Seafront Solutions

A while back I blogged about the seafront cycle lane. I raised concerns about it. So, how would I change it?

If money was no issue, and there was full political will, I would get rid of it and replace it with uni-directional lanes on either side of the carriageway, removing cross hatching in the middle (there is a lot along the front), utilising floating parking where appropriate, integrated into traffic lighted junctions and so on. This would make it a genuine transport link and a starting point for a greater cycling network.

Alas, both conditions don’t apply. Therefore, what we can only really talk about is closing the gap around the Pier. I understand the Council is looking into giving the lane a spruce up, replacing signs and a bit of maintenance here and there. I am not aware of plans of dealing with the gap.

This is what I would do – working east to west.

At the gasworks, where the lane currently directs you back into the carriageway, I would create a segregated lane along Eastern Esplanade, utilising floating parking, allowing the existing parking to continue. This creates a barrier between bicycles and moving motor-traffic. Whilst the car door threat remains, it is less likely and is less likely to push you under a moving car. Space can be created by removing or narrowing the cross hatching in the middle of the carriageway. This would run up to and through the junction with Southchurch Avenue. Some tinkering would be needed here but not massive amounts. Hell, even a ASL would be useful, if nothing else…

Yellow line indicates route of cycle path

Once through this junction you are in the 20mph share space along Marine Parade – is a segregated lane needed? Well, perhaps not, but why not have something clearly marked out so pedestrians and cyclists don’t mix. I would run a segregated path along the south side of the carriageway. There is already something that looks like it should be a lane and there is loads of pedestrian space on the promenade etc. This would run all the way to the Pier entrance.

The blue line indicates route of path through Marine Parade.

This is Marine Parade shared space, looking west. See how it is laid out and just sort of looks like cycle path already… This is where Mr Miller et al want to put in parking.

Bottom of Pier Hill looking east. Here the naturally looking lane continues, but comes to an end just where the photographer was standing.

Around the Pier entrance, looking east. Again, a natural looking separate bit of pavement could be utilised as a cycle lane and would join up with Marine Parade proposed lane.

By the Pier, looking east. Here some of the pavement could be turned into segregated path to join up with proposed lane on Marine Parade

It is here that Marine Parade becomes Western Esplanade. At this point you can turn some of the pavement into a segregated lane, which would then join up to the existing lane at the lagoon. Again, some floating parking needed.

Yellow line indicates route from Pier entrance to existing lane.

Western Esplanade, looking west. Move the parking to the right, creating floating parking, and a segregated lane could go along between the pavement and parking – just as it does from the lagoon onwards.

So, we now have a continuous lane from Chalkwell to Shoeburyness. We just need to have some proper network for it to be part of as well…