GB2394486A

GB2394486A - Elevated cycle track

Info

Publication number: GB2394486A
Application number: GB0324609A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon John Joseph Mckenzie; Roger Neil Kelsey Hewitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-24
Filing date: 2003-10-22
Publication date: 2004-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2023-10-22
Also published as: GB0224740D0; GB0324609D0; AU2003274356A8; WO2004038102A3; GB2394486B; AU2003274356A1; WO2004038102A2

Abstract

An elevated cycle track, e.g. for use above existing roads in cities, comprises a plurality of upright supports 12 whose lower ends are secured to the ground, and spaced apart along the direction of the track. A plurality of track members 20 are secured to the upper ends of the support members so as to impose no bending moment, e.g. by using a cantilever arrangement 15,17,18 as shown. The track members are translucent, e.g. comprising metal frames 22,24, supporting translucent sheets of plastics or reinforced glass. Translucent side barriers are provided, and a translucent openable roof may be provided, supported by arch members 32, the roof being opened / closed by motors activated by rain sensors. Access towers and cycle storage facilities may be provided.

Description

GB 2394486 A continuation (74) Agent and/or Address for Service: Brian D

Stoole 19 Bourne Firs, Frensham Road, FARNHAM, Surrey, GU10 COD, United Kingdom

CYCLE TRACKS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to cycle tracks, and is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with cycle tracks for installation in densely populated urban areas.

Urban traffic congestion, particularly in large cities like London, is becoming an increasingly serious problem. Under-investment in public transport in London, as well the unreliability of public transport due to staff shortages and industrial action, have the result that more and more people use their private cars to go to work and for other relatively short journeys in London, leading to ever increasing traffic congestion, long journey times and increasing atmospheric pollution. Yet many of the same people, when asked, say that they would much prefer to use a cycle for short journeys in London. Their reasons for this preference include the fact that congestion is reducing average car speeds to below speeds that are typically achievable by cyclists, and the belief that the physical exercise would be good for them, and that it would substantially reduce environmental pollution. However, their stated main reason for not cycling and continuing to use their cars is typically that they believe that, in practice, the high levels of other traffic and the direct exposure to pollution make cycling in London far too dangerous. A secondary reason often mentioned is that cyclists are much more exposed to the weather, especially rain, than motorists. And these problems are by no means unique to London: they are also encountered in many other large cities and towns.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate at least some of these problems by providing a novel and retroactively implementable way of separating cyclists from other traffic in cities like London, thereby encouraging far greater use of cycles in such cities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cycle track comprising a plurality of generally upright support members whose lower ends are adapted to be secured to the ground and which are spaced apart along the direction of the track, and a plurality of track members each having a

substantially flat upper surface, the track members being disposed end-toend along the direction of the track so that their upper surfaces together form a substantially continuous surface, and being secured to the support members adjacent the upper ends of the support members, wherein the track members are translucent.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a cycle track comprising a plurality of generally upright support members whose lower ends are adapted to be secured to the ground and which are spaced apart along the direction of the track, and a plurality of track members each having a substantially flat upper surface, the track members being disposed end-to-end along the direction of the track so that their upper surfaces together form a substantially continuous surface, and being secured to the support members adjacent the upper ends of the support members so as to project laterally from said upper ends and in such a manner as to reduce the bending moment applied to the support members by the track members.

In both aspects of the invention, each track member may comprise at least one generally rectangular plate made from either a fibre-reinforced plastics material or reinforced glass. In this case, each track member preferably comprises a pair of generally parallel side members, and a plurality of cross members extending substantially perpendicularly between the side members, the or each plate being supported by the side members and the cross members.

Advantageously, the lower edges of the side members and the cross members have respective flanges which project into the generally rectangular openings defined between the side members and the cross members, and the plates fit into the openings and are supported on the flanges. The cross members may be hollow section members whose side walls are substantially equally inclined to the vertical and converge upwardly, in which case the outer surfaces of said side walls are preferably reflective.

In a preferred implementation of the invention, each side of each track member is provided with a generally upwardly projecting barrier member, the barrier members forming substantially continuous barriers when the track members are disposed end-to-end, and being translucent or transparent and about two metres high.

Advantageously, the cycle track further comprises a roof which is at least partly openable.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a cycle track comprising a plurality of generally upright support members whose lower ends are adapted to be secured to the ground and which are spaced apart along the direction of the track, and a plurality of track members each having a substantially flat upper surface, the track members being disposed end-to-end along the direction of the track so that their upper surfaces together form a substantially continuous surface, and being secured to the support members adjacent the upper ends of the support members, the cycle track further comprising a roof which is at least partly openable.

Thus the roof may comprise a plurality of generally arch-shaped roof sections disposed end-to-end along the track, each roof section including a plurality of longitudinally extending openable louvres.

Alternatively, the roof may be retractable, and may comprise a plurality of generally arch-shaped roof sections disposed end-to-end along the track, each roof section including a plurality of longitudinally extending roof members which overlap each other transversely when retracted and whose degree of overlap decreases as they are extended transversely. Conveniently, the overlapping roof members are housed in the barrier members when retracted. An alternative form of retractable roof may comprise a plurality of generally arch-

shaped roof sections disposed end-to-end along the track, each roof section including a plurality of longitudinally extending roof members which are arranged to roll into a generally helical form when retracted.

Advantageously, the roof is made from a translucent or transparent plastics material, and is opened and closed by means of electric motors which may conveniently secured to the support members. The electric motors are preferably connected to be energized by one or more rain sensors.

The track members are preferably between four and eight metres wide, and may be secured to the support members by pin joints.

In a preferred implementation of all three aspects of the invention, the track members are provided adjacent the support members with projecting members which project to the other side the support members, the ends of the projecting members remote from the support members being attached to the

ground or to the support members adjacent the bottoms of the support members by attachment members. In this case, the attachment members may be steel cables or struts, and may include damping mechanisms.

The support members may be made of steel, and their length is preferably such that the track members are supported at least five metres above the ground. The cycle track may further comprise combined entry and exit towers spaced apart along the length of the track, each tower including a lift, eg of the Paternoster type, by means of which cyclists, or cyclists and their cycles, are moved from ground level to the cycle track and vice versa. At least some of the towers may include vertical cycle storage racks, which are conveniently powered and computer controlled such that each stored cycle can be delivered to a given location in the tower by entry of a corresponding code into a code reader.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic transverse sectional view of a cycle track in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the cycle track of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a more detailed perspective view of the basic framework of the cycle track of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is plan view of a track member forming part of the cycle track of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 shows a cross member forming part of the track member of Figure 4; Figure 5A is a side sectional view of the track member of Figure 4, but with a slightly modified cross member: Figures 6 and 7 show alternative implementations of roof members of the cycle track of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 8 is a schematic representation of an entry and exit tower via which cyclists access the cycle track of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 9 shows in more detail part of the entry and exit tower of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 shows another lift system for use in the entry and exit tower of Figure 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The cycle track of Figures 1 to 3 is indicated generally by reference 10, and comprises a plurality of upright steel supports 12 whose lower ends are typically embedded in concrete foundations under the pavement along one side a road along which it is desired to provide the cycle track, at about 15 metre intervals. The supports are typically about 6 to10 metros tall.

Projecting laterally outwardly over the road from the upper ends of the supports 12 are track members 14, each about 7 metres wide, 40cm thick and 15 metres long, the track members each having a substantially flat upper surface, and being disposed end-to-end along the direction along which the supports are spaced apart to form a substantially continuous smooth surface suitable for cycling along. The track members 14 are supported on steel cross beams 15 (see Figure 3), which are in turn supported on and secured to the upper ends of the supports 12 at respective pin joints 16, and which have projecting portions 17 which extend beyond the pin joints (ie on the opposite side of the pin joints from the track members). The cross beams 15, and therefore the track members 14, are held substantially horizontal by securing the ends 17a of these projecting portions 17 to the lower ends of the supports 12 (or to the ground adjacent the lower ends of the supports 12) with steel cables or struts 18.

The steel cables or struts 18 thus serve to substantially reduce the bending moments that would otherwise be exerted on the supports due to the weight of the track members 14 and the fact that they extend to one side only of the supports. The track members 14 may be formed by wholly mouldin, theJm from a translucent fibre-reinforced plastics material, such as Dow Questra,G7ass Resin Plastic EA 514, with their abutting ends being provided with complementary tongues and grooves so that they simply interlock, and/or are bonded together with a suitable adhesive material.

Alternatively and preferably, and as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the track members 14 can each comprise a rectangular steel frame 20 consisting of a pair of parallel l-beam side members 22 interconnected by several evenlyspaced cross members 24. The cross members 24 extend substantially perpendicularly

between the l-beam side members 22, supported on the inwardly projecting bottom flanges 22a of the side members, to define a number of substantially identical rectangular openings 25.

Each of the cross members 24 has a hollow section whose top and bottom surfaces are substantially parallel to one another (as shown in Figures 3 and 5A) and whose side walls are substantially equally inclined to the vertical and converge upwardly: alternatively, and as shown in Figure 4, the converging side walls can meet at the top of the cross member so that the sectional shape of the cross member is substantially triangular. Additionally, the bottom surface of each cross member 24 extends beyond the side walls to form flanges 24a which extend into the openings 25, so that the bottoms of the openings are bounded by the bottom flanges 22a of the l-beam side members 22 and the flanges 24a of the side members 24.

The track members 14 are then completed by fitting rectangular plates 26 made of the aforementioned fibre-reinforced plastics material or of reinforced glass into the openings 25, to rest on and be supported by the flanges 22a and 24a of the side members 22 and the cross members 24 respectively.

The outer surfaces of the inclined side walls of the cross members 24 are preferably polished to render them reflective, which tends to make the track members 14 look more solid, ie less transparent, from above, viz. to cyclists using the cycle track 10, while still allowing light from above to reach the ground beneath the cycle track.

Both sides of the track members 14 are provided with upright barrier members 28, typically made from a lightweight transparent plastics material such as Perspe OR The barrier members 28 are about 2 metres high, and can be secured to the track members 14 by any convenient means. When the track members 14 are secured together end-to-end, the barrier members 28 abut each other to form a continuous barrier along each side of the cycle track.

To make the cycle track 10 safer and more pleasant to use when it is raining, it is provided with an openable roof, made up of a plurality of generally arcuate section roof members 30 supported on grooved hoop members 32 (see Figure 3) extending between the opposite sides of each track member 14 throughout the length of the track. The roof members 30 are made from a suitable lightweight translucent or transparent plastics material such as Perspex.

In their simplest form, shown in Figures 1 and 2, the roof members 30 are slidable along the hoop members 32 between a retracted position in which the greater part of each roof member 30 is disposed under the track members 14, and an extended position, in which the roof members 30 meet and seal above the centre lines of the track members 14 to provide a roof over the cycle track.

However, in a preferred form, shown in Figure 6, each of the roof members 30 is made from a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally overlapping, roof member portions, or strips. When the roof is fully retracted, the overlapping roof members are housed in respective ones of the barrier members 28 or within suitable housings secured to the outsides of the barrier members 28. To extend the roof, the overlapping roof members are slid along the hoop members 32 so as to reduce their overlap, ie the roof members effectively extend and retract telescopically. Both forms of the roof members 30 are movable between their retracted and extended positions by respective electric motors 34 mounted on the supports 12 or on the undersides of the track members 14, the motors being coupled to drive the roof members by way of cables or flexible rods lying in the grooves of the hoop members 32. The motors 34 are controlled by rain sensors 36 secured to the supports 12, each rain sensor controlling either one motor or a group of adjacent motors.

In another retractable form (not shown), the roof, again typically comprising two hoop-supported halves, is made from longitudinally extending roof members which are arranged to roll into a generally helical form when retracted, analogously to a roller blind. Again, the longitudinally extending roof members are made from a suitable lightweight transparent plastics material such as Perspex, and are driven between their retracted and extended positions by a drive system analogous to that of the roof members 30.

As an alternative to being retractable, and as shown in Figure 7, the roof members 30 can instead be provided with longitudinally extending translucent louvres 36, which are pivotable between open and closed positions by the electric motors 34 and the cables in the grooves of the hoop members 32, again under the control of rain sensors.

To enable cyclists to access the cycle track 10, it is provided at selected key points with combined entry and exit towers, one of which is illustrated at 40

in Figure 8. Each tower 40 has several levels or floors 42, each provided with computer-controlled powered vertical storage racks 44 where cyclists can park their own cycles or cycles for hire can be stored, and accessed for example by inserting individual smart cards or other uniquely coded devices into suitable terminal devices: the racks 44 are shown in slightly more detail in Figure 9. The uppermost floor 42 is typically at the level of the track defined by the track members 14, although this is not essential, since to save ground space, the towers 40 can of course be taller than the height of the cycle track 10. Each tower 40 is provided with several lifts 46 of the Paternoster type for providing access to each floor 42 and to the cycle track. As is well known, each of these lifts comprises a plurality of lift cages which are open at one side and which continuously and slowly move from ground level up to the level of the track members 12 and back down again.

An alternative or additional lift system is shown in Figure 10, and comprises movable platforms 50 on one of which the cyclist comes to rest, on his or her cycle, eg at ground level. A weight sensor in the platform 50 senses the presence of the cyclist and cycle, and moves the platform, typically on rails, into engagement with a lift mechanism 52 comprising upwardly extending guides 54 containing lifting cables or the like. The platform 50, together with the cycle and cyclist, is then lifted up to the level of the cycle track 10. The platform 50 then awaits another cyclist and cycle, this time wanting to descend, and takes them down via a second lift mechanism 52 similar to the first.

For security, the cycle track 10 is provided with closed circuit TV cameras (not shown), emergency call buttons and/or telephones (not shown) and lighting (not shown) at intervals along its length, the lighting enabling the cycle track to be used at night. The monitors for the closed circuit TV cameras can be located in the towers 44, which typically include office space occupied by security and maintenance personnel throughout the hours that the cycle track 10 is open for use. The cycle track 10 is also provided with a drainage system (not shown).

Thus the track members 14 can be arranged to slope slightly downwardly towards the supports 12, in which case the drainage system can including puttering along at least the sides of the track members 14 secured to the supports 12, and drain pipes secured to the supports.

It will be appreciated that the cycle track 10 provides many benefits, the main one being that it completely separates the cyclists using it from the traffic in the streets beneath it. And the height of the barriers at each side ensures that even when cyclists collide with them, they are extremely unlikely to fall over the barriers and onto the ground beneath the cycle track. Additionally, the roof members 30 protect the cyclists from rain, while the use of translucent and transparent plastics materials allows light to reach the cyclists when the roof members 24 are extended, and to reach the areas under the track Many modifications can be made to the described embodiment of the invention. In particular, materials other than those specifically mentioned can be used. For example, the supports 12 can be made from reinforced concrete, while the track members 14 can be made from a metal/composite sandwich material. Similarly, the dimensions specifically mentioned are exemplary only. For example, the specific width mentioned for the track members 14 is intended to permit two way cycle traffic: for one way traffic, eg as part of a tidal flow arrangement, the track members 14 can be substantially narrower, even as little as about 4 metres. And the specified height is intended primarily to leave room for the roof members 30 of Figures 1 and 2 to retract while still leaving adequate space under them when they are retracted. If the roof members 24 are of the forms shown in Figures 6 and 7, then the height of the cycle track 10 can be significantly reduced, to as little as about 5 metros.

Finally, a joint other than a pin joint can be used to connect the track members 14 to the supports 12. Indeed, in some circumstances, it may be desirable to provide the supports 12 on both sides of the track members 14, or along the center line of the track members (with the track members having suitable cut-out portions to fit closely round the supports). This latter arrangement lends itself particularly well to the use of cables to suspend the track members from the supports.

Claims

1. A cycle track comprising a plurality of generally upright support members whose lower ends are adapted to be secured to the ground and which are spaced apart along the direction of the track, and a plurality of track members each having a substantially flat upper surface, the track members being disposed end-to-end along the direction of the track so that their upper surfaces together form a substantially continuous surface, and being secured to the support members adjacent the upper ends of the support members, wherein the track members are translucent.

2. A cycle track comprising a plurality of generally upright support members whose lower ends are adapted to be secured to the ground and which are spaced apart along the direction of the track, and a plurality of track members each having a substantially flat upper surface, the track members being disposed end-to-end along the direction of the track so that their upper surfaces together form a substantially continuous surface, and being secured to the support members adjacent the upper ends of the support members so as to project laterally from said upper ends and in such a manner as to reduce the bending moment applied to the support members by the track members.

3. A cycle track as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each track member comprises at least one generally rectangular plate made from a fibre-reinforced plastics material.

4. A cycle track as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each track member comprises at least one generally rectangular plate made from reinforced glass.

5. A cycle track as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein each track member comprises a pair of generally parallel side members, and a plurality of cross members extending substantially perpendicularly between the side members, the or each plate being supported by the side members and the cross members.

6. A cycle track as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lower edges of the side members and the cross members have respective flanges which project into the generally rectangular openings defined between the side members and the cross members, and the plates fit into the openings and are supported on the flanges.

7. A cycle track as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cross members are hollow section members whose side walls are substantially equally inclined to the vertical and converge upwardly.

8. A cycle track as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outer surfaces of said side walls are reflective.

9. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each side of each track member is provided with a generally upwardly projecting barrier member, the barrier members forming substantially continuous barriers when the track members are disposed end-to-end.

10. A cycle track as claimed in claim 9, wherein the barrier members are about two metres high.

11. A cycle track as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the barrier members are translucent or transparent.

12. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a roof which is at least partly openable.

13. A cycle track comprising a plurality of generally upright support members whose lower ends are adapted to be secured to the ground and which are spaced apart along the direction of the track, and a plurality of track members each having a substantially flat upper surface, the track members being disposed end-to-end along the direction of the track so that their upper surfaces together form a substantially continuous surface, and being secured to the support members adjacent the upper ends of the support members, the cycle track further comprising a roof which is at least partly openable.

14. A cycle track as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the roof comprises a plurality of generally arch-shaped roof sections disposed endto-

end along the track, each roof section including a plurality of longitudinally extending openable louvres.

15. A cycle track as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the roof is retractable.

16. A cycle track as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retractable roof comprises a plurality of generally arch-shaped roof sections disposed endto-end along the track, each roof section including a plurality of longitudinally extending roof members which overlap each other transversely when retracted and whose degree of overlap decreases as they are extended transversely.

17. A cycle track as claimed in claim 16 when dependent from any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the overlapping roof members are housed in the barrier members when retracted.

18. A cycle track as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retractable roof comprises a plurality of generally arch-shaped roof sections disposed endto-end along the track, each roof section including a plurality of longitudinally extending roof members which are arranged to roll into a generally helical form when retracted.

19. A cycle track as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein the roof is made from a translucent or transparent plastics material.

20. A cycle track as claimed in any of claims 12 to 19, wherein the roof opened and closed by means of electric motors.

21. A cycle track as claimed in claim 20, wherein the electric motors are secured to the support members.

22. A cycle track as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21, wherein the electric motors are connected to be energized by one or more rain sensors.

23. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track members are between four and eight metres wide.

24. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track members are secured to the support members by pin joints.

25. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the track members are provided adjacent the support members with projecting members which project to the other side the support members, the ends of the projecting members remote from the support members being attached to the ground or to the support members adjacent the bottoms of the support members by attachment members.

26. A cycle track as claimed in claim 25, wherein the attachment members are cables.

27. A cycle track as claimed in claim 26, wherein the cables are steel cables.

28. A cycle track as claimed in claim 25, wherein the attachment members are struts.

29. A cycle track as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 28, wherein the attachment members include damping mechanisms.

30. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support members are made of steel.

31. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the length of the support members is such that the track members are supported at least five metres above the ground.

32. A cycle track as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising combined entry and exit towers spaced apart along the length of the cycle track, each tower including a lift by means of which cyclists, or cyclists and their cycles, are moved from ground level to the cycle track and vice versa.

33. A cycle track as claimed in claim 32, wherein the lifts are of the Paternoster type.

34. A cycle track as claimed in claim 32 or claim 33, wherein at least some of the towers include vertical cycle storage racks.

35. A cycle track as claimed in claim 34, wherein the vertical cycle storage racks are powered and computer controlled such that each stored cycle can be delivered to a given location in the tower by entry of a corresponding code into a code reader.

36. A cycle track substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.