Cycleways and cycle-routes

Examples of cycleways.

Or:-

How we would like them to be.

A cycleway in Italy, nice and clean, wide, smooth, clearly marked, with a pedestrian crossing for pedestrians

and with the cycleway and the pedestrian path (on the right) physically segregated it would be even better.  

A network of virtually traffic free country road (excellent surface), in Germany, with picnic areas, some (like this one) under cover.  Perfect for cyclist of all abilities.

 

This cycleway (part of the Weserradweg) extends for miles, and connects with a number of other routes. 

A family cycles on the Weserradweg, which stretches for about 450 km, provides such easy and peaceful cycling; from Hannover-Munden to Cuxhaven.

Just one of very many (at least 120) long distance cycle-routes in Germany.  Up to 700 km. long.  www.esterbauer.com   

There is a vast network of interconnecting lesser routes all over Germany, as there also is in Holland; and establishing a route from The Hook of Holland to Berlin (and through and beyond), is not a problem.   Cycle Touring is Germany’s most popular leisure activity, and it is well catered for.  

A lot of new cycleways have been built in the East since the reunification of Germany,  Though there are some stretches, where, in places, the surfaces may leave a lot to be desired.

A well as long distance routes, Germany has a network of so many good links between towns and villages; with the added bonus that they often have them through those towns and villages too.

  In the South of Germany.                           In the North.

What is rarely seen in Germany (and elsewhere) are signs such as appear so often here in the UK, i.e.:-  “CYCLEWAY ENDS”  and “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT”.  

En route to Berlin, via Harwich (from Kent), we encountered this bit of magnificent off-road cycle-route, part of NCN R13, in Essex; what a disgrace!  The part of the our route that took us through the UK (Kent and Essex), bore no comparison to the rest of our journey to what we experienced from the moment we rode off the ferry at The Hook-of Holland, eastwards.

I have a complete set of cycling covering all of Germany, the above is but a small fragment  from one map.  The red lines are cycle ways, the green are long distant routes. The orange ones are on road with limited traffic, and so on.  It is easy to plan a route in any direction.  From my experience the situation as it exists on the ground is usually better than the maps suggest (these are old maps).

We may have short stretches of cycleway, with car parks at each end, but we have nothing as comprehensive as this.

Why are we lagging so behind? 


More Blog to come.