National Cycle Route 57

[damiancugley]

... travels along Cowley Road, which I found slightly surprising, given that Cowley Road is more or less the opposite of my understanding of what a leisure cycle route would be like. What I mean is, the stereotypical leisure route is about taking the kids for a picnic relatively untroubled by motor traffic, whereas Cowley Road is about cyclists

Comments

[celestialweasel]

Also observe that national cycle route 5 goes over the one hill in the Vale of the White Hamster

[zengineer]

The national cycle routes are more aspirational than actual. In a few places (through Milton keynes for instance) they run as purpose built cycle paths through parks. In some other places (Bristol to Bath) they co-opt old rail lines and are quite good. They have tried these good bits up using roads and in places it just doesn't work. I suspect their theory is that if you say this is the worst bit of the National Cycle Network then it will be upgraded but my experience is that this just isn't so. Given how dangerous my cycle ride into Oxford is I can only assume that cycle comfort/safety is very low on the list of concerns of government compared, say, to making the world safe for democracy by shooting Afghans.