Cycling and walking to Rye Harbour may be safer (with the official opening of the completed cycleway) – but is it still dangerous for motorists?
Last winter I was driving from Rye Harbour to Rye at night in the fog and, due to the poor visibility, the white line on the cycle path gave the impression that that was the edge of the road – and not the kerb stones, which are a foot away on the road side from the white line marking on the path.
I nearly hit the kerb which, not only could have damaged my car, but could also have caused a nasty accident. It is difficult at night to see the kerb and more so if you get dazzled by the oncoming traffic, as the white line is visible – but not the kerb
There should be some kind of marking to make the kerb more visible to motorist.
Dennis Leeds-George
Or an accident prevented?
As a caravan owner down at the Harbour, without a car, with the apparent unavailability of taxis often in the evenings and the complete absence of public transport once the sun goes down, I have found that white line very useful.
That is because, in the pitch black mainly unlit Harbour Road, and facing head on the dazzling headlights of speeding cars, walking along that white line ensures I am safely away from the speedsters. It is often worse than Military Road, particularly so at night when rabbits’ eyes are the only illumination.
However, whether the extension of the cycleway around the bend to the bridge is an improvement remains to be seen. Careless parking by the boatyard and speedsters who have forgotten to slow down, always made that bend a life threatener day or night – and not just to those on foot or on bicycle. The size of vehicles using that road to get to the wharf or to the industrial units makes the problem even worse, particularly as the bridge is so inadequate.
Certainly traffic light controls in recent weeks, while the cycleway works took place, seemed to make the area safer, and perhaps more traffic controls or restrictions are needed on a road that seems to be “an accident waiting to happen” as I heard someone say recently. However, given the time it took to complete the cycleway, I do not expect any rapid action from East Sussex County Council’s Highways department!
Charles Harkness
“I feel it is 95% brilliant”
I have been part of the fight to have the cycle path constructed and it took nearly eight years to have the main part done. Most of us who use it think it is fantastic, getting off that main road which at times is used like a race track. The next fight was to get the extension for the most dangerous part around the bend at the beginning of the Harbour Road. Again, it was a drawn out business, money and land problems.
Yet East Sussex came through and we should all be grateful, cyclists and walkers alike, as it will save lives using it. Nothing is ever 100% but personally I feel it is 95% brilliant. The one problem I saw, when I went out with the Wheelers for the ARRCC fundraiser – as we came around the corner of the Harbour Road you have to cross over to the beginning of the cycle path, and cars rounding the bend may not be aware. There should be a sign: “Cyclist crossing, so cars slow down”.
Heidi Foster
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