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Gilligan urges new mayor to back Cycle Superhighway programme

Consultations launched into three protected routes today as elections loom

London's cycling commissioner Andrew Gilligan has urged Boris Johnson's successor as mayor to support the Cycle Superhighway programme as consultation were opened into three routes, including a two-way protected cycleway on the Westway.

The consultations have been launched by Transport for London (TfL) ahead of business at City Hall being suspended from 21 March ahead of the election, which takes place on 5 May, reports the London Evening Standard.

They follow news last week that TfL expects cycle commuters in central London to outnumber those who travel to work by car within the next few years.

The routes under consultation include the Westway section of the East-West Cycle Superhighway which will ultimately link Barking to Acton.

Mr Gilligan said it would provide a “fast and direct route to a vast swathe of west London and employment opportunities in Park Royal, Old Oak Common, Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush

“All these town centres will all be within easy reach of central London. It will take 15 minutes to get from East Acton to the West End on a bike. It will be the quickest way to travel.”
The other two routes will run from Swiss Cottage to the West End and from King's Cross to Farringdon, the latter forming part of the North-South Cycle Superhighway.

The candidate who will succeed Mr Johnson is likely to be either Labour's Sadiq Khan, or the Conservative, Zac Goldsmith.
“The next Mayor has got to decide whether he supports [cycle superhighways] or not," Mr Gilligan said.
A spokesman for Mr Goldsmith told the London Evening Standard that he "supports Cycle Superhighways" and "would continue" the investment Mr Johnson has pledged for cycling.
Meanwhile a spokesman for Mr Khan said:“Sadiq is committed to implementing the next phases of the cycle superhighway, but it is really important we learn from previous phases.
"We need to avoid repeating the same mistakes and must do more to minimise upheaval caused during any new construction.”
The mayor said that the routes were vital to help the city cope with its growing population.
“Almost one million more Londoners will be given easy access to safe cycling routes under these plans," he explained.

"That’s vital if we are to meet the challenge of London’s population boom.

“With schemes already in progress across London, these new proposals will create a complete network reaching north, south, east and west.

"By careful planning we have also been able to deliver a balance of benefits for pedestrians and motorists,” he added.

Matt Winfield, Acting Sustrans London Director, commented: “Although all of these lanes have been announced before, the detailed designs released today are hugely encouraging.

"The Cycle Superhighway network must be completed so that all compass points in London can enjoy the same safe routes. They will make cycling a practical option for millions of Londoners and go a long way to solving, quickly and cheaply, the transport needs of our rapidly growing city.

“Cycling in London has trebled in 15 years and it’s exciting to see the Mayor taking note and making bold decisions to accommodate this dramatic change.”
 

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/

The consultations can be found on the TfL website.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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davel | 8 years ago
0 likes

That looks very nice.

But based on previous experience, what are the odds on it ultimately being shared with buses and taxis, or having much flimsier barriers that drivers find a way over?

Avatar
emishi55 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Meanwhile a spokesman for Mr Khan said:

“Sadiq is committed to implementing the next phases of the cycle superhighway, but it is really important we learn from previous phases. "We need to avoid repeating the same mistakes and must do more to minimise upheaval caused during any new construction.”

 

Giving the game away there.

Trying to make the right noises but oh dear we don't want to go upsetting poor old mr. motorist all in the name of a bike lane do we!

but of course any amount of hold-up for the fellas in their autos is fine if it's mile after mile of parked cars festering away at the sides of virtually every route going. There's no problem there is there! But there's no interest for some sh*t eatin a*rse-hole of a radio 5 live or whatever presenter/commentator buffooning around to show what a major inconvenience the construction of cycling infrastructure is upon the carcinogenic/lung disease inducing masses crawling along in their present day open sewer all because THEY REALLY HAVE NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO TRAVEL AN AVERAGE FOUR MILES TO WORK BY CAR is there! Even those who endure the insane morning brain death on stuffed tube carriages because they are too afraid to cycle can look to the malingnant mass private car owners/drivers.

Westminster council, that bastion of enlightenment and progressive thought have even borrowed directly from the mouthings of one J Clarkson when offering respondents options  to consultations :

(like these - tick box responses ranging from 'Strongly agree' through to 'Don't know')

My enjoyment of Central London, and the City of Westminster, is affected by air quality

My enjoyment of Central London, and the City of Westminster, is affected by overcrowded public transport systems

My enjoyment of Central London, and the City of Westminster, is affected by too many road traffic collisions and casualties

My enjoyment of Central London, and the City of Westminster, is affected by traffic congestion

All well and good sofar you might think but then...oh dear....!!

My enjoyment of Central London, and the City of Westminster, is affected by my ability to find a car parking space

 

Labour and Conservative. Still fighting that Pickles/Hammond 'War On The Motorist'.....! FFS

At least Jeremy Corbyn sacked the car driver's friend Michael Dugher (another one who liked cycling because it promised to give so much more space to the motor car user). 

Sadiq Khan looks like he has a quite a bit of lerning to do if he's going to convince anyone of anything re cycling and what's at stake if he doesn't do something about the oil/motor lobby oiks.

 

 

 

 

 

Avatar
bikebot | 8 years ago
2 likes

Steve McNamara really is a bit special. He says it isn't needed because no cyclists are using the Westway...

That whole area needs some help, Hounslow is especially shit for cycling even by Greater London standards.

Avatar
jasecd | 8 years ago
1 like

The Westway leads on to Euston Rd, which has some of the worst pollution in London - last year the yearly quota for NO2 was surpassed by 7th January at the air monitoring station opposite Madam Tussauds (less than a mile from where this illustration depicts).

TBH I get the impression that anywhere in zone 1 and much of zone 2 has horrendous levels of pollution so it's not like you can avoid it if you're riding in central London.  I do think however it is a very valid concern when you consider how much deeper you are likely to be breathing when cycling.

 

 

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to jasecd | 8 years ago
1 like

jasecd wrote:

TBH I get the impression that anywhere in zone 1 and much of zone 2 has horrendous levels of pollution so it's not like you can avoid it if you're riding in central London.  I do think however it is a very valid concern when you consider how much deeper you are likely to be breathing when cycling.

The evidence about cyclists' relative levels of exposure is a bit mixed, e.g.

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/cyclists-exposed-five-times-les...

You can see where the hotspots are: www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/nowcast.asp.

Avatar
thesaladdays | 8 years ago
1 like

Looks very convenient, not sure I'd want to be taking big lungfuls next to a motorway though...

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to thesaladdays | 8 years ago
2 likes

thesaladdays wrote:

Looks very convenient, not sure I'd want to be taking big lungfuls next to a motorway though...

Probably better up there where it's airy and engines might be running efficiently than on clogged city streets hemmed in by high buildings that trap the belching bus fumes...

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