Transport for London consults on Cycleway on Greenwich to Woolwich route where three cyclists have been killed in recent years

Transport for London (TfL) has opened a consultation on a planned Cycleway between Greenwich and Woolwich along a route where three cyclists have been killed in recent years.

The proposed route formed part of the original proposals for Cycle Superhighway 4 from Tower Bridge to Woolwich, but that scheme was subsequently shortened to finish at Greenwich.

Now rebranded Cycleway 4, construction began in June last year on the Tower Bridge to Greenwich route, with some sections nearing completion as this video, posted to Twitter in recent days and filmed on Tooley Street, shows.

Had to sneak around the barriers somewhat but the first two-way section of Cycleway 4 is nearing completion pic.twitter.com/cAxpQx50GY

— maidstoneonbike (@maidstoneonbike) January 4, 2020

Pressure on TfL to proceed with the full route intensified in 2018 after two cyclists were killed in Greenwich, one at the notorious Woolwich Road Roundabout, also known as the Angerstein Roundabout, where another cyclist had lost her life in 2009.

In the wake of those two fatalities in 2018, the campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists held a vigil outside Greenwich Council’s offices in Woolwich, and London Cycling Campaign also urged for safe infrastructure to be provided along the route.

Deputy leader of Greenwich Council, David Gardner, said at the time: “That is an awful roundabout, it is not built on a human scale. It’s not built for human beings, it needs drastic surgery to make it safe.”

> Greenwich roundabout where two cyclists killed "not built for human beings" says council's deputy leader

The consultation announced today, which you can find here and remains open until Sunday 16 February, concerns the section of the route between Charlton and Woolwich, with a consultation on the Greenwich to Charlton section following later this year.

The full route between Greenwich and Woolwich is 6.5 kilometres in length, with TfL saying that 215 road traffic collisions resulting in death or injury were recorded there in 2017 and 2018. It added that in 2017, cyclists accounted for 18 per cent of casualties.

According to TfL, the scheme includes:

A new two-way, fully segregated high-quality 2.5km Cycleway, which would run along the A206 Woolwich Road

Six new pedestrian crossings with improvements to a number of others along the route, serving key local communities, schools, the Woolwich Ferry and Warspite Road, where a person walking was tragically killed in a collision in 2018

Extending the existing bus lanes to make journeys by bus quicker and easier. Half of all trips along Woolwich Road are currently made by bus

Widening the pavement at a number of locations, to give people walking more space.

TfL is also inviting people to share their views on how to make the Angerstein Roundabout easier for people to negotiate, with proposals including removing the roundabout itself, constructing a segregated cycleway through the junction, and improved signalling for cyclists and pedestrians.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: “I’m delighted that we’re pushing ahead with these bold plans – part of a new high-quality cycle route from Tower Bridge all the way to the heart of Woolwich.

“With additional pedestrian crossings and a new bus lane, the route will be made better and safer for everyone. The area around Angerstein Roundabout has seen two fatalities in recent years, and we will continue to work closely with Greenwich Council to deliver these vital improvements as soon as possible.”

The Royal Borough of Greenwich, meanwhile, will be consulting separately on its Liveable Neighbourhood scheme for Greenwich Town Centre, funded by TfL, in the spring.

Commenting on the current consultation, the council’s leader, Danny Thorpe, said: “This is great news for Greenwich as the proposed cycleway will make cycling and walking a much safer and convenient way for residents to travel in the area.

“We all have a part to play in achieving our goals of improved air quality and protecting the environment, by making more sustainable choices. I encourage all residents to take part in the consultation as their feedback is vital, as is their involvement in helping us achieve these goals.”

London Cycling Campaign’s infrastructure campaigner, Simon Munk, said: “It is wonderful to see plans moving forward to tackle the infamous and lethal Angerstein Roundabout, something we have long campaigned for.

“These plans promise to deliver a major route for South London, eventually linking Tower Bridge to Woolwich, taming hostile and dangerous roads. This should not only help save lives, but also enable far more people to walk and cycle, cutting air pollution and climate emissions.”