Canal & River Trust wants your views on sharing towpaths

I'm not sure pedestrians should have priority for all possible movements. I don't know if it has been clarified whether that is what 'pedestrian priority' means. If we give them priority for unexpectedly moving across the towpath then cyclists would need to give them enough space to allow that at any time, which I think would make it impossible to overtake on most towpaths.

I mostly try to avoid riding on towpaths because its so slow if there are pedestrians.

Whilst I fully understand the need for the occasional speed slowing furniture, please be considerate.

Small speed humps that are designed for cars are really teeth-nashingly horrible to cycle over, if you're going to make a speed hump, please design it so that it's pleasant to cycle over at slow speed. And the irony is that it can actually be nicer to go over these things faster.

It seems that measures to slow cyclists have a tendency to go to extremes.

Gravel/similar, please don't use gravel on paths that cyclists will use, that nasty stuff gets all over the bike, it makes stopping hard and greatly increases the risk of losing control of the bike, especially for young, old and inexperienced riders. And at worst it gets kicked up as dust which gets into everyones hair faces etc.

Don't put up barriers that a double buggy or pushchair can't get past easily (Probably Illegal under the discrimination act).

Please don't start sticking signs all over the canal paths, they are an eyesore and the simple fact is a***holes will be a***holes regardless of how many signs you put up, don't spoil the paths because of a few idiots. Just paths

How can cyclists not give pedestrians priority? Do you think they are going to run over the pedestrians? Of course they're not. You don't have to tell them that pedestrians have priority. Priority is for 2-ton vehicles hurtling along roads, not cyclists and pedestrians.

Don't waste time and money on a code of conduct, I've cycled down Regents canal many times and a code of conduct will make no difference. What would make a difference is making the path a more uniform width and making sure it's level, I think it is positively dangerous in it's unevenness.

It boggles the mind that £20,000,000+ was spent pointlessly painting roads blue when a real difference could have been made completely renewing the canal paths.

Do you experience problems on your local towpath?
Yes, inconsiderate pedestrians and cyclists.
What additional priorities should we address in our code of conduct?
None, it is a waste of time.
What behaviours should we seek to encourage?
Pointless nanny-statism, you are not our police or parents.
How should we encourage better sharing of towpaths?
Put down good quality paths and infra-structure, nothing more.
Should we adopt the same approach in all areas, urban and rural?
Put down good quality paths and infra-structure, nothing more.
How should we balance the needs of busy communities with capacity of the towpaths in those areas?
Put down good quality paths and infra-structure, nothing more.

Seriously, look:
Just paths

Surely everyone should treat others as they themselves would want to be treated.
Be reasonable and friendly.
Be an ambassador for cycling.
Otherwise, you're no friend of cycling.

I use a short section of towpath on the Peak Forest Canal most weekends.

I got wolf whistled recently by two cackling ladies walking their dogs.

Everyone is generally chilled and lets face it lifes too short to worry overmuch.

Love, peace and chicken grease.

Farrell, yep deadly serious, been looking through the Hoseasons site but cant decide which canal / route to follow. My mrs does a lot of running and wanted somewhere where she could let of steam whilst me and the kids did a spot of fishing hence the canals with tow paths.

The broads is no good as its just reed beds most of the time and your stuck on the boat, but i digress, thanks for the tips though.

Bridgewater improvements - currently finished from Brooklands to Watersmeet and from the back of Kelloggs to the Ship Canal. There's a 1/4 mile section from Watersmeet to Kelloggs where the canal wall is being worked upon at the moment - see my blog, link above.

The undergrowth has been cleared on the first part of the branch from Watersmeet towards Manchester, so I assume that this will be improved soon. Certainly the whole stretch from Altrincham to Manchester is due to be completed next year.

At the beginning of March the tow path was blocked near United for the building of Giggs and Neville's hotel, not sure what the diversion route is, if there is one or how long the closure is for.

As for geese, there's one on the unfinished bit near Kelloggs that will swim across the canal to have a go at you. I find that a sharp 'Boo!' sounds them cowering away, but I generally treat them with the respect you would anybody else on the canal.

I Live on the basingstoke canal (much more beautiful than the name indicates), using the towpath for walking with the family, dog, running and occasional cycling.

Cyclists who give notice they are riding up behind get good treatment, those that fly up too fast and expect me to jump out of the way will struggle to get past. Other than that, I always lets cyclists through, making sure the dog and kids are out of the way but only when the tow path is wide enough.

When on the bike, just ride with common sense and accept you do not have priority.

long poled Fisherman, do everyone a favour and pull your compensating rod in for everyone.

As well as cycling my other pastime is fishing. Whilst there are no canals round where i live i go on fishing forums which regularly have articles about tackle being damaged by people on bikes (and that includes all ages and types of bikes).

Its fairly common for someone to start such a topic and generally it ends with people saying the path is there to share and you have to be considerate for all users.

Generally i think everyone accepts this and people just need to be a bit more carefull. As for running over a fishing pole, these can be in excess of £3k to buy so i'm sure you wouldn't want your £3k bike getting wrote off by a numpty in a car would you ?

I used to ride to work on the towpath put they just arent great for commuting. Most of us ride quite fast on commutes and it just doesn't mix well with joggers, fishermen etc.

Great for gentle rides with the kids etc.

I can only imagine how busy the towpaths in London must get!

We shouldn't be turning towpaths into paths for commuting. They are, like any shared use path, completely unsuitable for handling a large number cyclists who want to travel at a speed faster than jogging pace AND should stay that way! I'm lucky enough to live next to the bridgewater canal which is one of very few places you can have a gentle ride with family along lovely scenery, the last thing I'd like it to become is a wrecking ground of strava segments and lycra like regents canal in London seems to be.

Don't tarmac over some of the few green spaces we have left in cities in a desperate attempt to get cyclists as far away from cars as you can. Instead be brave and give road space to bikes, heck even parking space will do. Only a network will make cycling a legitimate transport option, one GTFO the road, path along the canal does no good.

2 rules:

Rule 1 - don't be a c*nt.

Rule 2 - obey rule 1.

Jobbus dunnus, as the Romans would say. Would apply to interweb forums too.

I think there should only be one rule, and that is "Don't be an idiot".
I'm sure we've all witnessed numerous violations including:
Trying to set strava records or do intervals on a sunny saturday afternoon in June.
Cycling, walking, rollerblading three abreast to ensure nobody can pass in either direction.
Checking your email on your smart phone while your child or dog ambles to and fro across the path.
Deciding that the path is a suitable place ride your e-bike full speed while smoking cigarettes (a big problem where I live).

The list in endless. If only all users could use better judgement.

Canal towpaths are fine for leisure usage but are not very good for commuting during the lighter days when others are using them for leisure - the fishermen, joggers, dogs and walkers. As a transport system it doesn't work well.
I wrote a blog on our local canal a few days ago - http://blog.andy-goodman.co.uk/2014/04/traffords-cycle-networks-part-2.html

Our job as cyclists is to look after those slower, more vulnerable than us. Shouting at people isn't on. Walkers shouldn't have to be fearful of what's coming up behind. Let's just all be a bit kinder and interact with each other. I frequently ride the Regent's Canal in north London. It's a fantastic resource - traverses vast stretches of the city away from traffic. It's peaceful, tranquil, full of wildlife. We cyclists have the power to set the tone.

generally staying away from riding on canal paths in London

too many dangerous idiots on bikes going way too fast (should be on the road really?), drunks, careless pedestrians, dogs and fishermen with their tackle all over the place

even with a loud bell its a nightmare to navigate on a bike...

Do you experience problems on your local towpath?

no, I only use it at 9:30am on a monday if at all. I avoid it at weekends or fine evenings

What additional priorities should we address in our code of conduct?

consider using a road instead of a towpath choked with dogs, babies in prams, drunks and horses

What behaviours should we seek to encourage?

Cyclists! Wear a traditional draymans hat instead of a helmet

How should we encourage better sharing of towpaths?

People in our society don't share well. I suggest travelling back in time to the 18th century. Of course there were no bikes then either. The lower population density means people don't have to share as much

Should we adopt the same approach in all areas, urban and rural?

In urban areas you can reduce the use of towpaths by cyclists by placing a few stories in the press about muggers on the quasi-waste ground that canals seem to pass through in urban areas. In rural areas ensure that the posh cafes at the canal side welcome dogs, babies etc but are rude and unhelpful to cyclists.

How should we balance the needs of busy communities with capacity of the towpaths in those areas?

Busy people will use the towpath as a short cut. I suggest a combination of speed bumps and warning signs ("Danger, fast moving traffic")

Hope these comments help!

Cyclist wrote:

I consider myself to be considerate to others in every way, however one chance is all you get as that is all I will get from a lorry...

What's a lorry doing on a towpath?

I ride down the canal towpaths regularly, I shout from at least 100m then 50 etc on your left or right, if they make no attempt to move or move across into my line I don't move or slow down, if they do then I will always slow and say thanks. I don't blame kids under 10ish or dogs. A couple of summers ago I shouted at the top of my voice to a fisherman who had one of this great white fishing poles across the path I was well over 100m away he looked straight at me and carried on doing his thing, so I ran straight over his pole, lovely crack. I consider myself to be considerate to others in every way, however one chance is all you get as that is all I will get from a lorry.. However ref the headphones and walking, let's talk about idiotic cyclists who wear them..idiots, far more so than walkers on a canal towpath.