Level Crossings and Cycle Races

[londonbridge]

On a similar note, the Croydon 10k road race crosses the tram line. Participants are instructed to stop if necessary.

 

[leightonbd]

You should not be racing on a public road. Get on a dedicated cycle track if you want to race.

Are you a fan of the London Marathon?

 

[Kettledrum]

I can't believe cycle races are planned over level crossings. The dangers of them are well publicised, so why don't the race organisers get this?

 

[Kneedown]

You should not be racing on a public road. Get on a dedicated cycle track if you want to race.

I actually agree, whatever the event. The thing about road races is that people live and work along those roads, and have a right to go about their business in the same way as those who don't live on a race route.
Controversial I know, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Ken H]

That is patently not going to happen for major road races. Races are planned months in advance in conjunction with the authorities and of course where suitable alternatives exist races will not use level crossings.
The major road races are very important economically to the Regions, even Countries, in which they take place.

perhaps its the ad hoc cycle races that are the problem. the roads are not closed,

Are you a fan of the London Marathon?

nope. but then I live 200 miles away so ignore it.

 

[Western Lord]

The Longford circuit in Tasmania, which was the scene of many Tasman Championship motor races including in the mid sixties top grand prix drivers like Clark, Hill, Stewart, Brabham etc., included a level crossing. As far as I know nobody ever had to stop for a train!

 

[ejstubbs]

According to this article: https://web.archive.org/web/20090821161735/http://www.tasman-series.com/tracks/longford/longford.asp, it did happen at least once.

Folklore has it that the only local to ever contend for outright honours was aided by the local railway people. That was in 1963, when the north west coast train trundled onto the scene during a sports car handicap. The race stopped and John Youl's mechanic descended on Bib Stillwell's Cooper Monaco to remove the gearbox and install it in Youl's open-wheeler for the main event.

 

[OneOffDave]

I actually agree, whatever the event. The thing about road races is that people live and work along those roads, and have a right to go about their business in the same way as those who don't live on a race route.
Controversial I know, but that's just my opinion.

This should apply to any event. Nothing should be allowed to close public roads except roadworks. During the TdF in Yorkshire, one of the hospitals was effectively cut off by road closures for about 6 hours

 

[Ianno87]

I actually agree, whatever the event. The thing about road races is that people live and work along those roads, and have a right to go about their business in the same way as those who don't live on a race route.
Controversial I know, but that's just my opinion.

This should apply to any event. Nothing should be allowed to close public roads except roadworks. During the TdF in Yorkshire, one of the hospitals was effectively cut off by road closures for about 6 hours

Closing is fine.... providing that reasonable alternative accesses are provided with proper planning.

Remember when some bright spark decided to organise a charity fire engine pull up the main bus corridor in Cambridge with seemingly no notice to anybody... I'm sure it was for a wonderfully worthy cause but not appreciated when I'd got a train to catch and I'm the one to have done the proper planning to get there on time...

 

[eastdyke]

perhaps its the ad hoc cycle races that are the problem. the roads are not closed,

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by 'ad-hoc cycle races'. Do you have actual examples please?
The races we have mentioned in this thread have generally been UCI World Tour Races and/or UCI Continental Tour- (Europe) Races that take place in Great Britain.

As an aside, this year Yorkshire is not only hosting what is now a 4 day Tour de Yorkshire but also the UCI Road (Race) World Championships. The latter is taking place 22-29 Sept., centered on, but very much not limited to, Harrogate. Racing actually starts the day before, on 21 Sept., with para-cycling races.
Routes and schedules here:
https://worlds.yorkshire.com/the-la...-2019-uci-road-world-championships-announced/
I have not looked to see the extent to which Level Crossings may be on the routes.
Edited to add:
National Rail Enquiries already has a page in the Holidays & Events section:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/210687.aspx
Part quote only:

Saturday 21 September - Sunday 29 September
The 2019 UCI Road World Championships will take place in Yorkshire, Great Britain from September 21-29. The racing will be centred around Harrogate, but start locations will be spread across the county, in Ripon, Northallerton, Richmond, Doncaster, Bradford and Leeds. .....
Recommended stations
Harrogate, Ripon, Northallerton, Darlington (for Richmond), Doncaster, Bradford Interchange / Bradford Forster Square, Leeds.
What's happening with the trains?
Please check back closer to the event for any updates.

 

[satisnek]

Absolute madness! Thank goodness those French level crossings have a longer period between the barriers coming down and a train passing. If that 2015 incident had occured at a UK AHB crossing there would almost certainly have been fatalities.

 

[dazzler]

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by 'ad-hoc cycle races'. Do you have actual examples please?
The races we have mentioned in this thread have generally been UCI World Tour Races and/or UCI Continental Tour- (Europe) Races that take place in Great Britain.

As an aside, this year Yorkshire is not only hosting what is now a 4 day Tour de Yorkshire but also the UCI Road (Race) World Championships. The latter is taking place 22-29 Sept., centered on, but very much not limited to, Harrogate. Racing actually starts the day before, on 21 Sept., with para-cycling races.
Routes and schedules here:
https://worlds.yorkshire.com/the-la...-2019-uci-road-world-championships-announced/
I have not looked to see the extent to which Level Crossings may be on the routes.
Edited to add:
National Rail Enquiries already has a page in the Holidays & Events section:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/210687.aspx
Part quote only:

Even the most local evening road race will have months of planning going in to it, including input from British Cycling (risk assessment, insurance and permit to hold the event), the local police (risk assessment and whether the route is safe for other road users) and local councils (suitability for number of riders, impact on traffic, etc.), organisers don't just decide "hey, let's have a race in the middle of town tomorrow!"

Regarding the Tour de Yorkshire, this year the following level crossings will be in use:

Stage 1 men:
Womersley (Askern - Knottingley line)
East Cowick? (A614 crossing on Knottingley - Goole line between Snaith and Rawcliffe)
Both crossings in Thorpe Willoughby (Dam Lane and the A1238 Thorpe Gates on the Leeds - Selby line, both full barriers) - these are the most likely to be a problem, being 4km and 3.5km respectively from a probable sprint finish.

Stage 1 women/stage 2 men
None

Stage 2 women/stage 3 men:
Cayton AHB (Seamer - Filey line)
Grosmont Station NYMR

Stage 4 men:
None

I haven't had a chance to have a look at the detailed routes for the World Championships yet.

 

[eastdyke]

Even the most local evening road race will have months of planning going in to it, .......... organisers don't just decide "hey, let's have a race in the middle of town tomorrow!"

Exactly!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by 'ad-hoc cycle races'. Do you have actual examples please?

I suspect he means races on non-closed roads rather than actually ad-hoc. These I find are generally not an issue with the exception of single-track roads where they can be rather dangerous because the riders take inappropriate risks.

 

[Ken H]

I suspect he means races on non-closed roads rather than actually ad-hoc. These I find are generally not an issue with the exception of single-track roads where they can be rather dangerous because the riders take inappropriate risks.

seems many cyclists need to learn this highways code rule. Especially on single track roads.

Rule 169
Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

not just cyclists, mind....

 

[Tio Terry]

seems many cyclists need to learn this highways code rule. Especially on single track roads.



not just cyclists, mind....

The Highway Code is, of course, just that. A Code of Practice, it is not The Law!

 

[Bletchleyite]

seems many cyclists need to learn this highways code rule. Especially on single track roads.

The risk on single track roads is very much not of holding up traffic, which is typically moving very slowly on such roads e.g. the Kirkstone/Hardknott Pass. My experience was of race cyclists weaving in and out of car and motorcycle traffic, both of which were being sensible and slow and giving way as appropriate.

The problem with open-road racing is that it encourages risks. On a regular road, this isn't actually significant because the cyclists will be going slower than the other traffic anyway and have the right of way where they are riding anyway. On a single-track road, or with a level crossing or similar, it becomes incredibly dangerous.

 

[Groningen]

If the barriers go down they have to wait. Crossing it with barriers down results often taken out of the race. For example there is a gap between the front runners and the chasing pact the jury could elect to let the pack wait in seconds what the front runner was in front. Better to make use of no level crossings at all.

 

[EssexGonzo]

The root cause here is definitely the organisers, with the cyclists themselves also being on the wrong. I speak as an avid cyclist.

If the race could absolutely not avoid the LC, then there at least should have been some sort of temporary, more effective barrier deployed when the LC barriers came down. Some rope, a rolling barrierfrom each side to physically prevent crossing? These are professional racers with WINNING embedded in their brain. They will take risks to win races. They're in the zone and will not think rationally about anything other than winning the race. The organisers clearly ignored the psychological drivers of a racer here and the behaviours were foreseeable.

But this does not excuse them.....the individuals should absolutely be prosecuted in the same way that any member of the public would. Yes, the roads were closed but not the railway.

But, putting the race on a collision course with something lethal that would never stop for the race was plain stupid.

 

[Kneedown]

The Highway Code is, of course, just that. A Code of Practice, it is not The Law!

But breaches of the Highway Code can be used to substantiate a charge of driving without due care. Not really applicable to cyclists currently, I know.

 

[Bletchleyite]

But breaches of the Highway Code can be used to substantiate a charge of driving without due care. Not really applicable to cyclists currently, I know.

There's always "cycling furiously", or whatever the wonderfully-named old offence is called.

Edit: the Road Traffic Act 1998 also added "dangerous cycling" and "careless cycling", which presumably take similar evidence to the driving equivalents.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

There's always "cycling furiously", or whatever the wonderfully-named old offence is called.

Edit: the Road Traffic Act 1998 also added "dangerous cycling" and "careless cycling", which presumably take similar evidence to the driving equivalents.

Wanton and furious riding is what you're looking for - Section 36 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

 

[Groningen]

There are many examples on Youtube:
Netherlands:

France Paris Roubaix 2015 with 85 km to go:

Bridge opening in Norway 5 km before finish:

More you have to find for yourself.

 

[eastdyke]

The risk on single track roads is very much not of holding up traffic, which is typically moving very slowly on such roads e.g. the Kirkstone/Hardknott Pass. My experience was of race cyclists weaving in and out of car and motorcycle traffic, both of which were being sensible and slow and giving way as appropriate.

The problem with open-road racing is that it encourages risks. On a regular road, this isn't actually significant because the cyclists will be going slower than the other traffic anyway and have the right of way where they are riding anyway. On a single-track road, or with a level crossing or similar, it becomes incredibly dangerous.

I agree that cyclists racing in situations where riders are in conflict with motor vehicles/pedestrians/horse riders/adjacent property owners, yes and railways too, can be both anti-social and dangerous.
Organisers of (cycling) road races and time trials on public roads are currently required by the Cycle Racing on Highways Regulations, 1960 (and subsequent later amendments) to give notice to the Police ('appropriate officer') for authorisation.
But the law has become outdated and does not (apparently) apply to cycling as part of triathlons or to mass participation events, so called 'sportives'.
I understand that the government is in process of redrafting the law to both update it and to include all cycling events. But of course the present government is struggling to do anything much at all ........

 

[Tio Terry]

Wanton and furious riding is what you're looking for - Section 36 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Friend of mine, ex-railwayman, got prosecuted for "Riding Furiously" on his horse, at the court, his wife, also a well experienced horse rider, said she had never known him to ride furiously during over 30 years of marriage. Caused a bit of a titter around the court house!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I understand that the government is in process of redrafting the law to both update it and to include all cycling events. But of course the present government is struggling to do anything much at all ........

It could be argued that, just like there is a 12-car limit on non-registered treasure hunt type events involving cars, a 12-cycle and non-timed limit on such cycling events would at least be fair.

 

[duffield]

...
If the race could absolutely not avoid the LC, then there at least should have been some sort of temporary, more effective barrier deployed when the LC barriers came down. Some rope, a rolling barrierfrom each side to physically prevent crossing? .
...

This sounds like an excellent practical solution. Some sort of 'soft barrier' across the whole road which cyclists could even crash into without significant harm - maybe one of those inflatable banana things that people ride on water? You should definitely have stewards anyhow at any level crossing so there would be people there to do this.

 

[Paceman]

In 2014 when the Tour de France went along the A59 trains didn’t run over that part of the Harrogate Line. Instead a shuttle ran York-Kboro and HGT to LDS.

 

[furnessvale]

I recently read that, in Italy in the 1950s, during car road races LX keepers would observe the colour of approaching cars and close the barriers in front of cars other than red (red being the colour of Ferrari).

An astute MG manager noticed this tendency and had his MGs painted red!

 

[Spartacus]

Anyway, this year for the TdY NR have agreed that crossings will be kept clear for the rolling roadblock, an NR van driving ahead by a few minutes to check everything is in order. The last thing needed is a crossing failure with the barriers unable to open to road traffic!