A cycle route can look comfortable and safe until its entrance narrows into a gate or staggered barrier. A conventional bicycle may pass, while a tricycle, tandem or bike with a trailer may not. In its inclusive-cycling guide, Wheels for Wellbeing urges planners to assess a route from entry to exit, including the needs of people using larger or adapted cycles.
The guide calls for sufficient clear width, even surfaces and access that does not require riders to reverse or lift their cycles. Where bollards are used to keep motor vehicles out, it recommends at least 1.5 metres between them and a straight approach. That figure is the organisation’s design guidance, rather than a universal rule for every street.
The same approach can help families with child trailers and people carrying passengers or goods. A good cycle route is more than a smooth line on a map: different riders need to be able to enter it, turn safely and continue without an avoidable obstruction.