Advanced stop line for cyclists at Oxford, Newark and Bristol

As part of a programme of research into innovatory schemes to help cyclists, TRRL has been investigating the operation of advanced stop lines for cyclists at signal controlled road junctions. An advanced stop line (ASL) creates a reservoir for cyclists ahead of the traffic queue and is reached via a kerbside cycle lane. It enables cyclists to clear the junction first, reducing the risk of conflict with motor vehicles. The first UK ASL was introduced in Oxford in 1984, followed by schemes in Newark and Bristol. All three sites have ASLs on one or two arms of four-way junctions. They were a series of demonstration schemes and the additional cost of installation was met by the Department of Transport. Studies were made of whether the ASLs were being used safely by all road users in order to assess their suitability for wider use. The results showed ASLs operated satisfactorily and were generally understood by road users. At each site over 75% of cyclists made proper use of the cycle lane and reservoir and over 90% of motorists kept out of the cycle lane. Overall, 82% of motorists arriving during the red kept out of the reservoir.