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[Image taken 18.2.21] York: Do not overtake cyclists signs are in place at works at the junction of Crichton Avenue and Wigginton Roads. (See also: #164311, #164312, #164313, #164314, #164315.)
I was pleased to see these signs.
I believe the first example appeared in the city in 2020.
I had asked for City of York Council (CYC) to use them at other works. This is because I believe the signs:
- empower people cycling (also mobility scooter users) to ride confidently in the centre of the carriageway;
- legitimise cyclists' presence - to the cyclists themselves and to drivers;
- are an alert to drivers to look out for other vehicles in the carriageway;
- offer a practical piece of advice to drivers (and one they might remember and practice in other situations) to respect other road users choice of transport and position on the carriageway.
However, in an email from October 2014, CYC said it did not and would not use such signs. They also believed contractors would be unlikely to do so either.
A transport planner said:
"Although [the organisations he said he had consulted] thought that there may be occasions when a sign such as the one suggested may be useful they also pointed out the following.
· They are not a standard sign and are not included in either the Department for Transport’s Traffic Signs, Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) or Safety at Roadworks documents. This means that firstly they are not enforceable and secondly that we have no powers to insist that anyone undertaking streetworks uses them.
· Other factors which we would have need to establish include what length of roadwork should they be used over, what do we consider to be a narrow lane width and also what time period would the roadworks need to be taking place over for us to consider their use suitable. This would require the council to adopt a policy and is extra work which isn’t currently being done.
· The signs themselves add to the street clutter which in itself is dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians."
He also said:
"They [CYC staff who oversee street works] also pointed out that because there is no legal obligation to use the signs then the majority of contractors wouldn’t use them and we could do nothing about it."