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TfL paints over part of Cycle Superhighway CS2 in Stratford less than year after installation

Local cycle campaigners say strip of blue paint was better than nothing in protecting riders

Cycling campaigners in Newham have criticised Transport for London (TfL) for painting over a stretch of Barclays Cycle Superhighway 2 in Stratford, and say that the apparent removal of the facility will put bike riders’ lives at risk.

The Newham Recorder reports that the section of CS2 in question, which leads from Stratford Broadway to the Tramway Avenue slip road, was painted over on September 5, less than a year since it had been installed.

The newspaper says the change was made by TfL in response to safety concerns raised by cyclists, pedestrians, the London Borough of Newham and the Metropolitan Police.

However, Newham Cyclists’ joint co-ordinator, Kerena Fussell, said that the previous strip of blue pain – a feature of the Barclays Cycle Superhighways that was criticised last year in the inquest into the death of Brian Dorling at Bow Roundabout in 2011 as lulling cyclists into a false sense of security – did offer cyclists more protection.

She said: “At least the blue paint and the bollards made the traffic slow down and was some protection. Now we have gone back to absolutely nothing.

“Before CS2 we all dealt with it [the traffic] but putting in CS2 made it better and now it has been taken away again.”

TfL has made a series of changes to the route, such as installing reflective bollards, to try and make cyclists, pedestrians and motorists more aware of each other.

“Four changes have been made to it in some ridiculously short period of time and part of our concern is how much money has been wasted on it,” she said.

“If they are changing this infrastructure, the least they could do is talk to the people who use it.”

Bu Councillor Ian Corbett, who advises Newham’s mayor on environment and infrastructure, said worries about the route had emerged after “a number of serious near misses”.

He said: “The council has made clear to TfL the urgent need to fully address all safety issues at this location and review the design proposals.

“This should be done in conjunction with key stakeholders such as the council, police, emergency services and cycling groups.”

TfL insisted that the painting over of the Barclays Cycle Superhighway would not be permanent.

Its director of road space management, Alan Bristow, said: “We will return to install the final, agreed design later this year once the local development works are fully completed, and remain committed to provide safe cycling infrastructure across London.”

This video, from YouTube user sw19cam, charts the changes over a six-month period.

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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11 comments

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rich_b | 9 years ago
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For many years I used to go over the flyover at Bow on my commute into central London (it was extremely dangerous but safer that the roundabout believe it or not) I now go through the Olympic park then cross the A102 using the footbridge at Hackney Wick, this takes you into Victoria Park which you can use to ride east into the city (I go via Hackney Road at the top of Bishops Way) this route is not only more pleasant (the park is very nice to ride through) it’s far safer that using CS2 and negotiating the Bow Roundabout. I have no idea why this quiet east west route isn’t advertised more (although it’s getting more popular amongst commuters) but can only assume it’s because of all the money TLF have ploughed into CS2, it does make me wonder how many other better commuter routes are out there that we just don’t know about?

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zanf replied to rich_b | 9 years ago
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rich_b wrote:

I have no idea why this quiet east west route isn’t advertised more (although it’s getting more popular amongst commuters) but can only assume it’s because of all the money TLF have ploughed into CS2

Because the attitude of TfL has always been (and until some very big changes in management occur precipitating a paradigm shift) and always will be that cyclists need to learn vehicular cycling / integrationism.

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nuttyxander replied to rich_b | 9 years ago
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Quote:

I have no idea why this quiet east west route isn’t advertised more (although it’s getting more popular amongst commuters) but can only assume it’s because of all the money TLF have ploughed into CS2

The problem is that Victoria Park shuts at night. We need routes that work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Imagine the uproar if the Eastway shut at dusk!

The quietway programme is there to try and help direct people towards alternatives but delivery is likely to be slow given that we're only just seeing two pilot routes. In time it may well direct people towards Victoria Park. However, given the number of employers and homes along CS2 it is right that there is cycle provision along it.

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Mendip James | 9 years ago
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I don't think it's an issue of cycle campaigners not knowing what they want. Yes it was an inadequate measure in the first place which everyone agrees on, but there is some small benefit in that it prevents a slight challenge to the attitudes of many drivers that cyclists should not be in their path at all. I don't think any cyclist has any sense of security when riding on a congested London road with or without blue paint, a cynic might say they have removed it in case a rider is hurt or worst killed on a stretch of road which has been publicly defined as suitable for cycling. Let's hope the long term plans for improvement in London's lacking cycling infastructure aren't as long term as they currently seem, it's total gridlock in West London of late and nowhere to go if you're on a bike.

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Leodis | 9 years ago
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London cycling campaigners moaning shocker.

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bikebot | 9 years ago
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The origin of the common "just blue paint" complaint goes back to large parts of the cycle superhighway opening as just route marking.

Without a bordering line, either broken or solid, there's no lane. It's "just blue paint", see picture at top. As such they offered absolutely zero protection. In fact, the complaint was that by being "just blue paint", they offered a false sense of security.

That doesn't appear to be the case for the section in the video, so that isn't something that would have been said.

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Scoob_84 | 9 years ago
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Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Even the cycle community can't agree on what's right for our roads, so road planners don't stand a chance.

Personally I think if there was a traffic speed limit of 20 mph was imposed within zone 2 London, then we can do with these bike lanes.

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Paul_C replied to Scoob_84 | 9 years ago
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Scoob_84 wrote:

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Even the cycle community can't agree on what's right for our roads, so road planners don't stand a chance.

Personally I think if there was a traffic speed limit of 20 mph was imposed within zone 2 London, then we can do with these bike lanes.

even with 20 mph speed limits and me doing 20, I still get abuse from some motorists wanting to get in front of me and go faster... and nasty passes when they can, even with me in primary...

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zanf | 9 years ago
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Cycle campaigners: "Blue paint is useless and doesnt do anything to improve or increase cyclist safety"

TfL removes some blue paint...

Cycle campaigners: "Dont take away my blue paint.... it keeps me safe when cycling"

This is what makes me laugh about cycle campaigners in London. Not a fucking clue.

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kie7077 | 9 years ago
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Local cycle campaigners say strip of blue paint was better than nothing in protecting riders

No, it was worse, I've cycled down it dozens of times, it did not stop close passes, it is not a mandatory cycle lane, I really don't see what purpose it served other than a big blue advert for Barclays.

She said: “At least the blue paint and the bollards made the traffic slow down"

Bullcrap, traffic does not slow down. I've even had punishment passes from buses along the CS2.

I haven't cycled the Stratford part of the CS2, but I've got to say those bollards look dreadful and liable to cause an accident.

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cmeilandt | 9 years ago
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I use that part as my commute every day, and I was wondering why the took it away again? I thought it was working quite good - does anyone knows why it has been taken down again :-)?

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