North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has put forward proposals for a 20mph zone to include the part of Cold Bath Road which is currently 30mph, and Beech Grove.
The details are set out on this NYC web page. There will be a link on that page to a survey where local people can give their views.
The survey will be open from 10th February to 2nd March 2025.
Cold Bath Road
We support the proposal to make the top of Cold Bath Road 20mph.
This will, however, not make it an inclusive cycle route. Cold Bath Road carries around 9,000 vehicles a day, which makes it feel too hostile for most people to consider cycling there.
Crossing at Western Primary
NYC are proposing an “uncontrolled crossing” of Cold Bath Road at Western Primary.
That means that drivers get priority, so it is not really a crossing at all. It’s just a bit of tactile paving indicating a suggested place to try and cross the road.
Instead, there should be a priority crossing – light-controlled or zebra.
Speed Cushions
NYC is proposing speed cushions to reduce motor vehicle speeds at the top of Beech Grove.
Traffic-calming is needed, but speed cushions are not recommended on cycle routes.
Further, in some places the gap between kerb and speed cushion would be as little as 90cm. This would be hard to navigate on a 3-wheeled cycle, and therefore potentially discriminatory against people with disabilities.
Therefore, a different type of traffic-calming should be used.
Junction with Otley Road
NYC does not intend to make inclusive arrangements to join up Cold Bath Road to ‘Phase 1’ of their Otley Road Cycleway.
LTN 1/20 makes clear that the current Advanced Stop Line arrangement is not good enough.
NYC should make better arrangements for cycling at the Cold Bath Road/Otley Road junction.
Beech Grove
We support 20mph on Beech Grove, but it will not be enough to make it an inclusive cycle route. The previous modal filter scheme, which removed through traffic, was far better.
The same problems with speed cushions noted in relation to Cold Bath Road also apply to Beech Grove.
A different type of traffic-calming, such as sinusoidal ramps, should be used.
