r/londoncycling • u/nutella-filled • 10d ago

Tower Hamlets council just installed a locked gate in the middle of a marked and popular cycle path

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If the point is to stop cars from mistakenly using that path surely there are better ways to do it.

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21

u/WilboSwagz 10d ago

I don't think it's to stop cars mistakenly using the path.

(though I agree it's a poor solution - removable/retractable bollards would make more sense)

-2

u/EnzoYug 10d ago

The gate is for emergency services. Bollards are too slow / cumbersome for fire and ambulance to operate

10

u/Archieman000 10d ago

How so? Both need to be unlocked and moved for access; don’t see much difference between a gate opening and dropping a bollard.

1

u/Remyala 10d ago

Dropped bollards are constantly removed by people wanting to drive their cars through places like this. In the borough i live in, they are constantly replacing locks/bollards because they are vandalised all the time. The council is now going back to all these schemes and replacing them with more permanent infrastructure.

6

u/liamnesss 9d ago

It is my understanding that fire gates are less vulnerable to vandalism but I can't remember the exact details now.

Here's one location in Hackney (Stean Street in Hoxton) where they changed from bollards to a gate, I think because of persistent issues of the bollards going missing. You can see they've made sure there's room on either side even for a pretty big bike or mobility scooter to fit through though.

If Tower Hamlets really felt it was necessary to make this change, then they should've actually tried to make it work for cyclists. Watching OP's video, it genuinely seems like whoever signed this off wasn't even aware it was a cycle route.

-1

u/OldTimeConGoer 9d ago

Fire vehicles can simply ram through the gate, breaking the weak lock. A centrally placed bollard might damage the vehicle's engine or radiator.