Leading the way in cycle infrastructure maintenance

Waltham Forest could learn a thing or two about cycle lane maintenance from our colleagues outside London.


There is nothing more annoying than a potentially good cycle lane ruined by poor maintenance. Harlow council, in Essex, clearly understand this.


That is why this piece of useful infrastructure has just had a new lick of paint.

Before the revamp, the lines were becoming a bit faded (presumably from the vast hordes of cyclists who use it every day). Without repainting, cyclists may have become confused about where they should be on this shared facility. Now there is no confusion. Cyclists should be to the left. Impaled on the railings. And thank goodness the give way signs have been redefined as it is important to make sure those untrained cyclists give way at the correct places. Where there is an old unused turning that has been shut for years, for instance.


Now cyclists can enjoy this piece of cycling nirvana for all of its 10 metre length.


I assume such valuable maintenance work gets funded out of a cycling budget. With the budget squeeze on local councils, are these important cycling infrastructures at risk? The public deserves to know...