A look back at Manchester's cycle infrastructure of 2011

...Yep. There it is. Manchester's finest achievement in cycle infrastructure of 2010/11. The invention of the cycle patch.

The basis for the cycle patch is that they could be installed at 8m intervals (in reality double that*) without having to apply for the TRO (Traffic Regulation Order) that would be required for a normal (shitty) cycle lane.

In other words - they are the lowest of the low.

A token piece of cheap shit that can be put there with the least bother to themselves.

Box ticked. Move along.

They even come in a dashing urban camouflage green. Which quickly chameleons itself into road dirt grey and thus vanishes from sight.

As if they were even particulary visible in the first place.

The saying goes 'Buy cheap, buy twice'.

Well this cheap shit has worn away quicker than a taxi drivers patience.







*or not at all in Hyde Rd's case.

R.I.P Pancakes

It's pancake day.....and it's a sad day.

Many years ago, if you wanted to go somewhere to eat in Manchester(and you were me), there was only one place on the list. The Dutch Pancake House. No restaurant could beat sitting in the ancient 70's decor and eating a 3ft pancake covered in any number of bizarre toppings. It closed in 2007, but they've recently started to knock down the building.

 

How it used to look :-*(

Meanwhile next door: a rather nice Chopper.

Aptly, nearby to the fallen Pancake house is another derelict piece of Dutchness (ish). The remains of one of Manchester's very few segregated cycle paths. Abandoned as part of the Council offices refurbishment, it wouldn't be complete without the words 'cyclists dismount'.

Speaking of the Council. It's unfair to hold out any hope of something so complicated as proper segregated when they woefully fail to get the basics right. (they sacked the streetcleaners and imagined that covering the bins would solve that little problem).

Squelch

This section of the national cycle network had to be resurfaced due to its poor condition only a few months ago in the late summer. Thankfully it's already matured well and now fits in well with the standard of the rest of the network....

As you can see the high standards of our cycle facilities in the UK attract a great many users, even on a fresh February afternoon.We've simply no need for the fancy sort of smooth, well maintained traffic free tarmac routes that Johnny foreigner's got. Frankly you Dutch fellows can take your fancy tarmac and stick it up your arse.......as you can see thats what we do with our own cycle paths.

Sigh.....

FFS.....