How to fix our roads?

I couldn't find another thread like this, so please merge-aficate it if there is.

I was trying to think how best the roads dangerous for cyclists could be fixed and I was wondering what people thought would be most effective as a strategy.

Probably stemming from my area of (relative) expertise, my intial thinking is via accountability.

Fixmystreet is an extension of the group of projects run by the same people who run Writetothem.

I thought something similar could allow you to log on, locate a spot where you were involved in an accident or where you identified a problem, and then allows you to select the addresses you want to alrt. The same site then logs that complaint and adds it to a map.

Everybody who visits the website is then shown the locations where there have been accidents and where and how many times people have identified a problem to the various authorities would be very useful.

If an accident occurs and the victim or the victim's representatives can show that the accident spot had been flagged up to TfL or the Mayor's office, or the London Borough X number of times and there had previously been Z number of similar accidents, then it would be easier to establish an avoidable dereliction of duty by the various bodies.

An increased chance of litigation to me seems like the most likely incentive to get these people to act.

fix the roads? make them single speed...

http://citybeast.com/londoncyclists.html
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23663615-internet-map-that-pinpoints-danger-spots-for-cyclists-to-avoid.do
[ame="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cycle+accident+map+london&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a"]cycle accident map london - Google Search[/ame]

Yeah, exactly. If one of those maps could be combined with the Fixmystreet functionality so that you can see where the authorities have been warned you'd have a handy potential liability map for TfL.

And if the accident had nothing to do with the quality/layout of the street?

Then it wouldn't have anything to do with fixing the road.

So, if fixmystreet already shows road problems, what's the point of adding the accident data?

The council already knows the road has an issue.

It adds the function to see what's been complained about or reported as a potential problem already.

Fixmystreet is currently (as far as I'm aware) for cracked pavements, potholes, errant wheelie bins - that sort of thing. Not so much about dangerous traffic layouts and the like.

I don't quite follow. They already know what has been reported - both the accidents and the holes or whatever.

Sorry, ninja edit.

It struck me that there's currently no way of proving the local authority had been given previous warning of potentially dangerous layouts etc. If you could show they had, they might be more eager to fix them before a foreseeable accident occurs and it can be demonstrated they had prior knowledge and failed to act.

I see what you mean. Maybe extend fixmystreet to include other, perhaps less obvious, hazards.

You could add a data field for "cause of incident", with "road layout" being an option?

If you are looking at something to put negligence type pressure on authorities then I think you need to show that design standards were not met >> the systems did not check the standards were met / they knew the standards were not met and didn't do anything about it >> it ended up causing injury/damage.

The best way to start down that route would probably be to write to the roads authority, explaining why you feel that a particular location is dangerous because of the design, and ask that they carry out a safety audit. A few of those received and a failure to follow up/act/find money for an identified defect then might give you ammunition.

A map type reporting system on it's own is easier to right off as being traffic conflicts for other reasons than the design, although obviously if you start to get 100s of reports from one place it should raise concerns.....

Yeah those all make a lot of sense. I was thinking of writing to the backers of fixmystreet, and a suggestion to extend it, and allow it to incorporate accidents, and the cause, and a log of letters to the roads authority might be a good start.

Not sure if I'm barking up the wrong tree, but it just seems to me everything is a money decision: Bow was highlighted as dangerous, and yet it wasn't changed because of traffic flow concerns and costs implication

If there was an inherent costs implication in not making the changes, ie ignoring being put on notice and risking facing a stronger civil case for negligence, then it might swing the scales slightly more in favour of cyclists...

TBH fixmystreet does much of what you are looking for plus the council actually use it as a resource. I know from experience having pinged a rear wheel on a pothole. Photographed the evidence, uploaded the locations to fixmystreet and sent the repair will to Wandsworth Council with my insurers details.

Sorted.

Advice: take photo immediately, and if poss get a closeup with something to provide scale. If the council had known about it they're definitely liable. If not you can fight if it's over a certain depth.

note: ^this also paid for my wheel upgrade from Langster stocks to H+Son Eero's on my old track bike.

Perhaps what is needed is a concerted campaign over a month or so to get cyclists to log as many problems to fixmystreet as possible - creating a much more detailed map of where/how roads are failing; and increasing the political incentives to respond.