Cycling in London

[Jon10]

Boris has released a press release today:


For a map, see http://www.london.gov.uk/news/docs/c...ghways-map.pdf.



London's Cycle Superhighways - First two routes unveiled



THE Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today unveiled proposed routes for the first two of London’s twelve Cycle Superhighways - the corridors for cyclists that are a key part of his policy to stimulate a cycling revolution in the capital.

The two pilot routes, which will be up and running in May 2010, are from South Wimbledon to Bank via the A24 and A3, and Barking to Tower Hill via the A13 and Cable Street. The Mayor and TfL are consulting closely with the eight boroughs that the routes will run through.

The aim of the Cycle Superhighways is to provide safe, direct and continuous routes into central London from the outer boroughs, making life easier for cyclists and encouraging those who travel into work by other modes of transport to commute by bike, helping to cut congestion, relieve overcrowding, and cutting emissions.

Another ten routes, spanning across London and greatly improving the capital’s cycling infrastructure, are being developed ahead of 2012, with each route covering between 10 and 15km.

The Mayor said: “I'm not kidding when I say that I'm militant about cycling, and these Superhighways are central to the cycling revolution I'm determined to bring about. No longer will pedal power have to dance and dodge around petrol power - on these routes the bicycle will dominate and that will be clear to all others using them. That should transform the experience of cycling - boosting safety and confidence of everyone using the routes and reinforcing my view that the bike is the best way to travel in this wonderful city of ours."

The Mayor has made the coming months London's summer of cycling, which he hopes will kick-start a major boom in the number choosing pedal power, and as part of this he is giving new detail to his plans to make London a true cycling city.

The Mayor continued: “I'm delighted that, as part of our summer of cycling, I can now unveil plans for the first two pilot routes, which are moving apace in close consultation with the relevant boroughs. There is real excitement about cycling building in the city, and the Cycle Superhighways show we are serious about delivering real positive changes that will benefit us all."

The two pilot routes will link residential areas like Tooting, Clapham, Poplar and Canning Town to central London and will run on a combination of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) and roads owned and managed by the London boroughs.

Each route will be given its own identity with consistent and easy to follow road markings and signs. Safety issues will be addressed through specific measures such as the provision of advance stop boxes and providing continuous lanes through junctions as appropriate.

In addition, obstructions will be minimised and improvements made to road surfaces to ensure a smoother ride.

+ + +

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor's Director of Transport Policy, said: "Cycle Superhighways form a key part of the Mayor and TfL’s target to increase cycling in London by 400 per cent by 2025, compared to 2000 levels. From cycling the proposed routes myself, and speaking to a whole range of cyclists, I'm sure that these routes will prove a hugely welcome addition to London's cycling infrastructure - giving many more people the confidence to ride".

+ + +

David Brown, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL said: "The routes will provide safe, fast and direct routes into central London and, once completed, are likely to run through around 24 London boroughs.

"TfL has started discussions with the boroughs and other interested groups to define and develop detailed plans for the scheme. Further information will be released on the pilot routes and remaining ten Cycle Superhighways as these conversations progress and detailed schedules are finalised."

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Alongside the delivery of twelve Cycle Superhighways, the Mayor and TfL will introduce a range of initiatives aimed at encouraging more Londoners to travel by bike. These include cycle training, the development of a cycle hire scheme, cycle parking, and a host of events.

[Sesquip]

No longer will pedal power have to dance and dodge around petrol power - on these routes the bicycle will dominate and that will be clear to all others using them.

Brilliant! I love the sound of this. When I cycle, I always feel like I'm bottom of the pile.

Each route will be given its own identity with consistent and easy to follow road markings and signs. Safety issues will be addressed through specific measures such as the provision of advance stop boxes and providing continuous lanes through junctions as appropriate.

In addition, obstructions will be minimised and improvements made to road surfaces to ensure a smoother ride.

How lame advance stop boxes are useless without good wide cycle lanes feeding into them, and proper policing of other vehicles using them.

"Cycle Superhighway" is an exageration for this sort of scheme. What will they call fully segregated routes? "Cycle ultra-mega-uber-highways" ?

[Cherguevara]

I cycle from Hackney across the centre to Paddington and back for the first time last week. The routes were surprisingly good for most of the length, and other than a couple of areas of very busy traffic around Edgeware Road and some poor signposting in Fitzrovia the network we had seemed very good.

Having said that I think any route that passes along/across the river or through the City is currently pretty terrrible.

[somersetchris]

So what is new and how are the roads (A3 and A24) going to be altered?

[fishcatdogbird]

I'll believe this when I see it. Advanced boxes just sounds like the existing scheme, small green cycle lanes on the side of the road where there isnt a bus lane... lame.

"No longer will pedal power have to dance and dodge around petrol power - on these routes the bicycle will dominate and that will be clear to all others using them."
- What a contradiction, yep thats why we have motorbikes and scooters now using bus lanes as well... way to go Borry... arghh so many more years of him to go.

J

[Justme]

Are these fully seperate lanes to what the cars use?

[cle]

It would be good to have a kind of kerb between them and the road/bus lane. I'm assuming they'd move bus lanes/left lanes to the right about 50cm and shave 50cm from the pavement?

Also a good idea to replicate tube lines and get the Clapham/Balham to City crowd first - I hope this goes well

[Steel City Suburb]

They need to be more european styled too, so nothing can actually obstruct or block the cycle way.

They can't just be a green coloured lane squeezed into the side of the road.

[kerouac1848]

Some more info from tfl's website

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11901.aspx

Have to say, they don't look so 'super' with respect to what I was expecting. Whilst I know its probably asking too much for our cycle lanes to have their own traffic lights like the one's I saw in Holland, I still don't get why they aren't properly segregated from both pavement and road. From what I remember when I visited a friend in Groningen, the cycle lanes were separated from the road by wooden bars/stumps every 75 cms or so. Heck, they even have them in some parts of Oxford!

[somersetchris]

So all it will be is some blue paint on the road

[fishcatdogbird]

Didnt expect anything more from this current admin team under Boris... Car wins again here people, dont be fooled.

[boliston]

Originally Posted by kerouac1848

Some more info from tfl's website

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11901.aspx

Have to say, they don't look so 'super' with respect to what I was expecting. Whilst I know its probably asking too much for our cycle lanes to have their own traffic lights like the one's I saw in Holland, I still don't get why they aren't properly segregated from both pavement and road. From what I remember when I visited a friend in Groningen, the cycle lanes were separated from the road by wooden bars/stumps every 75 cms or so. Heck, they even have them in some parts of Oxford!

I don't like the look of that cycle lane in Oxford as I'd imagine that each time it meets a side road cyclists would have to give way to turning traffic. I'd avoid this type of lane for that reason.

[El_Greco]

Originally Posted by kerouac1848

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11901.aspx

I cant see any differences between this and what we have at present.Well alright the colour is different but other than that?Seriously this must be some kind of sick joke!

[somersetchris]

No it is not. It is called cheap publicity for Boris. Spend little but get as much press as possible.

[Acemcbuller]

Originally Posted by kerouac1848

And that the lane is obstructed by a lamp post and a temporary road sign.

[Sesquip]

If I was cycling along that road, I'd use the road, not that terrible cycle lane. It's fragmented every time there's a side road or a footpath junction. Pointless.

[RBRJ]

Boris bikes (see seperate thread) has been up and running for while now. There has also been a fair few tragic accidents, with cyclists being crushed to death by trucks and vans.

Are road layouts only designed for motor vehicles, without thinking of other road users and how the layout would affect them?

Are there more cyclists now?

If there are more cyclists on London's roads now what proportion are Boris bike users?

[Justme]

Have the accidents involved people on the Boris bikes or regular cyclists?

[Sesquip]

I was not aware of any fatal accidents involving boris bikes.

The common 'crushing' accident has a few major causes, in no particular order:

1. Poor visibility down the left hand side of large vehicles
2. Poor training for drivers of such vehicles
3. Poor road skills of cyclists
4. Kerb fences on the inside of fences

2. The LCC is running a "no more lethal lorries" appeal to raise awareness and money to better train HGV drivers (http://www.no-more-lethal-lorries.org.uk/)
3. It makes me so sad and angry when I see obviously rookie cyclists squeezing down the left hand side of large vehicles at the lights. Here's the golden rule: If there's a HGV, bus, truck etc on your right, then slow down and get behind it. Do not undertake such vehicles. Ever.
4. They've been slowly removed from London's streets, but too many still remain. There's a nasty on on the E&C roundabout that's claimed at least two lives that could have easily been saved if it was possible to fall onto the pavement.

[NCT]

London's roads are by nature narrow and winding, so it is naturally a case of fighting for space. While I do support cycling in theory a large proportion of London's cyclists do manoeuvre too dangerously, squessing between vehicles espcially lorries and buses.