Thank you for reporting the faded cycle lane markings on pavements in Woodstock Road, Oxford (Oxford Mail, August 16).
In recent years, half-a-mile of markings between Blenheim Drive and First Turn have become so faded that they have contributed to numerous bad-tempered encounters between cyclists and pedestrians.
The county council is right to review the lanes before deciding whether to repaint them.
Pavements in that part of Woodstock Road are not wide enough.
The DfT’s Inclusive Mobility guidelines recommend two metres as a normal minimum width.
There are stretches on both sides of the road where cycle lanes reduce the footway width below two metres.
This is bad for all pedestrians, but especially those with disabilities.
Southbound cyclists may use the bus lane; they do not need a pavement lane. However, this part of Woodstock Road has no northbound bus lane and the carriageway is not very wide for cars to pass cyclists comfortably.
Therefore the lane on the pavement on the east side of Woodstock Road should be removed and that on the west side should be made northbound only.
Cyclox, OxPA and councillor John Goddard all want two-way cycle lanes repainted on both sides without awaiting a review.
This is against common sense and the interests of all pedestrians, but especially disabled ones.
However, it is unsurprising after CyclOx and OxPA callously supported removing bus stops from Queen Street – regardless of the fact that it reduced disabled people’s mobility, and Lib Dem objections over Queen Street failed to mention disabled people’s needs.
Hugh Jaeger
Park Close
Oxford
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