Designed for Cycling

Chris Peck's picture

Signs of the times - relaxed rules for 'no entry except cycles'

By Chris Peck on 5 March 2012
13 October 2011
After years of lobbying for simple changes to traffic sign regulations, CTC is pleased that the Government has finally agreed to a relaxation of certain rules, such as permitting an ‘except cycles’ plate to be used in conjunction with a ‘no entry’ sign.
No entry except cycles

The changes - set out in Government document 'Signing the Way' - should make streets safer and road engineering cheaper. The move comes as part of the outcome of the Traffic Signs Review announced by Norman Baker MP.

Laura Brooks's picture

Success for local campaigners in Wendover

By Laura Brooks on 1 March 2012
1 March 2012
The first cycle route to be installed in Wendover for five years was opened in the small Buckinghamshire town at the beginning of March.
Success for local campaigners in Wendover

This came after years of hard work and a final ferocious fight from local people and cycling campaigners, including local CTC volunteers, to ensure the parish council kept their promise of investment in cycling in the area.

Peter Hardy, Cabinet Member for Buckinghamshire County Council opened the route with a celebratory bike ride by children from local schools. An impressive swell of public support saw the route being saved after a last minute attempt to prevent £300,000 of investment in the local town, which is already suffering from car congestion and parking problems.

Chris Peck's picture

Cities fit for cycling

By Chris Peck on 9 February 2012
The Times has launched a campaign to improve cycle safety following the serious injury to a reporter on the paper. An 8 point manifesto has been published, with the focus on lorries, junctions, cycle infrastructure and 20 mph as the default urban speed limit.
Cities fit for cycling

In November last year Mary Bowers, a journalist at The Times, was crushed by a lorry while cycling to work in east London. She remains in hospital unconscious 3 months on.

In response to this horrific event her colleagues on the paper have now launched a major campaign to increase safety for cyclists in Britain. In doing so they have taken advice from CTC and other organisations and come up with an 8 point plan of action. These include:

Cherry Allan's picture

Vegetation and hedge trimmings

By Cherry Allan on 22 December 2011
Cyclists have problems with overhanging vegetation or hedge trimmings left on the routes they use. Debris can cause punctures or even serious injury if it gets caught in wheels...
Debris on road
Headline Messages: 
  • Cyclists encounter problems if vegetation along the routes they use is not well trimmed. Overgrown branches can obscure visibility or get in the way, for instance.
  • Cyclists also suffer when debris is left strewn about following careless or incompetent hedge trimming practices. 
  • Debris has the potential to cause punctures or – worse – it may get caught in wheels sometimes with serious, even fatal, consequences.
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 
  • Those responsible for trimming vegetation should do so regularly and in accordance with best practice
  • Local authorities and the police should actively pursue and, as necessary, prosecute offenders
  • Overhanging vegetation and debris along routes used by cyclists, both on and off-road, should be regularly and attentively cleared.
Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconVegetation and Hedge Trimmings
Publication Date: 
November 2009
Cherry Allan's picture

Contra-flow cycling (2-way cycling in 1-way streets)

By Cherry Allan on 19 December 2011
Allowing cyclists to ride two-way in one-way streets makes cycling more convenient and attractive...
Contra-flow street
Headline Messages: 
  • Allowing cyclists to ride two-way in one-way streets makes cycling in town and cities more convenient by opening up the street network and providing short-cuts. It can also help make cycling safer by offering alternatives to busy roads.
  • Contra-flow works well in many other European countries, where it is already widespread.
  • As it gives cycling an advantage over driving, contra-flow helps encourage a shift from cars to cycles for short local journeys.
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 
  • One-way systems put cyclists at a disadvantage, making their journeys longer and more stressful. Restoring two-way cycling on one-way streets can significantly improve the safety, convenience and attractiveness of cycling.
  • Each local authority should review all its one-way streets, with the aim of progressively converting them either for two-way use (particularly for one-way systems on more major roads), or permitting contra-flow cycling (e.g. on narrower streets), unless it can be demonstrated that there are overriding hazards to the safety of cyclists.
  • Contra-flow cycling should be facilitated through appropriate engineering treatments, depending on the traffic volumes, speeds and road widths involved.
  • In many cases, e.g. on quieter roads, unsegregated two-way cycling on an unmarked road is an appropriate solution. More heavily trafficked one-way roads should be provided with contra-flow lanes.
Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconContra-flow cycling
Publication Date: 
January 2012
Chris Peck's picture

Government announces long awaited changes to signing policy

By Chris Peck on 15 October 2011
After years of lobbying for simple changes to traffic sign regulations, CTC is pleased that the Government has finally agreed to a relaxation of certain rules, such as permitting an ‘except cyclists’ plate to be used in conjunction with a ‘no entry’ sign.
No entry except cycles

The changes should make streets safer and road engineering cheaper. The move comes as part of the outcome of the Traffic Signs Review announced by Norman Baker MP.

The number of motor vehicles which contravened the restrictions was halved and there was an increase in the number of cyclists using the contraflow schemes compared to the prescribed solution of using the ‘no motor vehicles’ traffic sign. Signing the Way

Chris Peck's picture

Portsmouth 20 mph limits lead to lower speeds and fewer casualties

By Chris Peck on 15 September 2010
15 September 2010
Two years after implementation of 20mph speed limits on 94% of the Portsmouth street network, results have shown that speeds fell, especially on roads where speeds were already high. Casualties have declined and attitudes of people to 20mph and both walking and cycling have improved.
Children campaigning for 20mph in Portsmouth

Since speeds were already low on most of the streets in the scheme (Portsmouth has narrow residential streets with lots of car parking), the overall reduction in speeds was low - around 1.3mph. However, on the streets where average speeds were greater than 24mph a 6.3mph reduction occurred.

Comparing the 3 years before the scheme was implemented and the 2 years afterwards, the number of recorded road casualties has fallen by 22% from 183 per year to 142 per year, faster than the fall in casualties in comparable areas elsewhere in the country.

Chris Peck's picture

Portsmouth becomes first 20mph city

By Chris Peck on 10 November 2009
10 November 2009
The City of Portsmouth has become the first city to have 20mph on all of its residential streets. The move aims to make the streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
Children campaigning for 20mph in Portsmouth

According to Portsmouth City Council: "the 20mph limit is for roads where the average speed is already 24mph or less. We have installed prominent 20mph signs where drivers enter the new speed restrictions, as well as 'repeater' signs as reminders. It has been found elsewhere that this method reduces speeds by 3-4mph.  Road humps are not part of the scheme, although if speeds do not drop on particular roads, then residents will be consulted again to see if they want additional measures.

New Vision for Cycling

New Vision for Cycling
A doubling of cycling use in 10 years, coupled with a halving the in risks of cycling, would generate economic benefits of £3.5 billion and save 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
application/pdf iconCTC's 'New Vision for Cycling' (4-page colour PDF)
application/msword iconCTC's 'New Vision for Cycling' (Word version with references)
Chris Peck's picture

Mixed reception for guidance on cycle infrastructure

By Chris Peck on 28 October 2008
12 October 2008
After years of lobbying for new guidance on infrastructure, CTC welcomed the publication of Cycle Infrastructure Design in October 2008. Although the document had improved since CTC commented on the draft, it is still weak on many aspects of the design of cycle facilities.
Cycle Infrastructure Design

CTC was pleased with the restatement of the Hierarchy of Provision (p. 10 of CID) for cycling which prioritises measures to reduce the volume and speed of traffic - i.e. tackling the major deterrents to cycling at source. 

However, there are also a number of important details which remain unsatisfactory, and in many ways the new document is significantly weaker than the original 1996 Cycle Friendly Infrastructure (CFI) guidelines.

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  • Patron: Her Majesty The Queen
  • President: Jon Snow
  • Chief Executive: Gordon Seabright
  • Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC): A company limited by guarantee, registered in England no.25185. Registered as a charity in England and Wales No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541
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