London Mayor unveils cycling plans

AA welcomes initiative on improving London cycle infra-structure

AA welcomes initiative on improving London cycle infra-structure

AA welcomes initiative on improving London cycle infra-structure

The AA has broadly welcomed the impressive £913 million plan to transform cycling in London, announced by London mayor Boris Johnson on March 7th 2013.

He outlined plans for a 15-mile cycle route from the west London to Canary Wharf In Docklands and Barking in east London with the route including Dutch-style fully segregated cycle lanes along the Victoria embankment and the Westway flyover.

Under the plan, a range of new cycle routes will open over the next four years parallel to and named after Tube lines and bus routes.

The plans will include:

  • A new network of "Quietways" - direct, continuous, fully signposted routes on peaceful side streets, running far into the suburbs, and aimed at people put off by cycling in traffic.
  • Better segregation between bikes and other vehicles.
  • Improvements to existing "superhighway" bus routes.
  • Improvements to junctions deemed the least safe for cyclists, including Blackfriars, Vauxhall and Elephant & Castle.
  • Encouraging more out-of-hours deliveries by trucks to improve cyclist safety.
  • 20mph speed limits for all traffic on some cycle routes, and an electric bike hire scheme, similar to the existing Barclays Cycle Hire, to be trialed.

As a keen cyclist myself I would rather keep my wheels on the ground rather than up in the sky pedaling next to a motorway

Edmund King, AA president

Comment

Edmund King, AA president, said: “We welcome the Mayor’s initiative on improving the London cycle infra-structure. Plans for dedicated cycle ways on the Embankment will improve the journey experience for all road–users whether on two wheels or four. We believe that these plans will help to further break down some of the unnecessary 'Two Tribes' attitudes between drivers and cyclists.

“We will need to look at the detail for the A40 Westway plan as this is an elevated section of dual carriageway. We would question whether it might be better for cyclists to use ground level roads rather than run alongside what is, in effect, an elevated motorway. A parallel route with a dedicated cycle lane would probably be a more pleasant environment for cycling and attract more cyclists.

“As a keen cyclist myself I would rather keep my wheels on the ground rather than up in the sky pedaling next to a motorway.

“Overall the cycling master plan is an impressive step forward."

Similar to AA plans in 1938!

Ironically the AA seems to have beaten Boris to some of these ideas by 75 years. It is interesting that the AA put forward similar plans for Dutch-style segregated cycle paths to the Government’s Alness Committee back in 1938.

(7 March 2013)

 

Chain Reaction

"There has been an explosion of interest in cycling, and we must do all we can to continue to fuel it".  Read AA president Edmund King's views on cycling in the AA Magazine.

Read AA president Edmund King's views on cycling in the AA Magazine