Cyclists and pedestrians on canal collision course
Published: 13 August, 2010
by PETER GRUNER
CONSERVATIVE activist Yvette Pathare is calling for cyclists to dismount in areas where large numbers of people are walking, including the Regent’s Canal towpath and the pedestrianised Camden Passage.
Ms Pathare, who runs an antique shop in Camden Passage, said she is fed up with having to avoid cyclists when she goes out for a stroll either near her work or at home near City Road basin.
“This is not a party political issue and I’m not against cyclists but they are now dominating the places where people like to walk, including the canal towpath and the antique market,” She said. “It can be very dangerous having cyclists bearing down on you, particularly for toddlers.
“Once upon a time there were signs telling cyclists to dismount. You don’t see them anymore.”
As reported in the Islington Tribune last month, residents fear that conflict on the towpath between walkers and cyclists is so bad that it is only a matter of time before someone ends up in the canal.
Howard Piper, a semi-retired career consultant from Angel, is worried about the growing number of commuter cyclists using the path along the Regent’s canal during morning and evening peak times.
British Waterways’ efforts to cool tempers by appealing to the warring groups to “respect” each other’s right of way have been a failure, according to Mr Piper.
He fears that the picturesque towpath, which narrows to just two feet wide along stretches near Danbury Street, has become a virtual “no go” area, making walking a “perilous” activity.
Caroline Russell, chairwoman of Islington Living Streets and herself a cyclist, believes that walkers and cyclists must learn to respect each other.
She said that a lot of work by British Waterways and her organisation has been done to encourage decent behaviour from both groups.
“Cyclists need to be aware that they must ring their bells and walkers need to know that it is not very sociable to block the towpath.
Various options have been studied by both British Waterways and Transport for London to resolve the issue.
Local St Peter’s ward Labour Cllr Martin Klute would like to see the introduction of “kissing gates” that would force cyclists to dismount. He also advocates a parallel cycling route along less busy roads.
Comments
Cycling is good for us
Submitted by john ackers on Sat, 2010-08-14 18:33.In last week's article about cyclists on the canal path, Ms Pathare said cyclists are now dominating the places where people like to walk, including the canal tow path. However, if there were canals going to Finsbury Park and Archway, they too would be full of commuting cyclists. Let's step back and consider why this is.
Cycling in Islington and other inner London boroughs is booming; there are many more cyclists everywhere. If London catches up with Amsterdam (40% of all trips are made by bike, [video]), cyclists will completely outnumber cars on Islington's streets.
However the big problem for cyclists is finding safe routes. The canal is a safe haven for cyclists; you might end up in the canal but that's preferable to slamming into an opening car door or being tipped off your bike by a large vehicle.
The sustainable and healthy solution is not to discourage cycling along the canal but to provide quicker and equally safe routes along the streets. People that don't cycle at all, say that they want segregated cycle routes but most of Islington's streets aren't wide enough or Transport For London won't give up the space for fear of aggravating congestion.
Cyclists could be directed to streets that aren't stuffed full with residents' parking and that have rigorously enforced 20MPH speed limits. Failing that, simply close some roads to through motorised traffic; cyclists will go out of their way to use them, literally.
John
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