Newbury - Safest Roads in Britain Options

[NWNREADER]

Which is why I noted that the two fatalities had happened since that data was published.


So the slower traffic flow in Newbury is not a reason for low casualty rate.

New Data every year Eurorap

The Eurorap report does not look at the reasons, just the numbers. The numbers do not always match the nationally produced figures either.

Plenty of cities have high casualty rates, and they have slower traffic than Newbury - all day.

The data relates the Killed rate (no argument about what that means, but the definition of 'killed by the crash' varies for other countries) to the area population (144000 or thereabouts). There are other stats re total road length and mileage travelled (a bit of a guesstimate) but the Eurorap is consistent. However, a single minibus crash can skew the figures for a year, so no one report drives action.

[Strafin]

But being killed on a road doesn't mean killed by speed which was my point. Also the link provided is for 2006 - 2008 and contains no average traffic speed data.

[dannyboy]

But being killed on a road doesn't mean killed by speed which was my point. Also the link provided is for 2006 - 2008 and contains no average traffic speed data.

Oh, no - the mobility scoooter lives to fight another day....

[NWNREADER]

But being killed on a road doesn't always mean killed by speed which was my point. Also the link provided is for 2006 - 2008 and contains no average traffic speed data.

Indeed, as a person can be killed by a load falling off a lorry etc. There are not may cases (not 'no') when the pace at which one/both/all the parties are travelling is not a factor. Along with attention paid by the parties etc.

The data is what it is. If you want traffic speed data then EuroRap is not for you.... If you find that information there may still not be a co-relation for all sorts of statistical reasons....

[Biker1]

I see they are re-painting the "magic roundabout" at St. John's with the infamous cycle lanes.
Watch out for errant bicycles and mobility scooters using them - oh no, of course - they use the pavements don't they?
Just in case the odd errant bike uses them - who does have the right of way??

[Strafin]

Funny, the tories had a field day slating the lib dems over that, now they've done it too!

[Cognosco]

Funny, the tories had a field day slating the lib dems over that, now they've done it too!

Why have they just done the St John's roundabout? If it is such a good idea what about all the other roundabouts?

Is it because thousands of cyclists use this roundabout each year but the others are not used or what?

Or is it another of those council artworks on entry to the town that they keep wasting money on?

[NWNREADER]

Funny, the tories had a field day slating the lib dems over that, now they've done it too!

Maintaining road markings is not a party political issue. They are either maintained (as is happening) or removed (at considerable cost).
If removed then another road marking regime has to be put down, and even a 'standard' set of roundabout markings have to be drawn up by engineers to ensure current standards are achieved.
The cycle markings, like them or not, are part of a government led strategy to improve cycling facilities, so removing a part of the measures towards that strategic activity would doubtless be called in.

[Strafin]

Sorry but that's not true, the council can change road markings, and even speed limits if they want to.

[NWNREADER]

Of course they can, but it is not as simple as you imply, or maybe would wish. They certainly may not just do something differently because they feel like it. How about if they - overnight - changed the priorities on a roundabout?; closed off a road?; even, as you suggest, change a speed limit?
'Maintaining' can just be done, 'changing' involves the full range of Council bureaucracy - proposal, investigation, consultation, recommendation, design.....

[JeffG]

Why have they just done the St John's roundabout?

(They haven't quite finished yet.)

I've always wondered how having a cycle lane round the outside of a roundabout is supposed to work. Roundabouts are predicated on the fact that you exit to the left, and traffic continuing round passes you on the right.

How are you supposed to allow for cyclists passing you on the inside which is what happens with this system? Anyone passing a left-turning vehicle on the inside is just asking for trouble.

[Cognosco]

[quote name='JeffG' date='Feb 6 2011, 08:14 PM' post='33777']
(They haven't quite finished yet.)

I've always wondered how having a cycle lane round the outside of a roundabout is supposed to work. Roundabouts are predicated on the fact that you exit to the left, and traffic continuing round passes you on the right.

How are you supposed to allow for cyclists passing you on the inside which is what happens with this system? Anyone passing a left-turning vehicle on the inside is just asking for trouble.


Are there towns nearby that have these markings on roundabouts? Who designed them?

Will the New CCTV system be able to monitor any accidents on them?

[NWNREADER]

I've always wondered how having a cycle lane round the outside of a roundabout is supposed to work. Roundabouts are predicated on the fact that you exit to the left, and traffic continuing round passes you on the right.

How are you supposed to allow for cyclists passing you on the inside which is what happens with this system? Anyone passing a left-turning vehicle on the inside is just asking for trouble.


Are there towns nearby that have these markings on roundabouts? Who designed them?

Will the New CCTV system be able to monitor any accidents on them?

Here you go:
Cycles on roundabouts

Do you really want CCTV monitoring traffic movements? Even as a tongue-in-cheek comment, someone will doubtless think you mean it!

[JeffG]

Here you go:
Cycles on roundabouts

Well, I'm not much the wiser from reading that. It looks like a design document, rather than advice to motorists.

If the purpose of the cross-hatching (just renewed) on the St. John's roundabout is to reduce it to a single driving lane, someone had better explain that to those motorists that believe that road markings don't apply to them. (The original markings were worn away from people driving over them.)

I still don't know what's going to happen to cyclists passing exiting motorists on the inside.

[dannyboy]

(They haven't quite finished yet.)

I've always wondered how having a cycle lane round the outside of a roundabout is supposed to work. Roundabouts are predicated on the fact that you exit to the left, and traffic continuing round passes you on the right.

How are you supposed to allow for cyclists passing you on the inside which is what happens with this system? Anyone passing a left-turning vehicle on the inside is just asking for trouble.

Given the relative speeds involved, cars will always be passing cyclists.

Therfore a car will always be overtaking the cyclist. Should the car then exit the roundabout the car would be cutting the cyclist off. The idea of the lane is to give the cyclist visiblilty & priority.

You'd not overtake another car & then cut them off would you?

[JeffG]

You'd not overtake another car & then cut them off would you?

No, of course not. I don't seem to be putting this very well, do I?

My point is, when I exit a roundabout I don't expect anything to be coming at me from the nearside. I am already in the left lane ready to exit. If you put a ring of cyclists on the outside of this, you completely change how roundabouts normally operate.

[Iommi]

No, of course not. I don't seem to be putting this very well, do I? My point is, when I exit a roundabout I don't expect anything to be coming at me from the nearside. I am already in the left lane ready to exit. If you put a ring of cyclists on the outside of this, you completely change how roundabouts normally operate.

I understand your argument, but you should check the nearside before turning left. On my RAC/CBT course it was called a life saver.

[dannyboy]

No, of course not. I don't seem to be putting this very well, do I?

My point is, when I exit a roundabout I don't expect anything to be coming at me from the nearside. I am already in the left lane ready to exit. If you put a ring of cyclists on the outside of this, you completely change how roundabouts normally operate.

err, I was led to believe that it was always mirror, singnal, manouvre and on a RB that means the nearside wing mirror.

[Biker1]

Sorry to kick that one off.
I am still not too sure of the answer.
I am of the general opinion that if you are in a motor vehicle and have a collision with a cyclist you are automatically in the wrong.
Still, hypothetical question anyway because, as I said, they use the pavements.
Seems a lot of money to spend on something that is rarely used.

[Iommi]

Sorry to kick that one off.
I am still not too sure of the answer.
I am of the general opinion that if you are in a motor vehicle and have a collision with a cyclist you are automatically in the wrong.

I believe that is the case in places on the continent (Holland?), but not here.