Author Archives: aseasyasriding

‘It could have been a pedestrian.’

Posted on December 12, 2014 by aseasyasriding

If you haven’t done so already, I urge you to read Martin Porter’s cool and neutral summary of a case he was involved in – the inquest into the death of Michael Mason, hit by a car on Regent Street … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 36 Comments

A ‘shared space’ vision

Posted on December 10, 2014 by aseasyasriding

Last year I wrote about how Ben Hamilton-Baillie – one of the foremost proponents of the ‘shared space’ philosophy – does not appear to be all that concerned about addressing motor traffic in urban areas. His designs are mere rearrangements … Continue reading →

Posted in Car dependence, Shared Space | 14 Comments

When will design guides start thinking about cycling as a mode of transport for all?

Posted on December 5, 2014 by aseasyasriding

This week saw the launch of ‘Street Design for All’ [pdf], spotted by KatsDekker. It’s been produced by PRIAN (the Public Realm Information and Advice Network), with advice from the Charted Institute of Highways and Transportation, and carries the official DfT stamp of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 23 Comments

What is most offensive about the Garden Bridge?

Posted on December 2, 2014 by aseasyasriding

It looks like Westminster Council will today follow Lambeth Council in approving planning permission for the Garden Bridge. I’ve been wondering what constitutes the most offensive thing about this project. Is it the way £30m of transport funding (and an additional … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 28 Comments

The DfT and their car traffic forecasts

Posted on November 28, 2014 by aseasyasriding

This graph, from the Department for Transport’s 2013 Road Transport Forecasts (which summarises the results from their National Transport Model) has been doing the rounds on social media this week. It shows that the amount of distance we are travelling by car, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Stopping the march of the Advanced Stop Line

Posted on November 26, 2014 by aseasyasriding

It’s noteworthy that the North-South and East-West Superhighway schemes, which (while not perfect by any means) are the most ambitious and inclusive designs for cycling currently on the table in Britain, barely use any Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs) on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 32 Comments

How Britain solves a school run problem

Posted on November 24, 2014 by aseasyasriding

‘Road safety week’ concluded last week; appropriately, I thought I’d share a small story of how boggling backward Britain is when it comes to prioritising walking and cycling in urban areas, and how we deal in such a peculiar way … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments

A lack of Goodwill

Posted on November 21, 2014 by aseasyasriding

Back in 2012, the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain received a letter from Patrick McLoughlin, the Secretary of State for Transport. It contained the following passages. With reference to the Netherlands and Denmark, McLoughlin wrote We do not place the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Why don’t ‘urban realm improvements’ incorporate cycling?

Posted on November 20, 2014 by aseasyasriding

This week Transport for London have been tweeting pictures of proposed station improvements, connected to Crossrail upgrades. I’ve been struck – as have many others – by the way these designs appear to involve polishing a turd, and also by the way … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Bypassing the bypass

Posted on November 17, 2014 by aseasyasriding

The reduction of motor traffic in British towns and villages is not a particularly alien concept. Throughout the latter part of the twentieth century, the bypass became an increasingly familiar, and often contested, way of reducing the effects motor vehicles … Continue reading →

Posted in Bypasses, Car dependence, Horsham, Subjective safety, The Netherlands | 28 Comments