A12 survey report of the incomplete & shoddy works between Witham & Marks Tey

In January 2016, I wrote this Blog regarding the work about to be carried out & sent it to Highway England: http://the2wheeledwolf.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/my-views-of-work-to-be-carried-out-on.html

After the work was supposedly done I made a complaint & sent this copy of the Survey Report I did on the works carried out by Highway England on the 'cycling infra' that goes between Marks Tey & Witham as they really didn't want to go do a proper inspection & were gonna sign it off as completed back in September 2016 & Highway England passed it onto the Safety Auditors to carry out an independent safety audit of the scheme.

Sorry it took a lil longer to write this up, I have a paid job to do & do not get paid to do the job of those at Essex County Council who are supposed to inspect the work before signing it off. Not just sign it off & sod those who have to use it at their own peril. I was really Gob-smacked that was going to happen.

So as I had said I will point out the problems created by the works carried out & I do expect them to be corrected before signing off the works. I will go in order of the drawings from Witham to Marks Tey.

Starting with east Witham as you exit the town. Why is it Highway engineers for councils feel bicycles can turn on the spot at speed as if it is a Tron cycle?

Its no joke but you should try it with fast moving traffic up your rear. The dropped curb is not wide enough to cater all forms of cycles & expecting them to turn that sharp will result in being hit by drivers from behind. This should be a tapered/angled entry to the shared path in fast moving traffic trying to get to the A12 faster than a cyclists does.

Then there's the resurfacing, when you resurface are you not meant to keep it flush with manhole covers?

 

Coz they have not done this & it is a trip hazard to pedestrians & cyclists as well as the uneven surfaces where the resurfacing was done in stages.

 

Then the dropped curbs at the junctions, most are too steep, uneven & not flush to the road.

  

 

 

 

This is apparent along the whole route along the A12 & already I have had my wheel repaired due to these appallingly done dropped curbs & having to again this week. I sure wouldn't like to see how a wheelchair user would cope with them.

 

Also noticed my concerns were ignored of these side junctions with fast moving traffic turning off, there are no signs to warn drivers or any form of speed reduction been put in to make sure those already crossing are able to safely. Instead they look at the motor traffic on the road & not look at paths. This has been pointed out now in the Gazette by business The Empire Diner along the A12.

Coming into Kelvedon, again you're expecting cyclists to do a sharp right & then left turn to leave the shared path.

Yet again this is dangerous as it make the cyclist slow to a crawl & try get onto a fast moving traffic coming off the A12. It should have been tapered to feed the cyclists onto the road & maintain a reasonable speed. As usual its to benefit traffic flow & not those trying to cycle.

And as for the painted logos on the road thru Kelvedon & Feering, I see you just totally ignored what I had said to put them in the middle of the road & as a result I have a number of drivers try push me into the gutter when cycling.

Here's a video to show my disgust with this: https://youtu.be/UgkiFzZn9Yw. And we have Highway England & Essex County Council to thank for that!

And what the Hell is this as you leave Feering towards Marks Tey?

 

Are you really expecting cyclists to turn into approaching traffic on the side road to access the shared path? Are you really trying to kill cyclists? Why did you not fix & use the dropped curb further along to safely access the shared path without trying to kill them.

Then there's section of the shared path along the A12 that have not been touched as per drawings, as in 'apply weed killing & asphalt crack sealant on existing footway'.

 

 

I can definitely say this was NOT done & with winter coming along it gets very dark due to lack of lighting so is a risk of tripping pedestrians or knocking a cyclist off & more likely into the traffic on the A12. And talking about lighting, do you expect pedestrians & cyclists to use the shared paths along the A12 in darkness but happily light the roads for the drivers? If this is to be a route to increase walking & cycling (highly doubtful in this state) then it requires lighting to help see the paths & drivers to see those on the paths.

Finally at Marks Tey, do you really think this is acceptable access from the path to the road. Unlit dark lil corner with fencing. Why is it not tidied up & made clearer where to go & more visible in the dark?

 

Then as mentioned before, stopping it at the end of the road as you just come off the A12 is just stupid & dangerous & despite pointing this out, it was just excused as not part of the this scheme so cyclists now have to put themselves in danger trying to cross a busy fast moving A120 & I can tell you I have had myself almost on a car bonnet thanks to the actions of a dangerous driver & Essex County Council & Highway England buck passing excuses to not supply a safe route for cyclists going over the A12 towards Colchester. Which I have reported to Essex Police but as usual they don't give a damn!

This is a brief report as I have limited time to do your job & if you're unhappy to what I have to say I aint sorry as I am sick & tired of the appalling works carried out on the claims of 'better' cycling infrastructure that we will never get at this rate. I for one see what has been done has made it worse, uncomfortable, damaging to bikes & dangerous to use.

And I am still awaiting drawings for the section between Witham & Chelmsford.

Regards

Since sending this email in September I have compiled a video which I had also sent them (https://youtu.be/Hp4WBJ5vZGQ) to back this report & had to chase up to see if the safety Auditors had completed their work, only to find out they haven't even started. It is supposedly meant to be done this January 2017, despite my safety concerns many month back they are really dragging their heels on this & I will keep putting the pressure on them. 

My views of the work to be carried out on the A12 between Witham & Marks Tey

Beginning of this year I got an email out of the blue in regards to work being carried out to 'improve cycling' along the A12 between Witham & Marks Tey, it was to start in 10 days at the time of the email & now should be started.

I asked for drawings to see what they're doing & eventually I got them despite claims they had sent them to me last year in November. So here's my views of what I have seen by looking over drawings, I will observe it in the stages they have drawn them but some comments are the same throughout the whole plan of works. There was no consultation with those who use or like to use it.

East Witham

The shared path on the slip road onto the A12 already exists, the work is to carry out small bit of widening of this path & a few signs. But due to existing lamposts this path will vary in width as no plans to move the posts.

 

Now to get on or off this path you have to navigate a busy junction & nothing has been done to improve this. Especially for those heading into Witham where you have to join a side road & then use the junction to rejoin the busy road heading into Witham, mixing with HGV's is a major concern.

 

A12 between Witham & Kelvedon

Not much being done here to improve the narrow shared path other than a bit of resurfacing & signs. Hardly an improvement to make it quality walking/cycling infra & below recommended width.

Main concerns are the junctions off the A12, there are no signs to warn drivers people cross here whether its walking or cycling & the speed the drivers be leaving the A12 on these junctions, there be no time to stop. This is the same for all junctions I've seen along A12 on these drawings too.

 

 

West Kelvedon

Again lack of widening, resurfacing of narrow shared path with a few more signs. And like East Witham, the shared paths stop as you head into Kelvedon & want you to join the busy heavy traffic going at speed as they're coming off the A12. Then we start to see paint cycle logos on the road & continues having them on the road into town, unfortunately as any cyclist can tell you they make no difference in the safety to those cycling. What makes them worse is they're going to paint them by the curb, so enforcing the false belief of drivers that cyclists meant to cycle in the gutter.

 

As the road head into Kelvedon, it narrows so cyclists will be given no room to cycle if they do so in the gutter as drivers will not give space when passing & definitely will not move over with traffic coming the other way. Cyclists are allowed to use the whole lane for safer cycling & the logos should reflect this as they are done in other places i.e. Colchester St John's St & Priory St.

There is a new section of path being added, this is to help those leaving Kelvedon to get onto shared path & head to Witham. Problem is you have to turn right onto this path as drivers behind are trying to get past especially if cyclists are made to cycle in the gutter & also the drivers would be picking up speed to match the speed of the A12 thus poorly designed & dangerous. Would've been better to put in an access point to the left to get off the road & prepare to cross it if traffic is bad, not ideal design but better than what been given here.

Kelvedon Town Centre

Unfortunately it looks like Highway England still wants all those using the path along the A12 have to get off at every town & rejoin on the other side of town, again this is poor forward thinking or should I say none at all.

So what are they going to do to make it safer to cycle through these narrow historical streets that were the original route of the A12 & as I know is still used like it was. Well it is yet more gutter cycle logos, that's it & I've already explained this dangerous design.

 

 

 

 And just to prove the cycle logos be even more useless, how would you see them under all the parked cars? Is Highway England really expecting cyclists to cycle along the curb & go around parked cars? This was taken this week on a normal week day on the bus I was on & the bus drivers has problems with drivers giving way to them, so what hope drivers will be safe around cyclists?

This video just proves the mentality of drivers when going through these towns & their narrow historical streets.

East Kelvedon / Feering

Same as through Kelvedon, more painted cycle logos by the curb. Even in Feering on a pinch point they expect you to cycle in the gutter, sorry but this is where you need to take the whole lane if you're brave enough.

 

East Kelvedon

Again we see more painted logos by the curb & where you rejoin the narrow shared path the only improvements are resurfacing & a few signs. Nothing to make it safe to use the infra & have you mix with the heavy fast flowing traffic like it does on West Kelvedon & East Witham.

 

A12 Kelvedon - Marks Tey

This section is getting next to nothing to improve it, a few signs & barely any surface work. Sure haven't made it safer to use as I'll explain, starting with the lay-by for drivers to stop. You have a narrow path right by it, as I'll show in the next pictures its often blocked by those drivers parking on it so others can get onto the lay-by.

 

 

 

Then as you approach Marks Tey, you've got to get onto the Old London Road & again you see those painted logos by the curb. But this road is a single lane so why not paint them in the middle of the road as cars will be parked on the logos & unsafe on this road to cycle in the gutter, often seen HGV's on this road. Even better if we saw actual cycling infra on the grass verge on the right to take you to end of the road & over the bridge to Marks Tey on other side of A12.

 

 

I mean would you like to cycle on this part of the road where even motorcyclists have to mount the path to avoid HGV's?

 

Marks Tey

Finally at the end & you're thrown onto the very busy fast moving traffic filled with HGV's, buses, vans & cars all fighting for space to get where they are going on the A120. Getting out of this junction is practically impossible by bike.

 

Just love the insult of the 'End of route' sign that's meant to be for cycle & shared paths. Obviously proves there is no space for cycling on the adjoining road & good luck in surviving it when you try cycle from here.

Would you honestly like to cycle on the A120 & towards Colchester in this traffic?

 

Conclusion

Well I sure am not impressed, I see nothing here that says Highway England are building forward thinking 21st Century 'Dutch quality' cycling AND walking infrastructure. Again Highway England are proving they prioritise motor traffic against walking & cycling, again they prove it's about funding minimum as possible when it comes to cycling & walking & not bother with functionality.

I've not seen anything to make cycling easy & convenient along the A12, forcing cyclists & walkers to get off at every town & use the narrow historical roads that aren't suitable than have infrastructure along the A12 to go around these historical towns as they add the 3rd lane for motor vehicles. Definitely not suitable for all ages & abilities to cycle on that is for sure! Definitely not suitable for inclusive access & cycling for the disabled! Definitely NOT 'Dutch quality' infrastructure! Would you allow an 8yr old cycle/walk this route? If not then it's not fit for purpose. Again Highway England is showing that they see cycling as a hobby, a leisure time event & not a form of transport.


They sure did not listen or pay attention to my blog I handed to them last year. "Widening of the A12 & the knock on effects to non-drivers" & the whole plan doesn't meet the so called proposed Essex Cycling Strategy. I see the 2 million allocated for this & the other side from Witham to Chelmsford is going to be completely wasted, I sure am not looking forward to seeing how Hatfield Perevel road to Boreham going to be as it's bloody terrible as it is. A narrow road with National speed limit in places & drivers passing far too close, especially the HGV & Bus ones.

One phrase comes to mind in this job & I feel many others Highway England are botching up in the UK & I feel is appropriate, "no matter how much you polish a turd, it is still a turd".