"Cyclists Prohibited"

GingerBob_3

I noticed recently on the A19 (Durham and North Yorks) that "Cyclists Prohibited" notices have appeared on a number slip-roads. What's the legal basis for this? Who, if anyone, has obtained an order - or whatever - to ban cyclists? How are such orders obtained and are they valid?


Interestingly, there are no signs to show where the prohibition ends. Anyone got any info on this sort of (unnecessary) prohibition.

Johno100

Here's the Order as it appeared in the London Gazette, with all the appropriate legislation quoted just for you, any other questions?

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2336689

GingerBob_3

Johno100 wrote: »

Here's the Order as it appeared in the London Gazette, with all the appropriate legislation quoted just for you, any other questions?

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2336689

Thanks. Interested parties had until 12 June 2015 to comment/object, but the signs were in place, albeit covered up, well before then. So they had no intention of listening to objections. I guess that's typical. As noted, there are no "end of prohibition" signs, so anyone cycling into the affected area on the A19 itself will not be aware of the restrictions (maybe I've missed these signs - I'll look out for them).


I'm not a cyclist as such, and that section of the A19 is not one you'd want to be cycling on anyway, but to me this is just the thin end of the wedge. It won't be long before similar restrictions are placed on many other roads, and eventually it will cover the entire trunk road network. It will be a bit like the 50 mph speed limit; up and down the land the national speed limit is being reduced to 50 mph by stealth. In some ways this is a s**t country in which we live.


I don't recall ever seeing a cyclist on this stretch of the A19, so yet another bureaucratic waste of time and tax payers' money.

HappyMJ

GingerBob wrote: »

I noticed recently on the A19 (Durham and North Yorks) that "Cyclists Prohibited" notices have appeared on a number slip-roads. What's the legal basis for this? Who, if anyone, has obtained an order - or whatever - to ban cyclists? How are such orders obtained and are they valid?


Interestingly, there are no signs to show where the prohibition ends. Anyone got any info on this sort of (unnecessary) prohibition.

Isn't the death of a cyclist and the subsequent acquittal of the driver after two juries failed to reach a verdict enough to cause a concern for the general safety of cyclists on that high speed stretch of road. It's almost motorway standard I wouldn't be expecting cyclists on that road. It's a pity a cyclist had to die for the prohibition order to be put in place.

GingerBob_3

HappyMJ wrote: »

Isn't the death of a cyclist and the subsequent acquittal of the driver after two juries failed to reach a verdict enough to cause a concern for the general safety of cyclists on that high speed stretch of road. It's almost motorway standard I wouldn't be expecting cyclists on that road. It's a pity a cyclist had to die for the prohibition order to be put in place.

Tell you what, let's ban cycling completely. That will reduce casualties enormously.

HappyMJ

GingerBob wrote: »

Tell you what, let's ban cycling completely. That will reduce casualties enormously.

It's a high speed road with narrow shoulders and at 7.10AM on a dark January morning a cyclist was on that road. Witnesses described the action of the cyclist as suicidal and some mentioned he was brave by cycling on that road.

It's not a road suited for cycling.

A cyclist wearing protective equipment might survive a low speed collision with a smaller vehicle on a smaller local road but at 60 plus MPH the cyclist had no chance of survival being hit by a HGV at almost full speed.

Tobster86

Used to use these roads a lot and aren't surprised; it's four lanes each way on some of this stretch of the A19 with a lot of changing lanes for junctions. There seems to be a bit of a microclimate around there for really nasty weather in winter too.

ab1982

I ride 3/4k per year and drive 20k. I know the A19, there is no way on earth I'd cycle on it.

GingerBob, I do understand your concern that you cant completely de-risk cycling without banning it but roads such as the A1 and A19 are motorways in all but name so on balance I reckon this is a good shout.

GingerBob_3

ab1982 wrote: »

I ride 3/4k per year and drive 20k. I know the A19, there is no way on earth I'd cycle on it.

GingerBob, I do understand your concern that you cant completely de-risk cycling without banning it but roads such as the A1 and A19 are motorways in all but name so on balance I reckon this is a good shout.

Well you say that - and let me say again, I am not an avid cyclist - but a week last Sunday I observed members of Stockton Wheelers (I think that's their name) cycling in a race or trial on the section of the A19 immediately south of that in question, and that section really is a fast bit, faster than that through the "prohibited area". Now if those guys continue cycling north what happens? They get fined? Yes, you wouldn't get me cycling on the A19 for a gold pig, but to me, the recent prohibition is likely to be a knee-jerk reaction to the tragic event noted earlier.

Johno100

GingerBob wrote: »

Well you say that - and let me say again, I am not an avid cyclist - but a week last Sunday I observed members of Stockton Wheelers (I think that's their name) cycling in a race or trial on the section of the A19 immediately south of that in question, and that section really is a fast bit, faster than that through the "prohibited area". Now if those guys continue cycling north what happens? They get fined? Yes, you wouldn't get me cycling on the A19 for a gold pig, but to me, the recent prohibition is likely to be a knee-jerk reaction to the tragic event noted earlier.

Well next time you pass through that area, if you can't see the signs indicating the beginning of the restriction then contact the Highways Agency and tell them. All the contact details you need are in the Gazette notice I linked to previously.

DaveF327

GingerBob wrote: »

As noted, there are no "end of prohibition" signs, so anyone cycling into the affected area on the A19 itself will not be aware of the restrictions

If cyclists are prohibited, they won't be there to see the end of the restriction, will they? They should be more concerned to notice the start of the restriction. I'm sure that will be clearly signed.

I don't recall ever seeing a cyclist on this stretch of the A19,

So the signs must be working well, then!