Cycle Superhighway teething issues being addressed says TfL (+ video)

Transport for London (TfL) says that a picture shared on social media showing part of the new North-South Superhighway being dug up was due to “an isolated drainage problem” and says the repairs were carried out at the contractor’s own expense.

It also confirmed that the route is now fully open from Elephant & Castle to Meymott Street, around 100 metres north of TfL’s headquarters opposite Southwark Underground station.

On Tuesday, Twitter user Charlotte Hindle posted a picture of a section of the Cycle Superhighway, also on Blackfriars Road, being dug up and questioned whether it was a “waste of money.”

What?? Finished section of Super Cycle Highway on Blackfriars Rd @se1 now being dug up??? Waste of money? pic.twitter.com/IpIfZxoyeg

— Charlotte (@cmdhindle) January 5, 2016

But according to the website Mayorwatch, TfL said that the 10 metre long section had been repaired by contractors at their own expense after “engineers noticed pools of water following recent heavy rain.”

TfL’s director of projects and programmes, Nick Fairholme, explained: “This was an isolated drainage problem and has been corrected by the contractors at no additional cost to TfL.”

He added: “The section from Elephant & Castle up to Meymott Street is due to open ahead of schedule later this week.”

In fact, it is now open and today, local news website London SE1 posted a time-lapse video to YouTube of a ride up that part of the Cycle Superhighway.

Meanwhile, work continued over the Christmas and New Year period on the East-West Cycle Superhighway, with Victoria Embankment closed overnight while construction took place.