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Shore Road, Poole (via StreetView)Poole watersports enthusiasts angry about protected cycle lane on National Cycle Route 2
Watersports enthusiasts in Poole have expressed anger at plans to replace parking bays on Evening Hill with a protected cycle lane, arguing this would effectively remove their access to Poole Harbour.
A trial protected cycle lane was this week introduced on Shore Road, the main route to and from Sandbanks, thanks to Emergency Active Travel funding from the Department for Transport.
The route is a key part of National Cycle Network Route 2, but the introduction of the lane has also seen the removal of 43 on-street parking spaces in the Evening Hill location.
Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) have said that the spaces will be replaced nearby.
Despite this, many have voiced their displeasure on the Widen My Path website that is currently being used by councils up and down the country to identify areas in need of improvements.
One comment, which has been agreed with by over 300 other users, reads: “Current car parking at Evening Hill provides access to variety of activities including personal watersports such as windsurfing, SUPs, kayaks etc, a public slipway, a beauty spot with picnic tables and benches frequented year round by numerous locals.
“The hill is too steep for most cyclists to climb, Beryl bikes and indeed any commuting bike rarely even attempt the ride.
“It is predominantly sports cyclists on road or mountain bikes who attempt the climb. Removing all parking access to the beauty spot and harbour, purely to benefit sports cyclists, rather than to promote cycling and active travel locally, is a misuse of public and government funds and has been decided without public consultation or suitable research.
“If social distancing measures are required to separate cyclists and pedestrians, there is ample room and existing pathways and promenade to safely facilitate this without closing access to the sea and beauty spot with BCP’s current proposal of removing all parking.”
Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Infrastructure, said: “A lot of people took up cycling following the Covid-19 pandemic and I am pleased to see this location addressed as part of our emergency active travel plans rollout.
“The seafront, including Sandbanks, is a key destination and due to its popularity, this route can become very congested during peak periods.
“The new protected cycle lane will help users cycle safely on a key section of this busy road, and hopefully encourage more visitors and residents to use their bikes to travel to and from the beach, as well as along the coast.”
However, former national windsurfing champion and Poole resident Guy Cribb told the Bournemouth Echo that the car parking at Evening Hill represented the best public access to Poole Harbour for windsurfers.
“I believe is a grave mistake from BCP, rushed into for the sole purpose of accelerating government funding, with little or no thought for anyone except cyclists,” he said.
“BCP have stated they only had seven days to make their bid for Government funding and they've taken it without enough research.
“Seems to me they wanted as much Government funding as possible at all costs and sadly have not taken the bigger picture into account on this occasion.”
However, the newspaper also quotes an anonymous local cyclist, who said: “Evening Hill is part of the National Cycling Network route 2 and deserves some much-needed attention from BCP.
“When busy, it is often dangerous riding up that hill even for an experienced rider. I tend to avoid it when it is if I'm honest.
“BCP are responding sensibly to Government guidelines, ultimately putting the safety of some people over the convenience of others.
“If people are serious about climate change, helping people move to more active forms of travel due to Covid-19, the council has to make the most cost-effective changes to do that.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- Rendel Harris 3 sec ago
As what you have said is demonstrably untrue, given that the event is organised and has been for the last four years by a professional events...
- chrisonabike 28 min 26 sec ago
Accessibility issue. Of course by necessity / co- evolution the Dutch generally provide a fairly "one size fits standard bikes" parking solution -...
- Kapelmuur 39 min 12 sec ago
Thanks for the heads up. I wore it the first time the temperature fell below 10C, with a merino base layer. A short ride of about 90 minutes, I...
- Steve K 1 hour 43 min ago
I'm there now too, if anyone wants a follow/wants to follow me. @cyclingtheseaso
- Shepton 2 hours 19 min ago
I totally agree. I used to commute through Long Ashton and only started getting agro from motorists when the pavement was made to be a shared path....
- Rendel Harris 2 hours 42 min ago
She was still there in Greenwich when I cycled past her on Wednesday!
- Rendel Harris 2 hours 53 min ago
It's obviously a very personal thing but if I was in the market at your budget I would take a serious look at the Ribble AllRoad SL Pro, currently...
- Hirsute 4 hours 44 min ago
No driver involved https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/24728452.car-crash-station-way-colch...
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33 comments
This seems like it should be more of a conflict between motorists who want to park on the hill and motorists who don't want to get stuck behind slow moving cyclists going up the hill.
I have cycled along that stretch several times and it is a balance between abuse from passing motorists and keeping far enough away from the parked vehicles so as not to be 'car doored'. I even look at the van wing mirrors (there are always several vans parked) to see if anyone is sitting in the right hand seat in case they open the door without looking.
What is also a waste of time is dipping in and out of the parking area when there are large empty spaces because trying to come back out into the traffic also seems to inconvenience motorists.
I would welcome that stretch being a cycle path.
And yet there are many motorists who seem to think that you should dip in and out of gaps in the parked vehicles. I did have an opportunity to explain why I didn't, one time, and I said that if motorists could be guaranteed to actually let me out of the gap again then I'd happily do so. Except that they never do.
Letter to the editor: Evening Hill cycle lane is a welcome innovation
https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18595686.letter-editor-evening-hi...
If you have a view on these cycling improvements, please take 2 minutes to fill out the Council's official survey: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=159438198221
That is what the Council will use to determine the success (or not) of the scheme, so if you want to give your voice to support protected cycle lanes, fillig out the survey will help a great deal (and drown out the antis!).
Done!
Could someone explain how removal of spaces on a hill prevents access for watersports where parking moved elsewhere doesn't???
By definition, 43 spaces on a hill can't be next to the sea. (And 43 spaces corresponds to the number of spaces on Evening Hill, so they clearly aren't removing the ones next to the Sandbank/beach where there is direct access for unloading watersports equipment?
How about they offer an alternative then. Any road where people want to oppose a cycle lane, make it a 15mph speed limit instead, no loss of parking, safer to cycle. Surely they can’t complain at that...
'Removing all parking access to the beauty spot and harbour, purely to benefit sports cyclists, rather than to promote cycling and active travel locally, is a misuse of public and government funds and has been decided without public consultation or suitable research'
When are residents EVER consulted on car parking spaces being added to every road in the land? Space that is 'purely to benefit' car owners.
and this one, i THINK this is when they did the spur road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7tUdH-ih_o
yeah so drivers were saying oh god we just want to leave the hospital but we've been stuck here for two hours! ok, so i rode in, all the way to the end, and out again without an issue. So whats the problem? The car in front of you, and him and him and her and her, all in cars, NOT the road itself.
the shared path vid i rode on, thats this one-
https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17742459.work-to-improve-road-out...
so yep, they totaly improved it for cycling, didnt they.
Theres also this one, i think its got a guy being hit by a taxi as well as shitty cycle lanes https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16610340.watch-silly-cycle-lanes-...
i ride in bournemouth and poole quite a bit. Its not as bad as it used to be, but its still got morons in it. Most people are getting better at giving space to bikes, something i would hope the helmet cams have helped get the point across for? When i used to do courier work there i only really had issues inside the town centres. On the open roads, contrary to what youd think, most people out there were really courteous to me. I only got into an actual fight one time.The other times, well a man got out his car saying' i nearly hit you!'' a lady beeped and yelled at me for riding a metre out then put a hit on the you tube video of her as i caught her at the red light seconds later. I had a big hgv wheel pass an inch from my handlebar, the police beeped and yelled at me to use a cycle lane with a bus stop in it, a bus driver beeped and tried to tell me to use a shared path by castlepoint, oh, and when the spur road got worked on, there were queues four miles away- royal bournemouth hospital had cars stuck inside it for two hours. Actualy, it really isnt that nice to ride here. The area is lovely. The people in it who think they know best actually dont and they suck.
you will know this, david rides, If you roll the Google pics (picture credit is customary, guys) down the hill, and back up, this is mainly about filling-in a missing link of cycle lane provision.
How many "spaces" have been lost: 15, 20?
Cllrs Vote-Grabber and Crowd-Pleaser have weighed-in : https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18589623.letter-editor-loss-parki...
Digested read:
"Less mobile residents are particularly upset as the parking bays which provide safe access to Evening Hill viewpoint will be removed"
I'm sure we'd all support some blue badge provision; all the descriptions about the less mobile, etc are couched in similarly vague terms.
While it is possible to park in nearby roads, the reality of carrying water sport equipment while watching out for your children crossing the road, is simply not practical.
Why not? Car problem here, is it? Will somebody please think of the children? (+ the less mobile)
"Motorists are considerate of those that do cycle up."
oh, yes, I'm sure they all are.
Why do you need to look out for the kids crossing the road with all of these "considerate" motorists about, or are they only considerate towards cyclists?
People participating in WaterSports are very rarely doing the active travel thing either, I guess the clue might be in the name...Sports...
"watersports enthusiasts". Are they taking the piss?
They are taking the piss big time.
Regrettably there's no 'I disagree with this' button against comments on widenmypath.
Anyway, truth is, this is a sorely needed piece of infrastructure which goes a long way to making the ride from Sandbanks to Poole Quay a lot more enjoyable for all ages and abilities. The most dangerous parts I think are now the parking areas outside the shops at Lilliput and the Tesco at Sandbanks.
/rant
!
Great to hear a bit of local knowledge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQqgVKPStIA
1:43
It's not a steep or long hill. It is also the gentlest hill to get away from Sandbanks, and the most direct route back to Poole. According to strava, its 4.6% and 16000 people have attempted it. Guy is a nice bloke, but he's talking out of his arse because he's upset he can't park his van
“Current car parking at Evening Hill provides access to variety of activities including personal watersports such as windsurfing, SUPs, kayaks etc, a public slipway, a beauty spot with picnic tables and benches frequented year round by numerous locals."
If they are locals, why do they need to drive there? Surely they could ride a bike? I wonder how many of the 336 people supporting removal of the cycle lane are locals? Anyone can click on the widen my path website and have their vote counted; like me for instance.
"“The hill is too steep for most cyclists to climb, Beryl bikes and indeed any commuting bike rarely even attempt the ride."
What's a Beryl bike? And at least they are right about commuting bikes not attempting the ride, I'm pretty sure no bikes ever attempt the ride, but some cyclists might.
This is just NIMBY windsurfers demanding that their leisure activity is higher priority than utility cycling.
EDIT: just googled Beryl bike, and it's a bike hire scheme.
2nd EDIT: the comments on the newspaper website make the DM look moderate. I haven't been to Bournemouth for a long time; is it exclusively populated by gammons?
No, but mostly. A lot deliberately try and run cyclists off the road here. Happens on a nearly weekly basis.
Perhaps the Daily Mirror could pick up the story?
I imagine it's quite hard to fit a windsurfer or 2 kayaks in a bike, so the roof rack is used.
Dont think I'd fancy trying to tow those.
Well it would appear one canoe is very doable...
And that makes the windsurfer stuff look easy...
How about a Kayak that folds and can be carried like a rucksack?
Sure but reading previous posts by contributors from the area on the problems of cycling, I wouldn't fancy towing a kayak there.
dont read comments on the echo. I worked out a long time ago theyre just unemployed or retired. If you have a day off, watch how quickly the comments are posted after anything to do with cycling is shown, or traffic. The only people who would have the time to do that, who took the time to make an account, are the unemployed or retired. Which means their typing is not relevant. If it was someone posting after they finished work, commenting ten hours after the article was posted, then yes, i could proabably be arsed to read it. But i dont read the comments because theyve already told me everything i need to know about the authors by the time they post.
Slightly bizarre comment. Why would someone's employment status make their opinions of any lower or higher value than anybody else's?
I have to agree - this is sinking to the same level as those weekday posters - whole swaythes of evidence, authority, lived experience, and views of demographic types are waved aside in an instant in the wretched comment columns. I'm not commuting at present, so I use some of the time to challenge.
As someone put it, "people who can't think beyond next weekend" - even on that short horizon, they often struggle to think straight. "There are no cyclists", "there are cyclists everywhere".
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