Improved cycle access from St John's Roundabout

Following consultation with the West Berkshire Cycle Forum,  West Berkshire Council has started work on improvements to St John's roundabout in Newbury. The works include repainting of the cycle lane markings,and realignment of the kerbs where Derby Road meets the roundabout . This will allow cyclists  to access Derby Road and shorten their journeys as they will be able to bypass Bartholomew Street and Pound Street to reach the residential areas to the north west of the roundabout.

David Betts, West Berkshire's Executive Councillor for Highways & Transport said,"St John's roundabout is one of the busiest entrances to the town. The improvements re-affirm the Council's continuing  commitment to providing facilities for cyclists and  to encouraging sustainable travel."

The works are weather dependent but it is hoped that they will be completed in the next few weeks.

I guess that improvements are to be welcomed - but I can't help hoping that, one day, they'll get it right first time. <sigh>

Flogging a dead horse springs to mind.  It is hardly the busiest cycle way either.  Isn't now and wasn't then.  Couldn't they postpone this waste of money and use it to fill some of the dangerous pot holes?

Quoted from Greenham Common

Flogging a dead horse springs to mind.  It is hardly the busiest cycle way either.  Isn't now and wasn't then.  Couldn't they postpone this waste of money and use it to fill some of the dangerous pot holes?

Aha! Potholes after the snow, frost and salt. First time we've heard that one.

Quoted from brian

Aha! Potholes after the snow, frost and salt. First time we've heard that one.

...and rainfall.

Quoted from Administrator

Improved cycle access from St John's Roundaboutand realignment of the kerbs where Derby Road meets the roundabout . This will allow cyclists  to access Derby Road and shorten their journeys as they will be able to bypass Bartholomew Street and Pound Street to reach the residential areas to the north west of the roundabout.

I don't understand. Will Derby Rd no longer be one way as surely that is the only way to bypass Bart & Pound Streets?

Quoted from 26

I don't understand. Will Derby Rd no longer be one way as surely that is the only way to bypass Bart & Pound Streets?

Cyclists don't understand the concept of one-way roads - in recognition of this WBC seem to be pandering to their inability to folow the highway code by changing the rules to suit the cyclists (right turn into Cheap St and now this.

Common sense if you were to ask me.  I think it is important to give advantage to cycling and cyclists.  Re-painting the roundabout seems an utter waste though.

Quoted from brian

Aha! Potholes after the snow, frost and salt. First time we've heard that one.

We've missed the boat, BBC beat us to it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12253364

Quoted from Greenham Common

Flogging a dead horse springs to mind.  It is hardly the busiest cycle way either.  Isn't now and wasn't then.  Couldn't they postpone this waste of money and use it to fill some of the dangerous pot holes?

I completely agree with everything you say, perhaps WBC expect an influx of cyclists moving in to the Derby Rd. area.  

You have to look very hard to find NEWBURY at the top of anything,but WE ARE top of the cyclist safety league...BRIGHTON are bottom[South Today].
Well done WBC....praise where it is DUE !

Quoted from Uncle

You have to look very hard to find NEWBURY at the top of anything,but WE ARE top of the cyclist safety league...BRIGHTON are bottom[South Today].
Well done WBC....praise where it is DUE !

Now, that is a big deal. (Looks behind to see if User is lurking)

Brighton bottom. Now that really is something to think about, perhaps in the cottaging thread.

Quoted from 26

I don't understand. Will Derby Rd no longer be one way as surely that is the only way to bypass Bart & Pound Streets?

It already has a No entry sign westbound off of the roundabout which has been there for some while now but I notice in the classifieds in the NWN this week, that the changes which reversed the original Deby Road (2004) one way, although actually changed months ago, have only just been published in that issue with the additional paragraph enabling cyclists to go westbound along Derby Road against the one way traffic. Date of order 3rd Feb and coming into force 4th Feb. So it seems as if WBC jumped the gun by quite a margin.

IMHO
As a cyclist who regulaly uses the St Johns roundabout, I pay no attention at all to the cycle lanes, and simply follow the route I would do in my car.
This means that no-one is confused as to where I am going (large expansive hand signals), and more importantly no-one can fail to see me in the middle of the road.
Whle this may inconvenience the occasional motorist, I have never (yet) been cut-up or forced in to the gutter.
An old trick from my motorcycling days was always to look any driver directly in the eye, they tend to notice you then.
This should not be done aggresively, but better someone sees you, than knocks you off because you are in that part of their vision obscured by frost, use of mobile phone, alcohol etc

Bravo Golfy!! Bravo!


If your travels around the gyratory end with some minor collision with an errant driver then just watch out though... WBC has spent a pretty penny on green road paint and there will be claims that you were in the wrong if it so happens that you were not in the 'Green Zone'.... And the police will probably agree with that point of view... Your average plod isn't exactly altogether clued up on traffic law so probably thinks those 'lanes' are a legal necessity for cyclists to adhere to....