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Painting white lines on roads has cost millions without making cycling safer, experts tell UK government

The government has been accused of wasting public money on inadequate cycling infrastructure.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT has wasted hundreds of millions of pounds by painting white lines on busy roads and labelling them “cycle lanes”, according to Britain’s cycling and walking commissioners. 

Painted cycle lines – where cyclists are segregated from cars and other vehicles simply by using a line on a road – are only a “gesture” and have done nothing to make cyclists feel safer, the commissioners have said in a letter to UK transport secretary Chris Grayling, The Guardian reports.

The commissioners, who include former Olympic champions Chris Boardman and Dame Sarah Storey, said current policies were “wasting public money and failing to persuade people to change their travel habits”. 

The commissioners are responsible for developing policy ideas for improving cycling and pedestrian infrastructure across UK towns and cities.

The most recent academic research on cycle lanes suggests that simply painting a white line on a road is not enough to protect cyclists – instead greater investment in buffer zones or physical barriers to protect cyclists from drivers is needed. 

In Ireland, cyclists have long called for better infrastructure and greater funding from the National Transport Authority and the Department of Transport. One major source of frustration for campaigners has been the blocking of cycle lanes by drivers – in recent months both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have supported taking action on the issue. 

The commissioners are calling for a government re-think when it comes to transport planning and investment. The current approach taken by the UK Treasury, the letter states, has led to ”systemic undervaluation and underinvestment in sustainable transport”. 

The commissioners have made a number of recommendations, including asking the UK government to fund road danger reduction measures by using revenue from penalty notices for traffic offences. 

“It’s tragic that hundreds of millions of pounds of government money has been spent on substandard cycling and walking infrastructure,” said Boardman, who is the commissioner for Greater Manchester. 

“If national government were to adopt these asks we’d be on a winning streak and could truly transform Britain’s towns and cities, not to mention massively improving air quality and health,” he said. 

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    Mute Jimmyjoe Wallace
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 9:31 PM

    I’ve been loving you a long time Down all the years, down all the days And I’ve cried for all your troubles Smiled at your funny little ways We watched our friends grow up together And we saw them as they fell Some of them fell into Heaven Some of them fell into Hell

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    Mute Padraig Piarais Mac AnTsaoir
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 10:07 PM

    @Jimmyjoe Wallace: Why would anyone redthumb that, some of the greatest lyrics of this or any other century.

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    Mute Jimmyjoe Wallace
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 10:09 PM

    It sure is Padraig, and I thought is was apt under the circumstances.

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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 11:04 PM

    Well played Jimmy… And a sad loss. Hope to see Shane back in action soon

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jan 3rd 2017, 4:28 AM

    Are the lyrics from this century though?

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 9:08 PM

    Shane bless you in the day ahead. Your Mam is now your wing person. So sorry for you loss

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 8:51 PM

    RIP not a great start to the year

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    Mute winston smith
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    Jan 2nd 2017, 10:11 PM

    From the newspaper photo he is the image of his mother. Sad time.

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    Mute Derek Hughes
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    Jan 3rd 2017, 1:44 AM

    Shane has given a lot of joy and happiness to me and untold numbers of others through his music and talent. He is his mother’s son. May God comfort him at this difficult time. Shane may you be blessed and comforted secure in the knowledge, that our support is a drop in the ocean when compared with the gifts you and your Mum have shared with us. May she Rest In Peace.

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Jan 3rd 2017, 1:02 AM

    Awful tragedy. The headlines splashed across the tabloids today were nothing short of disgusting.

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    Mute Linda Hughes
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    Jan 3rd 2017, 1:29 AM

    So sad Rip x

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