5 May 2011
Reflections on cycling in London
Transform Scotland's research officer Jolin Warren reports on a recent trip to London:I was in London recently, and the first thing that struck me was the high numbers of cyclists, particularly on Boris Bikes. Their use has increased dramatically since I was down 2-3 months ago, and it seems that all sorts of people are now using them to get about. They were in use all over the place.
But over the few days I was down south, what was more noticeable as a cyclist was the high quality of the road surfaces and the excellent signage. This really brought home how poorly Edinburgh fares in these areas. Cycling on a smooth surface was easier, safer (as I wasn't constantly swerving to avoid potholes) and is overall a much more pleasant experience than the really poor state of most of Edinburgh's city centre roads.
The signage allowed me to go from place to place without constantly stopping to look at a map, which is of immense help when in an area that I'm not familiar with.
The last thing that I noticed, though, is something that Edinburgh easily beats London on -- advance stop lines. There were a few scattered about on my travels through west London, but the stop lines in Edinburgh are far more comprehensive, and definitely make a difference in establishing the cyclist's right to be there.
Photo courtesy of Ian Mayman: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianonline/5157299805/