The London Borough of Harrow (and probably all of yours) must have spent
thousands and thousands of our pounds, painting cycle lanes on our roads. In
some places they are even coloured green and seem to have a different
surfacing. On one railway bridge on the road between Pinner and North Harrow
they have even planted a line of metal bollards (how much do they cost ?) to
enforce the cycle lane which reduces the road width but which I have NEVER
seen a cyclist use !! In the last two years I don't think I have seen more
than a dozen cyclists using any of these cycle lanes which are all the more
stupid when you see that cars are parked across them. Long Elmes in Harrow
is a typical example with probably as many as 50 cars parked on the cycle
lanes at any one time but never a cyclist in sight. I really resent the
squandering of so much money on a laudable but stupidly executed idea. Given
that there are now far more active motorists than pedestrians or cyclists,
cycle lanes should either be on pavements or segregated completely from the
roads but WITHOUT reducing the road width. /rant
Cheerz,
Baz

I know that stretch of road between Pinner and North Harrow well and have
cycled along it many times.

The cycle lane is too narrow (less than 1m wide) I always ride at least 1m
out from the kerb, so the lane is pointless and filled with parked cars anyway.
The section over the Met line with bollards is not swept clean and is often
strewn with debry, I avoid it and use the road.

Why do councils spend money providing such useless farcilities ?
As far as I can tell its because they get grants to do so, they don't consult
cyclists and don't follow recommended practice (e.g. cycle lanes should be
1.5m wide and free from parked vehicles). In my opinion separating cycle lanes
from the road is not to be recommended, every crossing point now becomes a danger
zone, where traffic comes into conflict. My preferred solution - cycle on the
roads - its what they are there for !

Douglas