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 Cycle Ipswich:

  • Ipswich Borough Council Cycling Strategy SPD

    Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread

    Ipswich Borough Council are currently consulting on the Cycling Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), and are in the early Call for Ideas stage.

    "
    Cycling Strategy Supplementary Planning Document – Call for Ideas

    The Council is preparing a Cycling Strategy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), as set out in its Local Development Scheme (8th Edition, September 2014). The SPD will provide additional guidance to policies contained in the Ipswich Local Plan (currently the

    Core Strategy and Policies development plan document 2011 and remaining saved policies of the Ipswich Local Plan 1997). Further information on the Local Plan can be found at www.ipswich.gov.uk/localplan. The SPD will not set new policies but will be a material consideration in taking decisions on planning applications. The Council has already adopted a number of SPDs which can be found at www.ipswich.gov.uk/content/current-and- proposed-supplementary-planning-documents.

    The scope of the Cycling Strategy SPD relates to providing guidance on the provision of cycling infrastructure as part of new development and will also provide an opportunity to identify potential wider improvements to cycling infrastructure across the Borough. Cycling infrastructure in this respect not only relates to places where people cycle but also to provision for parking and storing cycles.

    At this stage we are asking for ideas on what the SPD should contain. This consultation is being carried out under Regulation 12 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. Following this initial Call for Ideas consultation, there will be a public consultation on the draft SPD which is anticipated to take place during Autumn 2015.

    We would appreciate any ideas you may have on the content of the SPD – the questions below may act as useful prompts.
     What measures should be taken to encourage cycling in and around new developments?
     What measures should be taken to encourage cycling throughout the Borough?
     Are you aware of any particular issues which would currently act to discourage
    cycling in the Borough?

    Please send us any comments by 11:45pm on Monday 17th August 2015. A comments form is available on our website at www.ipswich.gov.uk/consultations. If you would like further information, please contact Felicia Blake on 01473 432019.
    As part of the production of the SPD the Council is also looking for school / college pupils’ and their parents’ views on cycling to school – a short online survey is available at www.ipswich.gov.uk/consultations.
    "
    From https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/sites/default/files/cycling_strategy_spd_call_for_ideas_-_june_2015.pdf

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  • Make traffic lights as St Helen's St / Rope Walk junction permenant

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    There are currently (29/06/15) temporary 3 way traffic lights in place at the junction where Rope Walk meets St Helen's Street.

    This is normally a really painful junction for people cycling from Rope Walks onto St Helens Street at busy times with long waits for a gap in traffic and bad sight lines, particularly where west-bound traffic backs up leaving a gap at the yellow box junction so that people cycling have to venture out halfway across the road to see if there is any traffic coming east-bound.

    The lights make this considerably easier and would be worth considering as a permanent signal.

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  • Create cycle link from London Road to Columbine Gardens and Lupin Road

    Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread

    There is a footpath linking London Road to Columbine Gardens and Lupin Road, which has a series of barriers. Removing the barriers, ensuring there are dropped kerbs are on Columbine Gardens and Cowslip Close. Signs need to be added to sign post the route to the town centre, London Road, and appropriate other places.

    This would mean that there would be direct link from Chantry on to London Road and into town along a potentially safer route than Gippeswk Avenue/Birkfield Drive.

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  • Poor Bourne Park cycle path surface

    Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread

    The surface of the cycle path, which is also National Cycle Route 1 through Bourne Park is of an extremely poor quality. This really needs to have a smooth tarmac surface, and potentially widened.

    I would expect kids to be learning to ride a bike along here, however that's not currently possible as its' touch going for an adult to cycle here never mind a child who is just learning to cycle. If this path is upgraded it would be even better if the surfacing was extended to create a circle around the park which is reasonably smooth, so that people can learn to cycle by cycling around this park.

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  • Convert Dove Street to 2 way cycling

    Created by Shaun McDonald // 1 thread

    Dove Street is currently one way. It would be useful if it could be made 2 way for cycling for peopl coming from St Helen's Primary School to NCN 1.

    The left turn from St Helens Street into Dove Street is much easier than a right turn from St Helens Street into Regent Street, as you don't have to block a lane of traffic and hope for a gap in the traffic in the opposite direction, especially with kids. It's also a shorter route when heading towards the town centre.

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  • Upper Orwell Street dangerous ASL

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    There is a marked ASL at the North End of Upper Orwell Street with a marked cycle lane leading up to it.

    However, this end of Upper Orwell Street is very narrow and traffic turning left into it from St Helens Street at an acute angle often swings wide encroaching into the ASL. Very large vehicles making this turn would probably have no choice but to do so.

    This makes the ASL a dangerous area for cyclists and I would generally avoid using it.

    The junction either needs to be revised to avoid this issue and protect cyclists waiting in the ASL or a one-way motors / 2 way cycling system considered.

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  • Whitton and Castle Hill 20mph area

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    Suffolk County Council are proposing a blanket 20mph zone in this area.

    Consultation proposal documents are at:- http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/decision-making/consultations/consultation-on-whitton-and-castle-hill-20mph-speed-limit-proposal/

    Cycle Ipswich response (currently in draft):- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Itk7qCLrdPB3nV5OPjwbszpG42uACzisIjZtjpfbiQI/edit?usp=sharing

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  • Dangerous T junction

    Created by Kevin Ablitt // 1 thread

    Twice in the past week I have been cycling up St Johns to make a rh turn onto Cauldwell Hall and nearly been taken out by a driver taking the corner too fast as they travel north bound along Cauldwell Hall and turn down St Johns Rd.
    The problems are too fast traffic on Cauldwell Hall and poor design at that junction , need an island to separate traffic.

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  • Christchurch Park Bridleway route improvement

    Created by Jon_B // 1 thread

    This route is the current North-South route through Christchurch Park, but fails to realise its full potential for cyclists as it is not properly lit and is perceived as dangerous to use at night as it is secluded.

    It also suffers from a poor surface and can be dangerously slippy due to fallen leaves, leaf mould etc.

    The route needs to be upgraded by cutting back foliage to improve sight lines and reduce the "seclusion", resurfacing and proper lighting along with regular sweeping and maintenance. CCTV coverage would also improve the perception of safety.

    The junctions at either end also need to be revised to ensure that cyclists can safely and easily access the route from Park Road and Foneraux Road.

    We would also suggest that a new link to the main Park entrance on Park Road could be created inside the existing perimeter of the park, but fenced off so that it could be available for 24 hour access whilst the park is closed.

    This would link with the Avenue which, when adopted and resurfaced, could provide a useful continuation, particularly if closed to through motor traffic.

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  • Ideal for a high quality long distance cycle route

    Created by Kevin Ablitt // 0 threads

    From the picture ( https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.0377162,1.2020237,3a,75y,344.67h,90.27t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s3qD7ifQ-yxT6s-syDxhktQ!2e0?hl=en ) you can see just how wide the road is. It is like this all the way from St Augustines r/bout all the way to Seven Hills . Look at the picture, the white van is moving but it barely fills half of the eastbound lane. Look at the west bound mandatory cycle lane - as usual has cars in it . The cycle lane is also very rough, much smoother to ride on the white paint !
    I believe that we could have a high quality cycle facility in both directions .
    The existing cycle route is better than nothing especially as it is mandatory but there is no enforcement against parking in the cycle lane, there are pinch points and the road space is ready for reallocation.

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  • St Anthony's cycle route access issues

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    The off-road cycle route between Woodbridge Road and Spring Road leads from the end of St Anthony's Crescent through to Trafalgar Close and could potentially be a useful link between these two roads, which are short of pleasant and safe link routes for cyclists.

    However, the route is beset by at least 4 sets of barriers which are two narrow to ride through with a cargo bike, tricycle, bakfiets, hand-bike or similar. They do have a higher barrier which you can push a bike under, but this requires 4 dismounts which makes this totally impracticable as a cycle route and the barriers are still too low to pass under with a child in a bike seat.

    It is clear from parallel tracks through the woods that a lot of cyclists simply bypass these barriers, but I can't see any possible reason why these are needed and why access control can't be provided by a set of sensibly spaced bollards. I presume the intention is to keep motor cycles off the route, but this seems like total overkill and in any event they could simply bypass the barriers if determined to do so.

    There is no justification whatever for having 4 sets - surely if there is an effective barrier at each end then the middle ones are entirely pointless.

    It appears to me that whichever authority is responsible for this route have failed to consider their duty to disabled users of the route (including disabled cyclists) as well as ignoring cargo bike users and cyclists with children.

    These barriers should be removed and replaced with more conventional bollards to prevent vehicle access (and could then presumably be lifted out to allow vehicles which are required for maintenance etc.).

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  • Cycle parking requirement

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    The area on the south side of the junction of Elm Street and Museum Street currently houses two decrepit benches, but could more usefully be utilised for cycle parking.

    There are a number of businesses clustered around this area (including the large new "MyGo" youth employment centre) which could benefit from customers having access to cycle parking rather than having to go up to Queens Street.

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  • Cycle Parking required for school drop-offs

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    Cycle parking (ideally on-carriageway replacing an existing car parking space) should be provided on Cobbold Street to facilitate parents transporting children to St Margarets CEVAP school by bike. Existing cycle parking within the school grounds does not really make sense for this purpose as it requires cycles to be wheeled in and out of the site which is impracticable and could give rise to health and safety issues.

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  • Fore Street access from Lower Orwell Street

    Created by Jon_B // 0 threads

    There seems to be no sensible or convenient cycle route to access Fore Street pools cycle parking from the North as Fore Street appears to be one way for vehicles and cycles and the only other route from Lower Orwell Street is a circuit of the whole Star Lane / Fore Street Gyratory.

    This section of Fore Street should be made two way for cycles. As it is only a short stretch and there is plenty of pavement space this might be an appropriate application for shared use on the pavement provided it is properly signed and marked.

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This map shows all issues, whether points, routes, or areas:

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