Road maintenance and lighting

Road surfaces

A rough road surface - or even a relatively minor fault in it - can make cycling not only uncomfortable, but extremely hazardous. Hitting a pothole, or swerving to avoid one can lead to loss of control, collisions and falls. Poor drainage, or sunken, raised or badly fitted drain covers can also present dangers, as can thoughtlessly installed cats eyes and road studs.

Indeed, well over 10% of the injury reports made to CTC’s Accident Line for members involve road defects.

There are all sorts of reasons for deterioration: passage of time and vehicles; harsh weather conditions; freeze/thaw; or simply neglect.

‘Street works’ carried out by statutory undertakers (e.g. water, telecom companies etc) often cause problems too – after the road surface has been broken into, repairs may not be particularly well done and not last long. What's more, there is a tendency to forget about cyclists whilst road works are actually being carried out - temporary traffic lights, for example, may not give them enough time to get past; or they may be sent on a long, relatively unsafe diversion.

Lack of funding has a lot to do with the poor state of the roads. The 2012 Alarm report (from the  Asphalt Industry Alliance) says that while there are signs that the situation in England and Wales is improving, there is still a projected annual shortfall of £800 million.

Debris

Broken glass and other debris tends to collect at the side of the road and, as this is where cyclists usually ride, is not only a puncture risk nuisance, but can cause cyclists to fall.  Regular sweeping - that doesn't forget about cycle paths away from the carriageway - is essential, therefore.

CTC's briefing on cyclists, vegetation and hedge trimmings offers some advice on what to do if you encounter a problem.

Lighting

Good lighting is, obviously, important for cyclists wherever they ride. Unfortunately, councils sometimes omit to light cycle paths away from the road, usually because of the cost. Riding along unlit paths at night can be hazardous, or make people feel insecure – meaning that even routes that are otherwise well designed may not be used to their full potential.

The highway authority is responsible for highway lighting, but it can pay district councils and parish councils to carry out further work   

• CTC takes road defects so seriously, that we offer an online reporting tool - Fill That Hole - please use it!
• For a discussion of road defects, plus an intriguing insight into how potholes form - see Roads to Ruin, an article by CTC's Chris Peck for Cycle magazine (Dec/Jan 2011/12).
• In 2003, CTC gave written and oral evidence to the Parliamentary Transport Committee's inquiry into local roads and pathways, explaining why maintenance is so important to cyclists. The Committee agreed.

Local authorities and Government are letting cyclists down by failing to ensure the road network is kept in a condition safe for them to use. This must be a key factor in deterring potential cyclists and in the disappointing levels of cycle use.

Local Roads and Pathways (Parliamentary Transport Committee Report on its inquiry, 2003)