This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Just sent Camden Council some feedback on the experimental Torrington Place scheme:

As a daily cycle commuter who uses routes of all types from the 40mph dual carriageway portions of the A10 through to the Lea Valley towpath, I think the new layout is a vast improvement over what went before.

However, it seems to confuse everyone!

Observed in the last 7-10 days during my commute (westbound in the morning, eastbound in the evening).

1) Whilst heading eastbound along the Tavistock Place cycle path approaching the Hunter Street junction, I encountered a cyclist heading directly towards me, presumably unaware that the layout had changed. He nipped through one of the gaps in the divider into the street (fortunately there was no traffic) but I'm not sure who he thought was going the wrong way.

2) Twice now I've observed cars turning from Gordon Square into Bedford way as soon as the lights change and cutting across oncoming cycle traffic. I think this is because the stop line for westbound cyclists is so far back and the junction is very open, allowing drivers to just about get away with nipping through, although one time I had to stop because they would have driven into me as I set off from the lights.

3) At the same junction I witnessed a minicab in the right hand lane signalling right reverse and position themselves (still signalling right) on a diagonal with the rear of the car in the right hand lane and the front of the car in the left hand lane behind other queuing traffic. When the lights changed, the minicab turned right down Bedford Way. I assume the driver was unsure as to whether or not the road was one-way or he was in a lane for oncoming traffic.

4) A scooter driving westbound from Byng Place to the junction with Gower Street and then on to Tottenham Court Road. I couldn't tell if they knew they were travelling the wrong way down a one way street but they were sticking very close to the armadillos as if they knew there could be oncoming traffic squeezing them into the cycle lane.

5) A driver heading Westbound across the Hunter Street junction, pausing with confusion on top of the "NO ENTRY" road marking. There was no oncoming traffic and I didn't see what happened next, but I don't think he continued along Tavistock Place, so presumably chose to reverse out into the Hunter Street junction.

6) A minicab heading north along Woburn Place turning left into Tavistock Square, driving along the westbound cycle path over the armadillos and parking in the parking space in front of Hotel Tavistock facing Westbound. After leaving the vehicle and returning with a passenger the driver then performed a 3 point turn almost reversing into several cyclists waiting for the westbound lights to change before heading off eastbound along Tavistock Square.

I don't know why everyone is so confused - if I were to guess, I'd say it's a mixture of ingrained past behaviour, insufficient road markings and signage and in some cases what appears to be a blatent disregard for the new traffic controls.

Finally, as a cyclist the bollards which are positioned slightly inwards from the curb and from the armadillos on the westbound route are perfectly positioned for a collision. I can understand why they are there, but they do act as a pinch point and are quite easily obscured by the rider in front of you who may swerve around them at the last moment leaving you potentially with the option of an emergency stop or a swerve into someone passing you in the middle of the lane.

So, overall I like the scheme and support the change however it could definitely be improved. With so many confused motorists around who are having to think about the road layout at the same time as performing quite dodgy manoeuvres surrounded by dozens of cyclists and pedestrians I fear an accident is in the making.