News
London’s new cycle superhighways
29/07/2010
Mayor Boris Johnson’s dream of taking London closer to adopting a Copenhagen-style cycle culture has just had a great leap forward with the launch of the capital’s first two, bright blue cycle superhighways.
Route number 7 runs from Merton in the sourth directly to the heart of the City along the A24 and A3, and route number 3 runs from Barking in the east to Tower Gateway via the A13.
Traffic and bus lanes have been realigned on busy stretches to create more space for cyclists, large safety mirrors have been installed to increase visibility, and ‘advanced stop lines’ have been introduced at junctions so cyclists can wait at lights ahead of traffic. TfL has also provided funding for cycle parking spaces, training and maintenance sessions across the 8 London boroughs benefitting from the two pilot routes.
Next summer will see the launch of the next two cycle superhighways from Bow to Aldgate and from Wandsworth to Westminster which will follow the Thames across the bottom of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. These should prove another push for pedal power in the capital and a step closer to the Mayor’s target of a 400 per cent increase in cycle journeys across London by 2026 (compared to figures from 2000).
2015 will be an exciting year for the Earls Court Project as two cycle superhighways are planned which will cross the site. Route 9 from Hounslow in the west and route 10 from Park Royal in the north will both pass through the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, join up in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and end up in leafy Hyde Park.
Cycle lanes will be a key feature of the Earls Court Project and we’re already looking at how to incorporate them into the masterplan. The exact routes of these two cycle superhighways have yet to be decided as Transport for London will first conduct a consultation process with local boroughs and key stakeholders including cycling groups, but we’ll keep you posted when we have more details.
Are you a keen cyclist? Send us your suggestions of possible cycle routes or facilities you’d like us to include in the Earls Court Project masterplan.
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