London's proposed new cycle superhighways
6th September 2014
Transport for London has announced a consultation on two new
proposed cycle superhighways. One is north to south, from King's Cross
to Elephant & Castle, and the other is east to west, from Tower
Hill via Parliament Square and the Westway flyover to Acton.
The consultation on the north-south route says that bikes now make up a quarter of rush hour traffic in central London, but there are few special routes or facilities for them. The new route is to reduce conflict between motor vehicles and cyclists, and encourage people to cycle who currently feel unable to.
From Elephant & Castle in the south, the route would go to Blackfriars Bridge, then continue via Farringdon Street/Road and quieter back streets to King's Cross. It would include a two-way kerb-segregated cycle route as far as Farringdon station.
The consultation states that the proposals would mean longer journey times for motorists, and bus, coach, and taxi passengers. Comments are currently being invited, and work would start in early 2015, to be completed by spring 2016.
The east-west route consultation proposes a continuous, largely segregated cycle route from Tower Hill to Acton. The reasons for building it are the same as those for the north-south route.
The route from Tower Hill would go along Lower and Upper Thames Street, and Victoria Embankment, then across Parliament Square, through St James's, Green, and Hyde parks, over the Westway flyover, and along the A40 Western Avenue, as far as Horn Lane, Acton.
Again, the proposals would result in longer journey times for other road users, and longer waits for pedestrians at some signalised crossings.
London's proposed new cycle superhighways: reaction
London Cycling Campaign described the proposals as 'a major step forward in creating streets that are safe and inviting for cycling'. They have some concerns over the details, including the safety of some new junctions, and the width of the cycle tracks in places, which they will be addressing with TfL.
On CTC's website, Roger Geffen wrote that the plans for '...two iconic cycle routes through Central London may not be perfect, but their sheer boldness deserves our overall support.'
Sustrans' London director, German Dector-Vega, said, 'These are two hugely important developments that will improve Londoners' quality of life and transport options. With this level of quality and ambition, we will all finally be able to use bikes to get from A to B without having to worry about traffic.'
'Despite being the London director of a walking and cycling charity, I'm terrified of cycling on some of London's busiest roads. This will fundamentally transform London to the point where my family and I can ride safely through the centre of our capital. What's more, pedestrians will benefit from improved crossings and extra protection from fast traffic.'