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Chichester extends cycling ban and says it's 'not a vendetta' against cyclists'East Street, Chichester (via StreetView)

Chichester extends cycling ban and says it's 'not a vendetta' against cyclists'

Campaigners say cyclists will be pushed towards more dangerous roads
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Jun 15, 2018 13:06
15

A ban on cyclists in Chichester city centre’s pedestrian precinct has been extended to include Sundays, reports the Chichester Observer. City and district councillor Len Macey said the move did not represent “a vendetta against cyclists,” arguing: “It’s a pedestrian precinct and by rights cycling should be banned 24/7.”

Cyclists are currently banned from North Street, East Street and Crane Street between 9.30am and 5.30pm from Monday to Saturday.

Chichester City Council submitted a bid to extend the ban in response to increased Sunday trading and despite 51 objections to 17 letters of support, the restrictions were extended by the South Chichester County Local Committee.

Macey cited figures from Chichester Business Improvement District that suggested around 15,000 people walk through the city centre on a Sunday.

“This is not a vendetta against cyclists,” he said. “This is a matter of public safety and common sense.”

Jamie Fitzjohn, who represents Chichester South, said that although no incidents had been recorded, a number of confrontations and issues ‘have happened’.

Sarah Sharp of local campaign group ChiCycle, said: “The report highlights that there is no evidence for the ban. Cycling levels on Sundays are below the level that makes the weekday ban necessary and cyclist behaviour is overwhelmingly considerate.

“The report also highlights that diverting cyclists on to surrounding streets has safety implications. In contrast to the central streets the nearby streets have witnessed numerous casualties.

“On Sundays, we're not just talking about lycra types, but also the elderly, the disabled and families with young children – so far from avoiding "danger to persons or traffic," a ban would positively increase it.”

She added: “Originally there was talk that West Sussex would plan some alternative cycling routes on the surrounding roads before any ban went ahead. But that went out the window.”

Chichester
Cycling ban
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Alex Bowden

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.

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15 comments

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PaterAnt | 5 years ago
1 like

So are they also going to ban mobility scooters silently travelling at 15-20 mph, much faster than your average cyclist would travel through a pedestrian area, but also 2 or 3 times as wide?

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HassocksHog replied to PaterAnt | 5 years ago
0 likes

PaterAnt wrote:

So are they also going to ban mobility scooters silently travelling at 15-20 mph, much faster than your average cyclist would travel through a pedestrian area, but also 2 or 3 times as wide?

Not to mention those pesky electric cars on the 'real' roads, Whispering Death!

Avatar
Crippledbiker replied to PaterAnt | 5 years ago
1 like
PaterAnt wrote:

So are they also going to ban mobility scooters silently travelling at 15-20 mph, much faster than your average cyclist would travel through a pedestrian area, but also 2 or 3 times as wide?

Uh. That isn't a thing that's legal.

Category 2 is limited to 4mph, category 3 is limited to 4mph pavement/8mph road under The Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988, section 3.

Under Section 11 of the same act, the maximum width of a cat. 3 is .85m; My handcycle is 76cm across the bottom, and if you measure your bars sideways you'll find you're not that much narrower - my partner's bike is 75cm across the bars, end to end.

I don't know what scooters you're referring to, unless you mean the clip-on handcycles (for example, https://tinyurl.com/y9f5vheo [GettyImages.com] - this is actually a picture of me taken in London at some traffic lights), which is what I use a commute cycle and exists in a really strange grey area legally, because it's still a considered a manual chair (and therefore I'm legally a pedestrian, even at 20mph).

In summary, [Citation Needed]

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HoarseMann | 5 years ago
0 likes

I once got a telling off for coasting up north street at barely a walking pace on my mountain bike in the early '90s.

There was a whistle from behind, then a hey you! Stop! Before I felt a firm tug on my bum bag (did I say it was the 90's?).

”you can’t cycle here” said the policeman, “oh, sorry I didn’t know” said I (genuinely didn’t see the no cycling signs)... so I hopped off and pushed.

Must have been a Saturday...

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Fishpastesarnie | 5 years ago
0 likes

Awful journalism. They cannot even print a photo of the correct street. 

Avatar
Crippledbiker | 5 years ago
14 likes

You can find the actual documentation here;

http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/ds/clc/sc/sc120618age.pdf

Amusingly, they do not see any issues regarding the Equality Act. On page 54/55, they admit that there may be an access issue but claim that there will be allowances for people to reach racks.

Well, fuck off - I'm not dismounting, because I'm physically incapable of doing so.

I will disregard any such cycling ban, as I do now, and continue to pass through on my handcycle as and when I see fit. If I am stopped by a private enforcement agent...well, I won't be stopped, I'll carry on.
If I'm stopped by an actual law enforcement officer, then I'll refuse the fine and force them to take me to court, where I'll make the case that I cannot dismount, I refuse to use certain roads as they are dangerous (also, if I'm on my roadbike, my arse is less than 30cm off the floor) , and that they failed to undertake the Equalities Impact Assessment as required is a breach of the EA 2010.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to Crippledbiker | 5 years ago
5 likes

Crippledbiker wrote:

You can find the actual documentation here; http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/ds/clc/sc/sc120618age.pdf Amusingly, they do not see any issues regarding the Equality Act. On page 54/55, they admit that there may be an access issue but claim that there will be allowances for people to reach racks. Well, fuck off - I'm not dismounting, because I'm physically incapable of doing so. I will disregard any such cycling ban, as I do now, and continue to pass through on my handcycle as and when I see fit. If I am stopped by a private enforcement agent...well, I won't be stopped, I'll carry on. If I'm stopped by an actual law enforcement officer, then I'll refuse the fine and force them to take me to court, where I'll make the case that I cannot dismount, I refuse to use certain roads as they are dangerous (also, if I'm on my roadbike, my arse is less than 30cm off the floor) , and that they failed to undertake the Equalities Impact Assessment as required is a breach of the EA 2010.

Good for you.

If ever you are stopped and it comes to court, count me in for a tenner for the defence.

Avatar
Grahamd replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago
1 like

burtthebike wrote:

Crippledbiker wrote:

You can find the actual documentation here; http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/ds/clc/sc/sc120618age.pdf Amusingly, they do not see any issues regarding the Equality Act. On page 54/55, they admit that there may be an access issue but claim that there will be allowances for people to reach racks. Well, fuck off - I'm not dismounting, because I'm physically incapable of doing so. I will disregard any such cycling ban, as I do now, and continue to pass through on my handcycle as and when I see fit. If I am stopped by a private enforcement agent...well, I won't be stopped, I'll carry on. If I'm stopped by an actual law enforcement officer, then I'll refuse the fine and force them to take me to court, where I'll make the case that I cannot dismount, I refuse to use certain roads as they are dangerous (also, if I'm on my roadbike, my arse is less than 30cm off the floor) , and that they failed to undertake the Equalities Impact Assessment as required is a breach of the EA 2010.

Good for you.

If ever you are stopped and it comes to court, count me in for a tenner for the defence.

Likewise.

 

Avatar
brooksby | 5 years ago
1 like

Quote:

...Chichester Business Improvement District...

 

Of course, BIDs only exist for council's to externalise the running costs of their shopping areas - the council's semi privatise the land to BIDs, which exist only for businesses and really couldn't give an @rse about the actual shoppers (except insofar as they care about how much those shoppers spend).  It is BIDs which introduce 'no skateboarding', 'no cycling', 'no walking while poor' type rules all around the countty.

Avatar
brooksby | 5 years ago
0 likes

Quote:

“It’s a pedestrian precinct and by rights cycling should be banned 24/7.”

I wonder what the alternatives are like, for any law-abiding cyclist who chose not to go through there.  My money would be on major city centre circling roads full of HGVs...

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richiewormiling | 5 years ago
0 likes

Just cycle there anyway. Worse thing you'll get is dissaproving looks from old people/

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richiewormiling | 5 years ago
1 like

Just cycle there anyway. Worse thing you'll get is dissaproving looks from old people/

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KingSaxlingham | 5 years ago
0 likes

I live just outside chichester and regularly ride through the area in the photo. Didn't know cycling was banned there already... Unless the article means North Street, East street and the middle bit? Not West Street and South street as pictured? Should really clarify that TBH.

If it IS talking about West / South, then presumably the buses have not been banned as well, and the delviery vehicles, and the cars that are turning into the cathedral side street? 

 

Edit - It does say, my mistake! Even so, should probably use a picture of the correct area to avoid confusion!

Avatar
Yorkshire wallet replied to KingSaxlingham | 5 years ago
5 likes

KingSaxlingham wrote:

I live just outside chichester and regularly ride through the area in the photo. Didn't know cycling was banned there already... Unless the article means North Street, East street and the middle bit? Not West Street and South street as pictured? Should really clarify that TBH.

If it IS talking about West / South, then presumably the buses have not been banned as well, and the delviery vehicles, and the cars that are turning into the cathedral side street? 

Road.cc - remove this wanton criminal from the website!

It starts off with riding through pedestrian precincts and ends who knows where.

Avatar
jlebrech | 5 years ago
1 like

save your watts for when you see cops

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