- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
York Cycle Campaign gatesCouncil urged to remove "shameful" barriers blocking disabled cyclists
A mathematics professor who struggles to access York paths on his trike has urged the council to finally remove "shameful" barriers blocking disabled cyclists. Last year Dr Jamie Wood brought legal action against the city council for breaches of the Equality Act.
The council says the barriers were originally installed in response to safety issues so must be reviewed before removal, but Dr Wood says "It's really shameful, frankly, that this is still going on."
In response, the York Cycle Campaign found 30 places where barriers hinder or prevent people from using the city's paths.
"Cycling provides freedom to so many people. But barriers like those at Hob Moor slice off entire sections of the city to people with limited mobility. Up and down the country these kinds of outdated barriers are being taken out, literally expanding people's horizons," a spokesperson said.
The mentioned barriers at Hob Moor were installed in 2004 to stop motorcyclists riding on the commons, barriers the York Cycle Campaign challenged at the time. Council director of transport James Gilchrist said changes were due in the new year and a £100,000 fund has been set up to review the barriers city-wide.
Dr Wood has multiple sclerosis and travels by trike, and despite taking the council to court, he says what he would rather see is the barriers scrapped for good.
"Over the last 20 years the council have constantly been putting in infrastructure which doesn't conform to any of the equality acts or any of the disability guidance," he told the York Press.
"They just put it in because they think most people can use it, because they think they're 'most people' – and then if you somehow don't fit their model of a fit, healthy 40-year-old man, you can't use their infrastructure.
"To try to go on a route I haven't been on before I have to do this extraordinary, in-depth research of getting photographs of every individual barrier and trying to work out whether I can get through it because every one is a unique design.
“It's almost like they’re trying to do modern art installations on cycle routes – it's really frustrating."
York Labour responded to the concerns by saying disabled residents are being "barred from town, and barred from country". Director of transport Mr Gilchrist said residents' concerns would be addressed.
"We are aware of locations in the city where current 'access control' points for cyclists/ pedestrians were installed many years ago, and which present an obstacle for some disabled users and riders of some types of modern adapted cycles to use," he said.
"Many of these were installed to address specific safety concerns at the time and require careful consideration before removal or adaptation. In regards to the review of these 'access control' points, an audit brief is currently being finalised.
"As part of the city wide programme of improvements we will be in consultation with organisations such as the York Cycle Campaign to review all similar locations and prioritise and implement appropriate improvements."
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
Latest Comments
- chrisonabike 6 hours 18 min ago
To be fair the Germans didn't give everyone much notice they were done with the war in November. Could have saved everyone tooling up for the Big...
- Blackthorne 6 hours 59 min ago
I disagree, the lucky few who get to wear one of these will certainly produce more mass.
- Dnnnnnn 7 hours 33 min ago
That wasn't what my original post was about - it was about the NHS as it is now. If you're going to be run over by an ambulance tomorrow, there are...
- imajez 7 hours 58 min ago
I prefer the not haveing to faff with brakes in first place, which is the typical reality for hydraulic systems.
- Backladder 11 hours 2 min ago
I'm sure the met are merely waiting for it to build up to a critical mass and then they'll swoop in and confiscate and crush them all then there...
- qwerty360 12 hours 54 min ago
Reality - I expect most first year lectures have more than 80 students at them; So 80 bicycle spaces is a rounding error on potential demand....
- whosatthewheel 14 hours 33 min ago
Especially that it is a traffic light controlled junction so he must have been completely blinded not to see the red on his left hand side and a...
- biking59boomer 15 hours 4 min ago
Send the details to UK network rail and Transport for Wales as well!
- KDee 15 hours 53 min ago
So that Pulsium from Lapierre has a 415mm wheelbase? I assume it's on 20 inch wheels then!
- ktache 16 hours 49 min ago
It's been one hell of a ride Cav, thanks for letting us share some of it. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/nov/09/mark-cavendish-final-race-...
Add new comment
40 comments
They've started removing the first one this week I believe. Determined people still managed to get their motorbikes on Hob Moor regardless so they were not any use anyway other than making a mess of your drive train when you weren't dead centre of the tiny gap.
They're utterly pointless. When I had a cargo bike we bought a radar key off eBay to use the gates because it was impossible to get through. Anyone wanting to take a crosser on there could do exactly the same.
Eventually we realised it's too much faff and sold the bike and now use the car for the journeys we used to do by bike (if you know York then the roads we'd have to use with a fully loaded cargo bike made it unfeasible).
So glad these are getting taken out, 👏 to the YCC.
SUSTRANS set up a meeting with Reading Council about five years ago and invited local cyclists with non-standard bikes along. We took our Hase Pino tandem to join other tandems, trikes, cargo bikes and kiddie trailers to demostrate how 'unfriendly' the barriers on local cycle routes were (including NCR4). Happy to say that Reading Council has worked hard to alter or remove the barries, ensuring access for all.
Nice Bob, those look like some along the Kennet.
I pointed out to Aberdeenshire Council that some barriers they have on the old railway line walk are not accessable by a lot of people, trikes would be an example. Even a heavily laden touring bike would be a hassle if the rider couldn't lift it well off the deck.
Their response was - "If anyone needs access they can come ask for the key" so you'd get to a barrier, realise you can't pass then I guess ride to the council office and ask for the key to the padlocks. I would hope they are keyed alike padlocks... A bloody joke!
Or carry your own key....
The techniques shown in the following videos might be useful in life. Or so I've heard. They're also non-destructive. Of course the community represented here have a strict moral code and certainly would not condone anything like this ("stay legal"). Also spoiler - these two have a high level of skill at what can be very tricky. Unless you're faced with a Master Lock / most combination locks / cheapie off Amazon of course...
https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/bosnianbill/videos
You're specifically not supposed to use lock-picking skills on locks that you don't own or are in use (unless you have explicit permission from the owner). Sometimes lock-picking can be destructive if it goes a bit wrong (e.g. snapping a pick) and some locks can be made to completely jam if someone attempts picking them (not recommended to put on your front door unless you've got another way in).
Quite right. My universal key is much better...
Indeed - that's why I said this would not be condoned. And "non-destructive" compared to bolt cutters.
I'll go down the "I'm surprised that lockpickers were offended despite my humourous intent - it was just a joke" route now.
No offense taken, though I'm more of lock fumbler than a lock picker. I keep trying to single pin pick various broken locks that I got from EBay, but I tend to have more success with raking the locks instead (much quicker when it works).
I'd hope that they've actually adopted the standard "Radar" key format that's used on the Disabled Toilets... Of course, that would kind of rely on a bit of "joined up thinking". If they HAVE of course, then a couple of quid will get a nice small, cycle pocket friendly version of the key. Radar keys are also sort of a not-often-spoken-of trick that regular Audaxer's are aware of...
Cyclepaths have improved in the 20+ years I've been riding my handcycle but I still regularly meet (probably illegal) barriers that prevent me accessing a route I want to ride and it isn't possible for me to get off and climb through or over them.
The National Cycle Network is a case in point, Sustrans have clear guidelines on accessibility - "Any barriers should have a clear width of 1.5 metres." and they recently removed on-road sections from the NCN which were deemed not to meet their design criteria. However they didn't take this opportunity to remove those sections with barriers so I still can't guarantee to be able to ride any NCN route!
This is a barrier on NCN76 in Scotland - this must also contravene the Equality Act.
I do hope Dr Wood is successful in his legal action and we can remove all barriers on cyclepaths and allow legal access for all.
Ah yes - Hopeton estate - "fun" going through with any kind of bike. NCN76 has been improved again in the last few years but still an "adventure route". (As indeed are many NCN routes) Good effort getting about on any of them on a handcycle! (Unrelated but seeing handcyclists going up the sharp hill past the Old Cramond Brig - always looked a fierce business, although it's not Kaimes Road...)
What does their design criteria say about surfacing.
I made the mistake of following a sustrans sign last, night, and after reaching the top of a hill, found it then continued on a muddy track through the woods. I thought routes should be suitable for all bikes, not just mountain bikes.
I think they now separate the more "recreational" (greenways) from "routes" (which is an improvement!) Just from their web site the section seems to be here:
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/for-professionals/infrastructure/sustrans-traffic-free-routes-and-greenways-design-guide/
Specifically the path specification details (2019).
As far as gates / bollards / barriers they make some positive noises. They do have a disclaimer - fair - that they don't actually own / control much of the NCN so have to go through landowners:
Sustrans policy on access controls on paths (2015)
the sign that I started following was labelled as route 57, I should have known better, as I know elsewhere on route 57 the same issues occur, one moment tarmac and so step only light road cyclists would want to ride up it, and the next moment so muddy only suitable for mountain bikes.
How wide is that A frame, guessin 1 metre at ground level, and how wide is the trike in question?
I don't know about the specific issue with the trike but the general issue with the barriers is not the width, but the ridiculous ramp at the bottom. I destroyed my cargo bike kick stand a couple of times by misjudging it and have also caught road bike cranks on it. It makes it almost impossible for children to ride straight through as their pedals don't clear the ramp bit.
It all sounds like a minor annoyance but when you have to pass 3 of them on every journey it quickly becomes frustrating, particularly as there's no reason for it to be there!
I've just looked at the image on the York Press site, that ramp serves no purpose whatsoever.
There are a lot of inconvenient barriers on cycle paths in North Yorkshire, but the Hob Moor ones really are works of art.
Which reminds me of the *!**! spring closing gates combined with solid wooden planks across the footway on the Pennine Bridleway, which are an absolute pain for the admittedly small number of us towing a trailer.
I wonder how long it would take them to remove illegal barriers that stopped drivers?
It is not on the latest Streetview but Walsall Council decided to a locked gate across this section and where they small bush is on the left, they paved it over and put those narrowing as they go higher gates on. So most bikes would now struggle to use the designated cycle route and even certain prams or wheelchairs. Initially they hadn't even put drop kerbs either side either which came a month or two later.
But then where the other side comes out has had cars parked up it and recently, all the detritus from building work for one of the houses. "No we won't use our parking spot for that, just dump it all on the cycle path and pedesetrian path as they can then go around. Also where the shared path goes further down, it swaps sides a couple of times. Now apparently whenever it crosses the road, the cyclist is expected dismount each time. That is of course after negotiating all the parked cars further up who decide the pavement, and not the garages and parking areas each house has is the place for them.
I call bullshit on the council. Using the 'elf and safety excuse to drag their feet over their breeches of the disability act. Shameful. The use of these barriers causes far more inconvenience than any occasional use of a motorbike on their paths. Typical ass backwards thinking.
Would those be lycra breeches?
Wearing those is a breech of the peace.
Can any kind soul show a all person friendly barrier that also prevents motorcycle access? I suspect that it doesn't exist and therefore compromises have to be made.
Compromises being the prevention of access to disabled users amongst others?
We have these beauties on our local routes. Doesn't stop me, even when towing (although they are certainly irritating). But then I'm able to manhandle my bike through or over. I guess those less able should feel good about taking one for the team.
Oh, local scallies still use MotoX bikes on these routes.....
If they had a problem with ilegal use of a road by unregistered quad bikes, the response would not be to but up barriers which exclude cars.
As you say there is probably not a barrier which prevents motorbike access but allows access to all cyclists, so the response should be enforcement, rather than loss of utility for the very groups that need it most.
Pages