city centre loop. On the stretch shown it is three-lanes wide, a layout that encourages cases of excessive speed.

    The addition of a wide hybrid or segregated cycle lane would improve cycle journeys from the railway station and the south of the city towards the Universities, hospital and north of the city.

    Towards the junction with the Headrow the segregated system will end to allow cycles and vehicles to correctly position themselves to turn left or go straight ahead. In this final section the road surface should read, from left to right: (1) cycle lane, turning left (2) standard vehicle lane, turning left (3) cycle lane, straight ahead (4) standard vehicle lane, straight ahead (5 - if space permits) standard vehicle lane, straight ahead. Nevertheless, the layout should allow cycles continuing straight across to adopt their position without conflict from left-turning vehicles. An example of such markings can be seen in Cambridge (Hills Road railway bridge, inbound) or in Nantes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclable/9526360512/).

    Provision for delivery vehicles should also be considered here, as the left hand lane is frequently occupied by vans or lorries under the current system. To avoid conflict with cyclists, it would be most sensible to site such parking to the right of a segregated cycle lane.

    The project would bring additional traffic-calming benefits, with the reduction of the road width to two lanes along much of its length.

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  • Kirkstall Lane

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    The width of the road after the traffic lights lures south-west bound cycles into a left position that becomes problematic because of the build-out at the later pedestrian crossing. They either have to stop to let traffic pass through this pinch point or take the risk of readjusting their path to the right in order to join the main stream of vehicles.

    One solution would be to guide cycles into the correct position with cycle lane markings from the traffic lights to the pedestrian crossing.

    The second solution would be to cut a cycle-lane across the build-out, including a mini pedestrian crossing that cyclists would have to respect. This short stretch of lane should be flush with the road surface and must be kept swept regularly in order to be effective.

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  • Cycle lane not followed through

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    A short section of cycle path allows cyclists to skirt around the traffic lights when turning left from Westgate into Oxford Place.

    However the section ends abruptly in front of on-street car parking and the cyclist is forced to give way to other traffic in order to join Oxford Place.

    It should instead lead smoothly into a cycle lane that runs the whole length of this street.

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  • North-west bound cycle lane ends

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    Cyclists benefit from an almost continuous cycle or bus lane along the A660 from the city centre. This route is much used by students cycling between central university campuses and accommodation in north-west Leeds.

    After the central traffic lights in Headingley, the cycle lane ends and the road narrows. Although the road later widens out to two lanes, there is a stretch (marked on the map) where cyclists have insufficient space on what is a busy radial road.

    There are two possible solutions here. The first would be to widen the north-west bound lane to allow a standard width cycle lane to be marked out. The second option would be to add a phase into the traffic light sequence that grants cyclists a ~10 second head start to clear this narrow stretch. This solution could involve detectors in the cycle lane upstream of the lights to avoid its unnecessary activation. It would also allow cyclists to position themselves better for the next junction, where traffic is split into two lanes.

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  • Burley Road / Willow Road

    Created by TMiles // 0 threads

    West bound traffic on Burley Road approaching the crossroads is segregated into one lane of buses and cycles and one lane of all other traffic. A set of traffic lights 100m from the crossroads gives alternating priority to these two streams: one sequence holds back cars to allow buses to pass through, the other sequence retains the bus lane.

    Under the current layout, cyclists that wish to turn left into Willow Road can find themselves detained for some time. They are held back by red lights and lack the room to trickle forward to the later set of traffic lights without coming into conflict with other road users.

    However, left-turning cyclists would be able to trickle forward if works were carried out to:
    • Reprofile the pavement to allow the installation of a cycle lane following the line on the map.
    • Create a bypass to the left of the bus lane lights so that cyclists can legally make headway.

    It should be noted that the above measures are only intended for cyclists turning south. Under such measures the stream of traffic is always to the right of the cyclist.

    Those going straight ahead (into Burley Rd.) or turning right (into Cardigan Rd.) should remain subject to the bus lane signals because their path crosses that of the other stream.

    The current situation constitutes a bottle-neck on routes from the universities and parts of the city centre to Kirkstall and South Leeds. This crossover allows cyclists to access the higher-quality facilities on Kirkstall Road, and avoid the narrower Burley Road (where there is no cycle lane).

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  • Pinch point A65 Rawdon

    Created by WillC // 0 threads

    Road narrows at pedestrian island; pavement cut away but insufficient and not usable because of surface. Creates danger as it suggest to vehicles that there is more space than there is. Passing cyclists is dangerous.

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  • Aire Valley Towpath (NCN 66) Closure

    Created by Clare // 1 thread

    Towpath (NCN Route 66) is closed to cycles and pedestrians at Wharf Approach. No diversion is in place so alternative is busy Kirkstall Road (A65) to travel west in direction of Horsforth.

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  • Dangerous and blocked cycle-lane

    Created by WillC // 0 threads

    Leeds-bound cycle lane adjacent to Coopers Pub is regularly blocked by cars using the pizza shop next door. The cycle-lane itself is only useful if you are wishing to turn left into The Green. If you wish to go straight ahead then you have to use the main carriageway. This is , not wide enough for cars to pass so you have to take the primary position for safety. This causes irritation for drivers who do not understand the the cycle lane provided is not for cyclists travelling straight on. Junction needs rethinking, and illegal parking addressed.

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