I checked up on Regional Route 30 from Weeting to Thetford today. The route and signs were all fine, though I did notice one issue that I hadn’t spotted before. When the street lamps were replaced in the area around the Brandon level crossing, it seems that one of the new columns (labelled “1 Brandon Road”) was placed within an already narrow section of cycle path. The width between the post and the painted white line is now only about 75cm, and the width from the post to the edge of the curb is less than 110cm. Both of these measurements are far less than DfT guidelines (Local Transport Note 2/08) for the minimum width of shared use cycle paths.
I have therefore contacted Norfolk County Council Highways to enquire how the lamp column came to be installed in such a poor position and what can be done to improve things now.
Update (2014-08-04)
I’ve now had a comprehensive reply from Norfolk County council. Apparently the column was supposed to be positioned off the cycle path, but when the contractor came to install it, they discovered some underground services in the way. As a result, the column location was moved. The council say they weren’t consulted about the move, and are investigating whether it will be possible to move the column back off the path. If not, they say that they’ll try to make it more conspicuous.