Strategy
Bradford Cycle Strategy 2011 to 2020
updated 29th Feb 2012
The Bradford Cycling Strategy – ‘Setting the Wheels in Motion‘ 2012-2020 has now been formally endorsed by Bradford Council .
Gaining Council support for this strategy is an important milestone in ensuring the continued support and ongoing investment into cycling in Bradford. This new Cycling Strategy for Bradford brings together the collective ambitions of a range of organisations and cyclists in the district providing a great platform from which to continue to develop and improve all aspects of cycling.
We want this to be a living document, and active participation will help us achieve that.
Your thoughts and ideas are vital. We’d love to hear from you so please…
- email us: info@cyclebradford.org.uk
- write to: Bradford District Cycling Strategy, c/o Dan Goodey, 2nd Floor Jacobs Well, Bradford. BD1 5RW
The strategy pages below were set up as part of the consultation are were divided into 5 areas. Feel free to continue to comment on them.
- AP1 Support for existing local cycling and associated activity strategies and partner-led development plans
- AP2 Communication and Promotion of Cycling in Bradford
- AP3 Bradford’s Cycling Infrastructure
- AP4 Cycling Economics and Funding
- AP5 Cycle Training, Education, Enterprise and Community Support
About the Strategy
The areas that are identified where cycling has a key contribution to make are:
- Health
- Environment,
- Safety
- Education
- Social
- Charity
- Economic
- Quality of Life
The final strategy document includes an overview of the current situation, identify potential opportunities to promote and develop cycling in line with both local and national policy, as well as identify key strategic objectives and actions needed to meet the needs of Bradford’s cyclists.
Downloads
A Cycling Strategy for Bradford v6.0 final draft (.pdf 1.1MB)
Action Plan 281111(1) (.xls 120KB)
Really please to hear about this strategy, it will be great to know that Bradford has a strategy specially for cycling that brings together all the interest there is on the ground to a visible presence on the roads
To support the strategy it would be useful to have a section that makes the case for cycling to gain maximum by-in particularly from key decision makers
Include cycle usage in the district facts and figures to help make the case
Usage on key routes so that infrastructure can be improved to encourage more cyclists on the road ultimately as this is what will make us more visible and promote change
Cycling is the best way of combating the growing traffic problems in our major cities.
To encourage more cycling, Bradford needs to make driving into the city centre less attractive. Get rid of the free and short-stay parking spots and charge for all parking. Also consider making the city centre a complete one-way system which would make driving a chore.
At the same time, we need better cycling provisions – secure bike parking bays and usable cycle paths that are separate from the rest of the traffic. Unswept cycle lanes with white lines are not enough.
Bradford also needs a concerted campaign to change driver behaviour.
I commute between North Bradford and South Leeds daily. It’s a relief to leave Bradford. Despite being busier, the traffic in Leeds tends to follow conventional road rules. Drivers in Bradford, have their own Highway code that only they understand.
There have been modifications to some roads in recent years that I believe make cycling more difficult. I cycle commute in Bradford and the stretches of road that I feel safest on are those that are wide but with a low speed limit and few obstructions (eg. parked cars). There seems to have been a tendency recently to narrow roads by adding things like pinch-points and traffic islands. An example of this is Wrose Road. Motorists wanting to get past a bicycle on a narrow section of road can be intimidating, impatient, and inclined to try and overtake dangerously.
I’ve heard many (non-cyclists!) scorn the cycling infrastructure on Bolton Road, but as someone who cycles on Bolton Road every day I find pretty good. The cycle lane appears a bit bonkers, but that’s because it moves out around parking spaces. Pullen Avenue further up would have a great cycle lane if it wasn’t always obstructed by parked cars.
In response to Nasir, I have an issue with completely separate cycle paths as they can enforce an idea that bicycles shouldn’t be on the road. Building up a network that’s comprehensive enough to be useful is impractical, not to mention extremely costly and disruptive.
Also. making driving to the city centre less attractive will probably just succeed in making less people visit the city centre that do now, I doubt it would encourage people to cycle instead.
I think what is needed is incentives. The rising cost of fuel may soon become one, but if employers could be made to realise the benefits of encouraging their staff to cycle to work and provide incentives for it, it *can* make a difference.
GlaxoSmithKline HQ in Middlesex provides an interesting case study on how an employer has increased cycling levels amongst their 3000-odd staff. There is a little bit about it here: http://www.london2012.com/get-involved/business-network/travel-advice-for-business/helping-your-staff/cycling-to-work.php
I realise they’re a large blue-chip company, but I think the idea is good nonetheless.
We are an active Residents’ Association and we are situated at the Bradford end of the Spen Greenway.We are keen to get involved in this enhancement and would appreciate involvement.
please let us get involved
Whilst I do live in Kirklees, my commute takes me into Bradford and a daily tussle with badly designed road layouts and even poorer drivers. I have attempted to use “route 66″ but having done the section through Bowling Park and West Bowling once, decided not to bother again as I commute on my own and do not own a tazer gun. In the summer I also tried to follow the route to Shipley to use the canal, this again proved problematical but for different reasons. There apears to have been little joined up thinking on what is (should) be the only flat route out of Bradford, why it goes up into Bolton Woods baffles me. However, I have looked a little deeper and in my opinion it is possible to put something together a little more user friendly. A number of things could be done at very low cost, starting with the stopping up of Valley Road at its junction with Queens Road, this would give an almost traffic free route from the retail park to the Toucan crossing at Queens Road. As I am sure you are aware the route then passes through an industrial estate and across Canal Road. At this point I have tried a couple of options, straight along Canal Road to Shipley is one, a re work of the traffic lights just before the garden centre back down to one lane and the addition of a decent cycle lane on both sides, it is easily wide enough, would be possible. I have also followed the route to Gaisby Lane, then ridden along Powel Road down a snicket to Poplar Crescent, across Poplar Road and then over the grassed area to Cragg Road. The route exist but is somewhat “unofficial”. By now you may have figured that I was trying to follow as closely as possible, the route of the old canal, to some degree I acheived this. Given that Bradford Council today announced that it wants to “make sure that by 2020, the Bradford district is one of the best places to ride a bike in the country” , something radical needs to happen. Something as radical as a completely new flagship route out of Bradford following where possible the old canal, perhaps? I doubt that I am the only person to suggest this but if not I would say that this could be looked into as a feasible route. ( not the re opening of the canal I might add !!!)
people park in cycle lanes all over manningham lane with no consequences. If it is illegal then please enforce it
I commute by bike from Menston to Buttershaw and in my view the biggest issue facing cyclists in Bradford is the attitude of car drivers. This ranges from indifference to the presence of a bike, to open agression. I have been knocked off several times, mainly by people who appear not to understand the basics of the highway code. More disturbing is that I get regularly verbally abused. I have also been threatened several times and assaulted once. This is all by car drivers who see a cyclist as an easy target for their antisocial behaviour, (they never get caught). Good luck with the stratigy but riding on the road will not be safe in Bradford until something is done about the standard of driving.
I commute by bike from Wyke to Cleckheaton when possible on the Greenway (Ideally I would like the Greenway to have lights so I could use it on dark mornings and after a late shift !!) Over the passed six years I have found most other road users very good bus drivers and tanker drivers when coming up Wyke lane. This could be because I am not cycling in the centre of town and not at rush hour as a nurse I work shifts. I would like to mention that the cycle lanes are a joke a white line on the road is not a cycle lane! cars often park in them and they are full of rubbish so can’t use them. One thing I would like to see is more safe places to leave your bike, I would like to cycle to the shops etc but don’t feel my bike would be safe lockable cages out side supermarket and shopping areas would be good.
Paul makes cycling in Bradford sound horrendous. I’d like to balance out his comment and say that in 15 months of cycle commuting I’ve not experienced abuse, or been knocked off (touch wood!). I admit that my commute is not very far though. Yes, some motorists are inconsiderate, but often the worst culprits are inconsiderate to everybody, not just cyclists.
I think when you ride a route at the same time every day, people get to know you. I recently had a complete stranger come up to me in a local pub and tell me how great he thought it was that I cycled every day in all weathers. I was surprised to be recognised, particularly without my helmet and hi-viz on!
I do think that tackling rush hour traffic on a bike in the city is not something for the faint-hearted though. Common sense goes a long way, but there is a lot to think about and be aware of. My bike handling skills are now pretty good and I’m reasonably fit so can easily apply a burst of speed to get out of the way if I have to. I like to think I ride confidently but defensively; I assume I’m invisible to everybody (I’m not, I just think as if I am!). I’m particularly careful around large vehicles and only filter with caution if there is plenty of room to do so and minimal chance of a vehicle pulling out into my path. I always look behind me before altering my course. And when drivers give way, hold back until they can pass me safely, or otherwise behave nicely, I always try to give a smile and a wave in return.
I believe there’s a lot to be said for maintaining a positive attitude. It can be hard sometimes, but I try not to react to or dwell on things that upset me and let them spoil my ride. It may sound a bit ‘hippy’, but I like to think that if I can keep a smile on my face and portray a positive attitude whilst cycling, I might be able to spread a bit of it to those sitting in their metal boxes. And in a small way I hope that maybe one of them might just notice me enjoying cycling and consider trying it themselves.
I love seeing other people on bicycles, but I’ve come across novice riders on fairly busy roads pedaling laboriously whilst struggling to maintain a straight line. I think it’s important to be confident with controlling a bike before adding traffic into the equation. Equally, I’ve seen supposedly experienced cyclists who should know better making dumb manoeuvres and putting themselves in really quite dangerous positions.
My heart sinks whenever I observe a cyclist breaking the law; I feel like every time they do so they’re giving a touch more ammunition to motorists’ hate. I realise plenty of motorists break the law too but that’s not the point, just because one group of road users isn’t perfect doesn’t provide a reason for another to be.
Driver education is very important, but a lot of the bad attitude is cultural and hard and lengthy to change. In the meantime, cyclists’ education by way of proficiency courses can do a lot of good. Practice is better than theory, but there are also some good books available, such as ‘How to be a Better Cyclist: Advanced Cycling’ and ‘Cyclecraft’, both by John Franklin.
As a society we’re too accepting of accidents and bad behaviour on the road. I support ‘strict liability’, like they have in many countries on the continent. Unfortunately the concept is misunderstood here (particularly by vocal ‘Daily Mail’ types and Clarksonites) so I suspect unlikely ever to happen. Too many motorists travel around seemingly oblivious to the potential damage their ton or more of
metal can cause. *All* road users should have a responsibility towards those more vulnerable than themselves, and that includes cyclists’ responsibility towards pedestrians.
When I cycle, I frequently experience pedestrians not looking and stepping out into the road in front of me, but I try to anticipate it and take action to prevent colliding with them. I don’t react unpleasantly towards them, we all make mistakes sometimes, and I think it would be hypocritical to expect courtesy and care from others if I’m not courteous and careful myself.
Finding places to securely park a bike is a problem. People will be reluctant to cycle somewhere if there is no secure storage at their destination. However, just providing storage won’t automatically mean people start cycling either. There’s no one thing that needs to change. So much of what’s in our everyday lives is designed and built around the motor car, it’s cultural.
Sadly, cycling still has a bit of an image problem. Cyclists don’t seem to be able to quite shake off an image of being a bit oddball. Driving is normal and cool but riding bikes is eccentric and slightly nerdy. Things are improving, but it would be great if cycling was seen as ‘normal’ as driving.
As much as I’d like it to, nothing will change very quickly. It’s a shame that so much surrounding cycling has become political, shifting focus away from the simple fact that it’s a convenient, cheap and fun way to get around.
In the meantime, I guess I’ll carry trying to keep happy and healthy whilst getting around by whatever means is most appropriate to my journey, be that by car, bicycle or on foot.
Something good might be like a proper, security guard-operated, place where one could leave their bikes, like outside Leeds Rail, although this might be costly.
I think the most important thing we could do is organise loads of cycling training events and stuff: I would never have dreamed of cycling in Bradford. But then I started cycling at uni and gained a lot of confidence on the road, so coming from there to Bradford was quite easy. More Bikeability, more group rides. We have quite a few good parks you know. Then people who would like to cycle to save money/get fit but were too scared would actually cycle on the road. I don’t think we need to worry so much about incentives (since bikes are pretty cheap anyway, and cars are becoming really expensive) – we need to affect people’s psychology. Much of that happens anyway when we cycle to Bradford. Mass rides might be good but could also be disruptive… There are too many scare stories and a kind of atmosphere of fear.
I Agree with the points Katie makes about cycling in traffic you have to be confident and defensive, taking as much road as you need or motorists will not always give you it but making sure they know what you are doing by giving clear signals and not making stupid or dangerous manoeuvers. It is also very important to be aware of other road users what is around you give them the courtesy and respect you like from them.
I would like to see more cyclists and more people using them for short commutes but cycling up hill in the rain with a head wind does put some off! not hardened
cyclists of course! as for being odd may be but a lot fitter than some half my age!
I am really pleased to read this strategy and to read the comments from committed cyclists wanting to improve cycling in Bradford. I can relate to all the experiences described above about cycling here, the good and the bad.
The cycle lanes can only be seen as a start – they can cause more problems than they try to solve and are useless without policing and removing parked cars. As soon as a cyclist needs to move out of the lanes, they put themselves in more danger than if they had been riding in the traffic. However, the lanes leading up to traffic lights and the advanced stop facilities are great and helpful.
ANd yes, the indifference from drivers and tendency to push out from side roads and interfere with our line of travel puts me on a constant state of alert cycling down Manningham Lane, and more importantly, stops me using a bike outside daylight, i.e winter commuting is a thing of the past.
I support the need for better cycling facilities on the roads, rather than special routes – I have tried various ways from Saltaire to Manchester road via both canal rd routes and manningham lane and I find I only use the ‘routes’ if they happen to be in the right place for my route!
Good Luck, don’t be put off by the hills – people get over that barrier – it’s the traffic which interferes with confidence.
Found a really nice site:
http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/
“…created to work in partnership with fellow organisations and charities in Great Britain, mainland Europe and around the world trading ideas and experiences in how to promote cycling and make cycling infrastructure work in urban and rural contexts.”
which has a great set of documents on this sort of thing:
http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/documents
Update: the section of Manningham Lane, leaving Hamm Strasse, URGENTLY needs sorting out: it’s really rough and would knacker a bike!
Remember that cyclists are often drivers too and nowadays the inverse is also true.
Showers at work. Bike storage. Somewhere to change.
In general I find driver awareness the problem, drivers knowing what the ACSL boxes are for, how to arrange themselves at junctions and when to overtake.
Another problem on my commute to Saltaire is the state of road markings – where they have been rubbed off. This gives drivers the excuse that they can just sit wherever they like, this is especially bad at the end of Haworth Road, where there no markings on the whole junction. It’s been like this for at least 6 months now where there used to be ACSL lanes at each junction.
My major gripe is roundabouts. Drivers simply have no idea how they work. Even when I take the lane, cars will try to overtake me at the entry junction as I set off (illegal) and once I get onto the roundabout drivers will try to join in my path (also illegal). This is especially bad at Saltaire Roundabout where I have on many occasions had to make use of my foot on the side of a car as the occupant flies past looking in the wrong direction.
My opinion is that the drivers need eduction rather than spending money on bike lanes or similar. Current schemes need maintaining and general road markings and structure need fixing. Why spend money on new things, when the stuff we have already is broken?
I came across this blog post a few days ago http://crapwalthamforest.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-integrationist-became.html
I have to say I think the writer has some points I’ve not really considered before and are difficult to argue with. To be honest, it’s made me reconsider my view on segregated cycle lanes.
Katie – I read that article with great interest, I’ve never been keen on the idea of segregating cyclists but can see the obvious benifits — for example, I was looking forward to riding home in the sun today but Bradford Rd from Fizinghall through Saltaire to Bingley was very stressful — got cut up by someone on a mobile, cars parked in the bike lane, a motorbike using the bike lane to undertake cars and the road surface is terrible!
I will definately read the blog by David Hembrow. There is also an interesting artice in this month’s ‘cycle’ mag about the lack of cycling culture in the UK — Hembrow is mentioned here too.
Heres another interesting artice I came across today:
http://www.bikehub.co.uk/news/sustainability/cycle-tracks-will-abound-in-utopia/
a new report from the Transport and Health Study Group suggesting in the future, cyclists and pedestrians will have priority on roads.
This research published by the Department for Transport , previously mentioned on the site, is really pertinent to this discussion:
http://cyclebradford.org.uk/2010/09/30/safety-cycling-and-sharing-the-road/
It attempts to categorise both cyclists and ‘other road users’ into groups. Segregated cycling is discussed.
hi. Can you do something about the bicycle sheds which are used to permanently store residents cycles from the flats above forster square station. lockable sheds are the right solution but shouldn’t be allowed to be used this way.
It would be really helpful to improve the provision of cycle paths from Forster square in the direction of the shops and to little Germany which involve riding amongst pedestrians to the shops and going down no entry roads and on pavements to little germany
Hi John
Good to hear from you.
The strategy is trying to start us off in the direction we want to be heading over the next few years, and your comment about bicycle sheds makes me realise that we need solutions (and provision) for both residents, train users, and other cyclists.
In terms of the strategy this would fit under:
Objective AP3.3 – Increase cycle parking provision
but makes me realise that I don’t think the strategy covers working with trains specifically.
The strategy’s objectives will only be met by individuals taking on responsibility for small parts of it, so to move this forward I guess it needs someone to be talking to Metro, Northern Rail, the residents and the flat owners.
Any takers?
Hi Graham
Apparently there are plans afoot to turn the canal route into A cycle way as an interim to eventually restoring the canal.
I live in Kirklees also and use the spen valley cycle way to get to Bradford University. Idont use the Bowling park section either but head further west along the ring road and then pass morrisons before turning right towards little horton.
I would like to see the section of Spen valley greenway that goes through the euroway trading estate go up past odsal wood (over the rail line) and come out by odsal stadium instead.
Hi all,
I try to cycle to work as often as I can.
My route takes me on the canal from Bingley to Shipley then up onto the roads (Canal, Shipley and Airedale) finishing on Barkerend Road.
The canal part of my journey is brilliant.
The main problem I have is glass on the roads. Some of this glass seems to be about for weeks. I wonder if one of the culprits, Assosiated Waste Management (the waste site on Canal Road) have a commitment to sweep outside the site? I’m usually on my cross country bike with quite big tread so thankfully only two punctures so far. I have performed a few swerves that could put me in danger from drivers (if they could get about 10mph on there).
My main reason for writing on here though is to point out that not all cycling happens on roads..
Is cross country, jumping, bmxing and downhilling etc.. involved in this plan?
Hi Ben
Thanks for this.
The glass issue certainly falls under the ‘infrastructure’ part of the strategy, but opens up wider questions about how individuals can easily report problems and how the cycling community as a whole can monitor that. (I believe the council is the first port of call on this, but I’m quite a fan of initiatives like Fill that hole which do this on your behalf and can be used to report glass)
As for trying to be inclusive of all types of cycling – absolutely! For example, there are people working on building off road trials, and improving access for mountain biking in the district, BUT this may not have been properly reflected in the strategy, so I’ll make sure we take a look at this.
If there are any other omissions please let us know, and if possible tell us which part of the strategy they should be in.
I happen to work for the council and have had some roads swept in the past (the department that services Bradford are in the office next to mine). As you say, there needs to be a proper method for recording any problems. If these problems are properly logged, the data and statistics of those reports can be used to improve the service.
Should roads be swept following the recycling collections? I’m not sure if it is a common issue but I know that the recycling vehicles sometimes spill glass.
I understand there are plans to create more cycling opportunities around the district. St Ives and Esholt woods are two of the proposed locations. I wonder if there are any plans for Baildon Moor or Ilkley Moor? I know that these are tender subjects but that doesn’t mean the subject doesn’t exist. Unfortunately some people have taken tools to the moorlands in some places and this has upset a few people. The simple truth is that people will cycle (and probably dig) on these locations. Surely it is better to allow it but apply reasonable limitations that would protect the Moors and wildlife.
In the last few months I have travelled to Llandegla in Wales and Fort William Scotland to cycle and I often visit Lee Quarry in Bacup.
Bradford has an excellent landscape that could potentially invite so much more tourism if it turned its attention and celebrated this under used asset.
Point 1:
Nearly every cycle lane and junction box has faded to the point that they are more-or-less invisible.
All the lanes and boxes need re-painting. This seems to be the case in all areas around Bradford that I have cycled over the last year. Only some Bradford drivers respect these areas anyway but if they’re non-existent then it’s not as surprising.
Point 2:
Manningham Lane’s cycle lane has had the double yellow line removed. Apart from the obvious complaint that this now makes it a legitimate car park rather than a cycle lane, they have sand-blasted it off and the road surface inside the bike lane after a cold winter, now resembles the canyons of Mars in areas.
3:
It may not need re-iterating that there is some truly appalling driving to be seen in this area. I have witnessed Police vans and driving instructors parking on double-yellows too, it’s not restricted to young males.
Aggression, testosterone and anti-social driving is THE key problem for this city – whether you are cycling or not.