Belgrave Road Consultation
Space for cycling : none
The Leicester Cycle Forum meeting on 27th July discussed the changes on offer for Belgrave Road, from Belgrave Circle to the Loughborough Road turn. In short, the options on the table are as it is (2 lanes in each direction) with a few trees to prettify it and some changes to crossings, or one lane in each direction with bigger pavements (and changed crossings).
Neither option offers any safe space for cycling or does anything to reduce the pavement cycling seen as a problem in the area.
This is not acceptable and the council needs people to feed into the consultation to make the point that we need separated space to cycle.
We are encouraging all our members to complete the consultation as we know that the number of responses on each side is what they care about most. Your response really will count!
It only takes a few minutes to complete and can be found here: Consultation link
Here are some suggested responses.
Space for cycling : none
Question 1
Which option do you prefer?
Option B – two lanes
Question 2 (this is the only space to add comments)
Please let us know if you have any comments on either of the options
Belgrave Road is a major route into the city. At the moment, it is a place where only the fast and the brave will cycle on the road – others choose the pavement, with the usual problems. The Mayor has expressed a desire for cycle tracks on major routes and Leicester has recently been lauded as a forward-thinking city for cycling. Despite this, there is no separate space for cycling included in these plans. The idea that people will cycle amongst the cars and buses (as shown in the artists impressions) is a whimsical fantasy and cycling levels will continue to be as depressed as they are now. This is contrary to the council’s plans re cycling – would you take children to school on Belgrave Road as pictured? If there is room for four traffic lanes and a central reservation, there is room for two traffic lanes and separated cycle tracks on each side.
Questions 3,4,5,6,7 – monitoring questions.
We know that numbers count in this consultation. Thanks for you help.
Update 20th Oct
There is a piece in the Mercury on the outcome of the Belgrave Consultation. It’s light on detail – in short, the four lane “keep it as it is” option doesn’t have a massive majority.
It’s not an ideal situation – we’d have liked a resounding mandate to enable people to cycle safely up and down Belgrave Road. However, not rebuilding four lanes now does leave the door open for something better in the future.
Thanks to all who responded.
Leicester Cycling Campaign Group 