http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6828100.ece

"Cycle lanes encourage motorists to drive closer to bikes, says study"

Cycle lanes can make roads more dangerous for cyclists because they
encourage motorists to drive closer when overtaking bicycles, a study
has found.

Drivers give cyclists a wider berth on roads where there is no lane
because they assume that they should share the road and make more
allowance for the risk of wobbles.

The study, conducted by Leeds and Bolton universities, challenges the
approach taken by many local authorities, which is to promote cycling
by painting cycle lanes and cycle symbols on their roads. It suggests
that reducing the speed and volume of traffic would be more effective
in improving cycle safety than narrow cycle lanes.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, is planning to create 12 “cycle
superhighways” by 2012 but his transport authority said yesterday that
most of the network would be lanes painted on roads rather than
segregated cycle paths.

For the study the researchers mounted a camcorder on the rear rack of
a bicycle and rode on three roads that each had sections with and
without cycle lanes. On all three roads, drivers gave cyclists less
room where there was a cycle lane. The greatest difference was
recorded on the A6 near Garstang, Lancashire, where cars passed 18cm
(7in) closer when the cyclist was in a cycle lane.

All the cycle lanes were slightly narrower than the minimum width of
1.5m (5ft) recommended by the Department for Transport. The majority
of Britain’s cycle lanes do not comply with this guideline.

The study, which is due to be published in the scientific journal
Accident Analysis and Prevention, says that on roads without cycle
lanes, drivers “consciously perform an overtaking manoeuvre”. On roads
with cycle lanes, they treat the space between the centre line and the
outside edge of the cycle lane as exclusively their territory and make
less adjustment for cyclists.

The study concludes: “Cycle lanes do not appear to provide greater
space for cyclists in all conditions.” The Highway Code tells drivers
to “give cyclists at least as much room as you would when overtaking a
car”.

Chris Peck, policy co-ordinator of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, said:
“Cycle lanes have a part to play in improving road conditions for
cyclists, but this research has raised concerns that they are not
always the best solution and may make cycling more unpleasant.”

He said that too many authorities viewed cycle lanes as a cheap and
easy alternative to more effective measures of reducing the
vulnerability of cyclists, such as cutting the speed limit to 20mph
and redesigning awkward junctions. Mr Peck added that narrow cycle
lanes could create tension between drivers and cyclists, with drivers
becoming annoyed when cyclists strayed outside them. Some cyclists
felt under pressure to remain within the lane until the last moment
when turning right, leading to sudden, potentially dangerous
manoeuvres.

He said: “Cycle lanes are a good visual reminder to people that
cycling is being encouraged but they can cause cyclists to hug the
kerb, which may not be the safest place to be.”