Marlborough Walking and Cycling Strategy One other benefit of cycle lanes, nevertheless, is their marketing effect. Their very presence on arterial roads draws attention to motorists that cyclists are or might be present and that they are legitimate road users. It is an important by-product of the provision of cycle lanes. D.2. Cycle provision on local roads Given the difficulties faced in providing cycle lanes on major roads, it can seem beneficial to instead develop a cycle network on local roads. This has the benefits of lower motor traffic volumes and therefore less interaction between cyclists and motorists and hence higher safety than major roads. Lower traffic volumes and speeds also mean that generally, cycle lanes do not need to be provided and cyclists can share the motor vehicle lanes. The legibility of the network can be achieved by signposting it. Local roads also provide a more pleasant From a skill level perspective, this approach environment for cyclists, partly due to the lower supports all levels of cyclists. It can be suitable volumes of motor vehicles, partly due to the lower even for novice / beginner cyclists, and is thus traffic speeds (in traffic calmed local roads), and attractive in significantly increasing the number partly due to the surroundings that often accompany of cyclists. local roads – houses, parks and landscaping etc. However, many of the benefits associated with providing cycle networks on major roads can become disbenefits to providing cycle networks on local roads. Using minor roads means that the routes available to cyclists may not always be the most direct options. Making local roads more direct (e.g. by giving them the priority over side streets) will attract additional car traffic, which in itself decreases the quality of the cycling environment. Successful local road cycling networks are thus those that provide direct routes with reduced car traffic volumes and reduced speeds. Tools that are available for achieving this are paths through parks which motorists can’t drive on, road closures to general traffic that keep the route open for walking and cycling (see Figure 7 for an example of a diagonal road closure), or turning restrictions to which cyclists are exempt. Figure 7: Diagonal road closure example (England) If local road cycling networks are not supported by those measures, it can result in many cyclists choosing to use the major roads (which they are still within their rights to do) even though the lack of provision can render this less safe than what is possible. Significant efforts in both promotion and accessibility incentives to cyclists on the local road network would need to be offered to ensure most cyclists chose the local road network. A cycle network approach that focuses on the local road network is most beneficial to neighbourhood and recreation cycling. Commuter cyclists will only want to use the network if it almost as direct as the main xi