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I could put you in touch with former residents who can tell a story or two.....as can I. In short, part of the reason is, at various times over the years the network has been beset by muggers and alcoholics etc. So the network has acquired a reputation as not a particularly pleasant experience for local cyclists. Secondly, in my time using it to cycle to Cranfield University, it's not well signposted, if at all, plus the signposts that were there in that time were often vandalized. Finally, if you were not entering the network from within the network (i.e. from residential areas or certain destinations)....it was virtually impossible to get into it from the roads network (perhaps in noting the previous two points this is a good thing). My typical journey was from the station through M1 Jct 13, a couple of miles on the other side of town, to Cranfield. There was no obvious route and no maps at the station so I ended up blitzing down the dual carriageway, not particularly unpleasant at the times of day I was using it and given that, at least in that direction, it was mostly downhill, not really much of a hassle for an experienced cyclist....and a damn sight quicker than trying to figure out the network. It was a similar story on the occasions I cycled into MK from other directions....no entry into the cyclepath network, so you end up on the principal roadways which, in any case, were a lot more direct and quicker. I would, however, suggest this is not just a failure in terms of cycle route implementation because, whilst on paper transportation provision at MK looks good, there is a more general failure of transportation logic. For this you should explore (or at least give it a bit more than a cursory glance) the arrangements for bus passengers (I presume it's not much different from the early part of the last decade). At the time there were three bus station (and had been for many years). The bus station at the railway station was restricted to MK council's own bus company, but nowhere near the shopping centre. The other bus companies operating services, from out of town, could stop at the shopping centre, but not at the railway station (so you had to catch an occasional hoppa bus from there to the station). If you had the misfortune to catch a long distance coach they are forbidden from coming into town or railway station, so passengers (including one of my friends) were dumped at a bus stop on a piece of tarmac adjacent to M1 Jct 13...a very long way out of town. For many years there wasn't even a phone to call a taxi or parents or friends....or the police and certainly no public transport services. That said, in the late 90's there were concessions made and a phone and a waiting room built, but the principle of service segregation was still preserved, presumably to this day. Basically, as a model of good town planning in action....bear in mind the modellers were on holiday when the transportation system was planned! I'd perhaps look a bit wider on this one.....but good luck! Cheers John Meudell C.Eng, MIMechE Swansea University, former Cranfield Student and CTC Councillor -----Original Message----- From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter R.H. Wood Sent: 07 July 2011 14:56 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Milton Keynes Segregation Hello, Does anyone know any papers studying cycling in the segregated cycling systems of the British New Towns (or similar)? I'm thinking especially of Milton Keynes, which has a completely segregated and safe-seeming walking and cycling system (redways) but these seem rather empty during my commute to work. Stevenage supposedly has similar http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/11/stevenage-dream.html Best, Peter PhD Student, Department of Geography The Open University Milton Keynes