The National Cycle Routes suck (UK)

Hey fellow riders,

I need to vent about something that's been grinding my gears for a while now: the state of the National Cycle Network. Honestly, I feel like it's more of a national obstacle course than a network designed for actual cycling.

Living here in Hertfordshire, UK, my attempts to use these routes for both leisure and commuting have been consistently frustrating. It often feels like the planning was done by people who've never actually ridden a bike any significant distance.

I have many grievances that often point to a fundamental lack of care and consideration for cyclists' needs. These include:

• Terrible Surfaces: Seriously, are we expected to be on mountain bikes? The constant potholes, gravel, and overgrown vegetation make many sections treacherous, especially on anything with skinny tires.

• Sudden Endings and Disappearing Routes: You'll be happily pedaling along, following a sign, only to be abruptly dumped onto a busy, un-cycle-friendly road with no warning or alternative. It's like they just gave up halfway through planning.

• Shared Use Nightmares: While I appreciate the idea of shared paths, the reality is often a stressful slalom course around oblivious pedestrians, dog walkers with extended leads, and even the occasional mobility scooter. There's rarely enough space for everyone to coexist safely and comfortably.

• Poor Signage (or Lack Thereof): Trying to navigate these routes can feel like a treasure hunt. Signs are often faded or missing. You end up relying more on guesswork and Google Maps than the official network.

• Incredibly Indirect Routing: The "network" often feels incredibly indirect and circuitous, adding significant time to journeys for no apparent benefit. Instead of straightforward connections, we're diverted down winding residential streets and through parks, often ending up miles out of our way.

• General Lack of Maintenance: It's disheartening to see routes, likely built with good intentions, simply left to decay.

This lack of sensible planning and maintenance is perfectly illustrated by National Cycle Route 12 along Swanland Road in Potters Bar. I've even attached a video to this post to show you exactly what I mean. In the first half, you'll see a section just after the worst of the overgrowth, but it's still incredibly narrow with bushes aggressively encroaching onto the path barely wider than my handlebars. You can clearly see how limiting it is – just before recording, I even had to dismount for a runner to pass, highlighting the inadequate width for shared use. The second half shows a slightly wider section, but it's still far from ideal. What makes this particularly galling is that Swanland Road runs right next to the deafeningly loud A1(M) motorway and is a key link to the often-gridlocked Bignells Corner. So, not only is the path poorly maintained, but it's also situated in an incredibly unpleasant and noisy environment.

The feeling that these routes are more of a tick-box exercise than genuine infrastructure is further reinforced by so-called "improvements" that completely miss the mark. Near Hatfield town centre, a recent repaving project has actually made things worse. The route now forces cyclists into an incredibly tight and blind tunnel under a busy roundabout, creating a real safety hazard due to the lack of visibility. Incredibly, just before this dangerous tunnel, the path splits, offering an alternative onto the busy road… but without a dropped curb? This lack of basic consideration for cyclists trying to rejoin the road is frankly baffling.

It's this combination of fundamental flaws that makes the National Cycle Network feel like an insult. Especially when, as is often the case, there isn't a safe direct, and segregated road route available as an alternative. We're pushed onto these substandard paths because the main roads are too dangerous, yet the "solutions" are often just as bad, if not worse.

It's hard not to compare this to my own experience cycling in the Netherlands back in September. I was genuinely blown away by the quality and thoughtfulness of their cycling infrastructure. The cycle paths were wide, smooth, and incredibly well-maintained. Furthermore, it was evident that cyclists are given genuine priority through clear signage and road markings at junctions and crossings, often to the point where car drivers have to give way to cyclists – or fietsers, if you will. This fundamental difference in how cycling is perceived and accommodated is something we desperately need to see more of here. Experiencing that firsthand only made the shortcomings of our National Cycle Network here in the UK even more stark and frustrating.

So, I have to ask: how is any cyclist, whether for sport, leisure, commuting, or even children looking to use their bikes for independent transportation, supposed to reliably and safely use these National Cycle Routes in their current state?

What are your experiences with the National Cycle Routes in your area? Have you encountered similar issues with overgrowth, poor maintenance, ridiculously indirect routes, noisy locations, or ill-conceived upgrades? It would be amazing if we could get councils to take cycling more seriously in this country, especially with the climate and health benefits they provide.