Cycling England

Cyclist’s needs should be considered as part of the design of all signalised junctions and, whenever possible, provided with an advantage over motorists (see also A09 Advance Stop Lines).

All new cycle infrastructure should be delivered in a manner that will minimise whole-life costs.

Maintenance programmes should reflect the importance of cycling as a mode that is to be encouraged and authorities should ensure that non-highway sections of cycle networks are the subject of an adequately funded maintenance regime.

Highway authorities should consider using highway maintenance funding for all projects created to deliver their LTP and other objectives.

Stepped footbridges encountered along cycle routes should be fitted with suitable wheeling ramps.

Headroom in new subways should be a minimum of 2.4m. Existing subways with lower headroom have been successfully converted to cycle use but should be risk assessed and warning signs added where appropriate (see also A15 Audits and Risk Assessment). Signs should be mounted at least 2.3m above the surface of a cycle track.

Adequate visibility (20m where the design speed is 12mph) should be provided or measures to manage speed considered (see also B08 Access and Speed Controls).

Designers should aim to achieve a maximum gradient of 3% with the absolute maximum 5% for lengths up to 100m. On the approach to priority junctions this should not exceed 3%. Where steeper slopes are unavoidable the limiting gradient is 7% for lengths up to 30m.

The use of continental-style design should be considered where roundabouts are to be introduced on cycle routes with entry flows of up to 2500 vehicles per hour.

The decision to provide cycle lanes should be reached by reference to the hierarchy of provision (Local Transport Note 2/08 Table 1.2) and such tools as the CROW derived ‘speed/flow’ diagram (see below); they should not be seen as a universal solution. Where provided, they should be a minimum of 1.5m wide, continuous, made conspicuous across side roads at junctions and not abandon cyclists where roads become narrow, for example at right turning lanes.

All new developments should be accessible by bicycle. Their highway infrastructure should focus on on-road provision for cyclists with roads designed to deliver low speeds whilst at the same time creating permeability and advantage through the use of connections and links not available to motor traffic.

New developments should also provide for, and fund, links to the wider cycle network including quality cycle routes to such destinations as town centres, schools, employment sites, transport interchanges etc; i.e. works remote from the site.

Local authorities should develop a robust system for monitoring and evaluating cycling activities throughout their area to enable targets to be set for future growth.

Cycle flows should be measured before and after the introduction of all new cycle tracks and lanes and consideration given to developing local targets based on these surveys that can feed into overall cycle–use targets.