General Comments
I hugely support both the NS and EW
cycle superhighways as they are essential (as part of a tightly meshed grid) to
achieve the ambition of making London a city where anyone can cycle. I can see
merits in the bi-directional tracks being proposed, though in general I would
favour segregated tracks on each side of the road.
I question whether calculations about
bus journey times have taken into account the likely mode shift by adults and
children towards cycling with good infrastructure. This should mean more space
on buses, decreasing journey time for some due to actually being able to board
a historically full bus. In addition, more people cycling means fewer people
using buses which will lessen the number of buses that need adding to the
network as the population grows, benefitting motor journey time. Fewer buses
than there would otherwise be, along with modal shift by car users to cycling,
improve general motor traffic journey time for those who need to drive.
Detailed response - North South Cycling
Superhighway Elephant and Castle to Blackfriars
There is considerable detail and I am
happy to meet a designer to clarify as needed.
While I suspect some ‘hard-core’
commuters will use the straight line of London Road rather than the dog leg of
St George’s Rd / Lambeth Rd, the quality segregation and its tie-in to the
revised E&C roundabout plans means that for most people, including those
who daren’t currently cycle, the proposed scheme has strong benefits.
I would like to see the traffic
island segregation largely planted up (see Guerilla Gardener’s Richard
Reynolds’ proposal), and ways to include Sustainable Urban Drainage.
Section 1a
Is there good reason to relocate the
Pelican crossing nearer Elliots Row than Oswin Street? It’s not where the major
footfall alignment is, partly as it matches the side of Princess Street that
has the narrow pavement.
It’s not clear from the drawing
whether the pedestrian crossing of the NSCS is light controlled or if the
traffic lights at the end of Princess Street are remaining. Might cyclists
using CS7 have to wait thrice; at lights to exit Princess Street, then at the
pedestrian crossing lights, then for the next phase of the pedestrian/cycle
lights to cross St George’s Road? Or coming the other way have to wait for
lights at the end of Elliots Row, then again for pedestrians crossing the
cycling superhighway?
If the lights at the end of Princess
Street are remaining there is potential conflict with cyclists on the NSCS who
appear not to be traffic light controlled.
(As a complimentary measure, it would
be better to relocate the pedestrian crossing on London Road instead, to the
E&C side of the CS7, nearer the tube station and bus stops, to maintain the
pedestrian desire line and permit cyclists to turn left from Princess Street
onto the London Road bus and cycle lane.)
I suggest consideration is given to
relocating the on-road directional arrows for motorists turning out of side
roads across the cycling superhighway. These would be better placed in the
‘holding’ space between the traffic island segregation. I would also like
conventional entrance/exit of side road lining (double/single give way) on both
sides of the ‘holding’ space.
West Square – measures could be taken
to make this approach to the square two-way for traffic or filtering traffic
out. For the rationale see 1b, Geraldine Street.
Section 1b
With amendments there is considerable
potential to increase cycling to/from Charlotte Sharman Primary School, Notre
Dame Secondary School, St Jude’s Primary School, St George’s Cathedral Primary
School and the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park (including the extensive sports
facilities and Imperial War Museum) through creating a cycle crossing in
conjunction with the planned pedestrian crossing at Geraldine Street.
As a quick fix, moving the Pedestrian
crossing south of Geraldine Street allows cycles to cross St George’s Road into
Geraldine Street (which is narrow and one-way) to access Charlotte Sharman
School (cycle entrance) and the park and associated sports facilities and
museum. The pedestrian crossing of the NSCS by Geraldine Street should not be
light controlled.
Ideally, Geraldine Street could be pedestrianized,
with two-way cycling permitted (option of a Toucan crossing of St George’s
Road) so children and others can walk and cycle BOTH ways between the cycling
superhighway and Geraldine Street. It also improves ease of use of the Cycle
Hire docking station in Geraldine Street. Pedestrianising this street is
dependent on the one-way West Square section of road off St George’s Road being
made two-way, or filtering motor traffic so it can’t move between West Square
and St George’s Road but must use Brook Drive instead for access/egress.
Consideration should be given to
making Colnbrook and Gladstone Streets two-way for cycles
At the junction of St George’s Road
and Lambeth Road, going into town, I propose removing the early start box and
the dropped kerb from the cycle track into it. It would be better for cyclists
turning left onto Lambeth Road to do it as though going straight on from
Lambeth Road (assuming a right turn from Lambeth Road to St George’s Road is
also permissible for cyclists)
I would prefer NSCH section of
Lambeth Road being segregated to facilitate children cycling to and from St
George’s Cathedral Primary School.
I question the need to widen the
footway at this junction, but would like to see a cycle track continue across
Lambeth Road westbound.
Eastbound on Lambeth Road the early
start lights should not be installed. Instead of two left turn lanes, one
should be straight ahead only and one should be left only. Cyclists should have
green with the straight ahead lights but be able to turn left also at that
time. A cycle lane installed on the continuation of St George’s Road northbound
may permit left turns by cyclists at any time not prohibited by pedestrian
crossing phases.
Section 2a
Dodson Street needs to be two way for
cyclists, otherwise adults and children cycling have to use Bikeability level 3
(+) Westminster Bridge Road to access
it.
Westminster Bridge Road should be
redesigned to be two way for cyclists. I challenge the tour bus parking being
provided on arterial roads. They should either pay for private land parking or
park on appropriate minor streets allowing segregated cycle tracks to be
installed on the arterial roads.
Section 2b
There should be ‘in-one’ pedestrian
crossings on all junctions of St George’s Circus, matched up with cycle
crossings. Essentially the cycle track continuing around the perimeter of it.
Currently I can’t envisage children being permitted to cycle westbound from
Borough Road to Lambeth Road or vice versa with the design currently proposed.
Section 3a
I support the measures shown here,
especially ones that improve the Quietway nature of Webber Street.
Section 3b
Ufford Street needs to retain cyclist
entrance/exit, especially as Boundary Way is one-way.
I would like to see a better transition
to the NSCS at Pocock Street.
Section 3c
Cyclists need to be permitted to turn
left into The Cut.
The directional arrow for the right
turn into Union Street from Blackfriars Road NSCH northbound should be a little
further back so cyclists wait in ‘straight ahead’ rather than ‘left turn’ lane.
Does ped’n scramble crossing remain
at The Cut / Blackfriars Rd / Union St?
Section 3d
No comment
Section 3e
The waiting areas for cyclists
turning from NSCH eastbound into Southwark Street should be in the ‘going
straight on’ lane, not in the left-turning lane for motor traffic as this may
invite conflict at the entrance to Southwark Street.
The proposed method of turning right
from Southwark Street into the NSCH isn’t clear.
