Can I recommend this new website – fillthathole.org.uk?
Just the other day somebody was telling me how somebody at the county council (I think it was a member, but might have been an officer) was saying how potholes are not really such a big problem because modern cars have suspensions that can cope with them, and they work as traffic calming. OK, except not everybody has a modern car and the roads are also used by motorbikes, scooters and bicycles which certainly can’t cope with unexpected holes.
That is the perspective this site comes from – it is being pushed by Chris Hoy who would know a thing or two about cycling. Potholes were one reason why I stopped cycling to work. Not the main reason – that would be either fitness, the weather or the recurring groin abscess – but certainly a reason.
Looks like a not-too-bad use of the Google maps API, but I’m thinking the time must have come for a similar site that makes use of the location awareness of modern mobile phones. You could use an iPhone app or mobile web site, attach a photo, give details and attach a photo and let the phone give the map co-ordinates. It’s so obvious I suspect it already exists but I am not aware of it.
As CTC Right to Ride representative for Crawley I can vouch for the this website as being very useful and great for recording performance of local authorities at repairing potholes. It is used by cyclists across the country, especially as cyclists suffer even more from potholes than other road users.
Of course with West Sussex they do not update the fill that hole website, nor do they repair the holes or give the person reporting the problem an update. We have a debate locally as to which is the worth authority – West Sussex or Surrey….
Peter
worth as in ‘worse’!
I’m a cyclist myself, & I’m not too impressed with the facilities for cycling in Crawley.
If you cycle on a busy road you run the risk of being abused by a motorist (has happened many times to me), if you cycle on one of the cycle paths they are not always well maintained, and often there is shared use with pedestrians, which is OK but can lead to problems, especially if the pedestrian is using an Ipod.
What does the CTC think could be done to improve things for cyclists in Crawley, Peter?
Ian,
very good points. The ‘facilities’ we have for cyclists in Crawley vary from quite good to very poor – mostly very poor. In many cases they are worse than nothing, for the reasons you outline.
CTC have detailed proposals for Crawley – I can email them to you if you pm me at peter_c_smithathotmail.com. And I would be very happy to review details with you (I’m currently provisionally scheduled to do this with Chris Oxlade).
Cheers,
Peter
Sadly, I cycle less these days…
But one of the most dangerous place for cyclists is at the bus stop/junction in Gatwick Road (by the Motor Cycle shop).
There is a cycle path (with potholes), but the path simply disappears for a time – just before the junction.
Why ?
Because WSCC, in their infinite wisdom, needed to improve the ‘Farceway’ Bus Stop – so they just erased the cycle path at that point !!!
Richard,
agree entirely. Don’t get me started on the dangerous cycle ‘facilities’ provided by WSCC in Crawley…. This has been reported to WSCC for attention but….
Try Southgate avenue, especially where it reaches Hawth avenue for even more fun!
But, for all of WSCC’s shortcomings in delivering cycle facilities – Crawley is still an excellent place to cycle.
cheers,
Peter