My opposition to the trolley bus scheme is based on the same arguments as those used against earlier vanity projects on the A660.

I feel the best solution to the problem of congestion on the A660 is to make walking and cycling a pleasanter option. I have been banging on about physically separate cycle lanes for years now and it is good that even the Times newspaper finally agrees. They ran a series of articles calling for separate space for bikes after one of their journalists was run over and nearly killed.

The reason that bike lanes need to be physically separate on busy roads is that it makes cyclists feel safe rather than feeling that they are dicing with death on every journey. This is the only way to get large numbers of people on bikes. Cyclists are every bit as vulnerable as pedestrians. But we wouldn’t dream of taking pavements away. So the principle is well established.

Leeds City Council have been very poor on cycle infrastructure. They refurbished Burley Road and Kirkstall Road without putting in any separate space for bikes. So cyclists still have to share with buses. These were bad missed opportunities.

If road space is lacking I think we need to say there should be less for private motorists. That’s what Copenhagen did way back in the 70s. They spent money on cycle lanes that felt safe. Now they have more cyclists than any city in the world. No noise, no fumes, healthy people.

(photo courtesy of Velovotee)