This section lists issues - problems on the street network and related matters.
Issues always relate to some geographical location, whether very local or perhaps city-wide.
You can create a new issue using the button on the right.
Listed issues, most recent first, limited to the area of Abergavenny Cycle Group:
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
Several people mentioned that some people do cross the pipe bridge: Would it be possible to modify the bridge to make it possible for it to be an official crossing point?
Created by Sam Charrington // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
Can anything be done to improve this busy junction for cyclists and pedestrians?
Created by Sam Charrington // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
School traffic from King Henry VIII School, exiting the school onto Pen-y-Pound, uses this very narrow route as a quicker way, at a busy times, of getting to the A40 or to Old Hereford Road. Can anything be done to discourage drivers from using these narrow lanes as a rat-run?
The issue of fly-tipping on Deri Road was also raised.
Created by Sam Charrington // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
Waiting to turn right onto Chapel Road from Brecon Road can be unpleasant. Can something be done to improve this junction for cyclists?
Created by Sam Charrington // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
Turning right from Park Street onto Pen-y-Pound, by Tesco, can be awkward, as eastbound cars often come around the bend from Frogmore street very quickly. How can this be solved?
Created by Sam Charrington // 0 threads
The National Speed Limit currently applies on this very narrow lane. There should surely be be a 20mph limit here? Pentre Road runs along the tops of a number of residential streets on the edge of Abergavenny. It is popular with cyclists and pedestrians. Much of the lane is extremely narrow, with some blind bends, and it is not possible to drive safely along here faster than 20mph.
Created by Jack Thurston // 1 thread
Cycling is not permitted in 'Red Square', the red-paved pedestrian area of the centre of Abergavenny.
Even so, cycle route 42 runs through it...
An interesting blog post on cycling in pedestrianised areas:
http://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/cycling-in-pedestrianised-areas/
One solution is to make the entire area 'shared use'. Another would be to restrict the prohibition on cycling to the busies times of day, eg. Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, and allowing unrestricted cycling at all other times.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
We want widen and redesignate this footpath as a safe, dual use, route, especially to enable children to ride to school safely. This would allow cyclists to avoid a stretch of the Brecon Road and Pen-y-Pound, which are both fast and hostile roads.
Created by Jack Thurston // 1 thread
Cycle Route 46 from crosses the old stone bridge across the River Usk between Abergavenny and Llanfoist. There are good, safe and direct cycle paths on either side of the bridge, but the bridge itself is very hostile for cycling, and walking. It is on the A4143 and there is heavy often fast traffic most times of the day. The footway is very narrow and only on one side of the bridge. Although short, this is a difficult section to negotiate, especially for inexperienced or young cyclists.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
Cycle route 42 along Castle Street requires cyclists to make an absurd off-road detour around the castle grounds and through an industrial estate to rejoin the routes east of the town centre at Holywell Road.
This could be avoided if cycling were allowed in a south-west to north-east direction on Lower Castle Street. Ideally this narrow street should be a walking/cycling only street, or a cycling contraflow could be introduced, though the narrowness of the street makes this a second-best solution.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
The four-way junction at Cross Street / Monk Street is dangerous for cyclists, with large vehicles making the turn, crossing onto the other side of the road. It is even more dangerous for pedestrians. There are no pedestrian crossings provided at this crossing requiring pedestrians to walk a very long way around to get from one side of Cross Street to the other, or to take a chance by crossing through the motor traffic.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
Frogmore Street is one-way (SE to NW). It needs a cycle contraflow to allow cyclists access from the north/west end of the town to this main commerce street.
A cycle contraflow would achieve this objective. It would also be necessary to reconfigure the junction at the north end of Frogmore Street.
Created by Jack Thurston // 1 thread
There are currently around 6 or 8 cages for cycle parking. One bike per cage. While this is great for anyone lucky manages to find an unused cage, often they're all used. Some additional Sheffield type stands required.
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Created by Jack Thurston // 1 thread
There are currently around 6 or 8 cages for cycle parking. One bike per cage. While this is great for anyone lucky manages to find an unused cage, often they're all used. Some additional Sheffield type stands required.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
Cycle route 42 along Castle Street requires cyclists to make an absurd off-road detour around the castle grounds and through an industrial estate to rejoin the routes east of the town centre at Holywell Road.
This could be avoided if cycling were allowed in a south-west to north-east direction on Lower Castle Street. Ideally this narrow street should be a walking/cycling only street, or a cycling contraflow could be introduced, though the narrowness of the street makes this a second-best solution.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 1 thread
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
If a foot/cycle bridge is not going to happen in the medium term, then how about some traffic calming measures to reduce driver's speed expectations over the bridge? Drivers who have just come of a dual carriage way at 70mph+ or have been zooming along the A40 at 60mph+ are suddenly sharing space with cyclists having had little warning that this is about to happen.
We suggest deploying traffic calming measures, such as marked cycle ways, belisha beacon crossings (much needed anyway!) and signage making it clear that care is required. If the speed limit was clearly lower, many drivers will not be so aggressively trying to overtake cyclists.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 1 thread
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
The infamous missing link in the Llanfoist-Brynmawr cycle path (route 46) is a huge barrier to its safe use by children as well as those who find the steep section of the diversion route impossible to climb.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
We want widen and redesignate this footpath as a safe, dual use, route, especially to enable children to ride to school safely. This would allow cyclists to avoid a stretch of the Brecon Road and Pen-y-Pound, which are both fast and hostile roads.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
Several people mentioned that some people do cross the pipe bridge: Would it be possible to modify the bridge to make it possible for it to be an official crossing point?
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
The cycle gate where route 46 enters castle meadows near the castle is poorly designed: very tight for long bikes such as tandems.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
A radical idea maybe, but why not close the narrow, one-way, Lower Castle Street to cars and make it two-way for bikes and pedestrians? It would
1) solve the problem of the confusing junction at the bottom end.
2) remove the very complex routing of routes 42&46
3) avoid cyclists cutting though the pedestrian zone and one-way part of cross street when travelling east across town.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
There are relatively shallow paths that run from both ends of the bridge down to the A4143, but both have shallow steps that stop them being useful to cyclists. This means that people heading out of the hospital wanting to cycle down the A4143 towards Llanfoist have to cross the road with the traffic, rather than the safer alternative of crossing the bridge and coming down the ramp.
Note that openstreetmap's map of this is incorrect. I'll submit a correction (11-04-2014)
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
1) More clear directions from Waitrose to the cyclepaths.
2) Many missed opportunities at Waitrose to encourage cycling:
a) Cycle stands often blocked with trolleys and equipment from the "garden" section.
b) No easy pedestrian/cycle access direct to Route 46 (west) when it would be easy to provide one.
c) anti-trolley bumps on main road in do have a flat path for cyclists, but they are not exactly friendly. How about actually having a cycle lane in and around the site?
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
A key link for route 46 users, as well as people getting to/from Llanfoist village hall, is the strip of pavement on the north side of Merthyr Road. We believe there could be the width to allow this to be widened into a share-pavement allowing cyclists to avoid crossing the road twice in the space of a few hundred metres.
Created by Jack Thurston // 0 threads
The four-way junction at Cross Street / Monk Street is dangerous for cyclists, with large vehicles making the turn, crossing onto the other side of the road. It is even more dangerous for pedestrians. There are no pedestrian crossings provided at this crossing requiring pedestrians to walk a very long way around to get from one side of Cross Street to the other, or to take a chance by crossing through the motor traffic.
Created by Fraser Stephens // 0 threads
RAISED AT PUBLIC MEETING 10-04-2014
The A4143 heading up towards the Hospital is plenty wide enough for a dedicated cycle path on one side or the other (we suggest the west side). This is often a busy and fast road. (Note this this would also solve the safe cycle access to the climbing wall and softplay.)
Created by Jack Thurston // 1 thread
Cycle Route 46 from crosses the old stone bridge across the River Usk between Abergavenny and Llanfoist. There are good, safe and direct cycle paths on either side of the bridge, but the bridge itself is very hostile for cycling, and walking. It is on the A4143 and there is heavy often fast traffic most times of the day. The footway is very narrow and only on one side of the bridge. Although short, this is a difficult section to negotiate, especially for inexperienced or young cyclists.