Printed on Thursday, April 30, 2020
A SECOND non permanent cycle observe is being put in to assist create a secure route for folks biking into the town centre in the course of the coronavirus lockdown.
Leicester Metropolis Council has coned off a 500-metre part of Saffron Lane between Aylestone Highway and Hawkins Highway, close to Saffron Lane sports activities stadium, making the most of the substantial discount in site visitors.
It follows widespread assist from native biking teams and transport campaigners for the same scheme launched final week to put in a brief biking route alongside a part of Aylestone Highway, which collectively create a one-kilometre secure route.
The newest route at Saffron Lane will come into impact from Friday, Might 1, and supplies an extra part of cycle observe to assist key staff from the Saffron Lane and Aylestone areas. It would comprise a two-way cycle route utilizing the outbound bus lane on a bit of Saffron Lane. Bus stops at both finish of the cycle lane will stay in use.
The non permanent cycle route community is being put in place to profit from the dramatic drop within the variety of automobiles and buses on the roads, as a result of lockdown which is inflicting many individuals to make money working from home and keep away from all however important journey.
Peak time site visitors within the metropolis is presently at about half of its regular degree.
Final week noticed the introduction of a 500-metre part of non permanent cycle observe on Aylestone Highway, between Almond Highway and the previous Granby Halls website subsequent to the Leicester Tigers rugby floor.
That route was aimed toward offering secure distancing area and a protected cycle observe for key staff reminiscent of these commuting to the close by Leicester Royal Infirmary.
In each schemes the cycle observe has been segregated by site visitors cones to create a safer route, and mixed they assist to hyperlink up present biking tracks between Freemans Frequent and the south Leicester suburbs, with Leicester Royal Infirmary through the present Welford Highway cycle observe into the town centre. This extra cycle observe helps to hyperlink Saffron Lane and Aylestone to LRI.
Along with the non permanent lanes, timings at site visitors lights have additionally been altered to present even larger precedence to pedestrians and cyclists to cross usually busy roads.
Related schemes have been launched elsewhere in Europe. Authorities in Germany have briefly enlarged metropolis biking and strolling routes to permit riders and walkers to look at social distancing extra simply whereas the streets are comparatively freed from different site visitors. Cyclists and pedestrians in Brighton are actually additionally ready to make use of the seafront at Madeira Drive every day from 8am to 8pm.
Some routes in Leicester have seen a rise in biking because the coronavirus lockdown, with some folks selecting to keep away from public transport and get important train by strolling or biking to work.
There are hopes the rise in strolling and biking will proceed as soon as lockdown ends, with residents utilizing the everlasting community of routes created below the town council’s Connecting Leicester scheme.
Leicester deputy metropolis mayor for the atmosphere and transportation, Cllr Adam Clarke, mentioned: “The numerous drop in site visitors as a result of lockdown has created the chance for us to place in these non permanent cycle routes, at very low value and shortly, on what would usually be busy roads.
“With extra key staff biking to work in the meanwhile, and a few disappointing studies of some folks driving at increased speeds, that is clearly the suitable factor to do because it offers key staff confidence that they will cycle to the place we’d like them to be safely.
“We’ve additionally had an incredible response to Bike Support, our free cycle mortgage and repairs scheme, we launched earlier this month in partnership with native cycle outlets and organisations.
“By offering freed from cost bike loans, bike servicing and new bike routes we’re making it as simple as potential for individuals who must get across the metropolis to take action.”
Extra info on biking and strolling routes is offered on the Select How You Transfer web site.
The Leicester Bike Support scheme is funded by the town council and supported by donations from native bikes outlets, companies, Sustrans, British Biking and people. Key staff who’re within the scheme can e mail cycle-city@leicester.gov.uk after which fill in a registration kind. Bikes may be picked up from collaborating cycle outlets a couple of days after you’ve efficiently registered.
The bikes are cleaned and sanitised earlier than being handed over, and social distancing is noticed always, together with throughout assortment.
Extra details about Leicester Bike Support, strolling and biking routes is offered on the Select How You Transfer web site.
