Design of cycle routes around tram tracks
The design of cycle routes around tram tracks should be carefully considered to mitigate safety risks arising from routes which cross tram tracks or run alongside them.
There are two principal types of incidents arising from interactions between cycles and tram tracks. These are:
- skid risk where cycle tyres skid on the smooth surface of tram tracks, particularly during wet conditions
- cycle tyres becoming trapped in rail grooves
Where cycle routes cross tram tracks, a crossing angle between 80 and 90 degrees with track filler creates a smoother crossing. The risks are likely to be lower where the track is crossed at an angle of at least 60 degrees.
The effective width of a cycle route should be at least 2.4 metres from the edge of the tramline to the kerb on straight sections of track. Physical protection is desirable for cyclists. On curved sections of track, a minimum of three metres is likely to be required to account for the tram’s swept envelope.
Care should be taken to ensure that unauthorised car parking does not take place between the kerb and the tram track.
