Yippee, Central London is now two-way for cyclists

TfL have updated their Cycling Guides (aka Maps) for 2010/11 and the one entitled 'Cycling in Central London' (aka cycling for Boris biking tourists) omits to show that one or two streets, oh alright, VERY MANY streets in this area are one-way.

Is this because:
a) TfL consider that most cyclists will cycle the wrong way on a one-way street so the information is irrelevant,
b) the Central London boroughs have told TfL that they'll make all their streets two-way for cyclists by 2011
c) TfL daftly didn't ask local London Cycling Campaign groups to review the maps at the draft stage.

I hope that b) is the correct answer, but my money's on c).

The Mellow Route to Earl's Court

Cycling from Kennington to Earl's Court Exhibition Centre would be the stuff of nightmares for many, but a quick check of TfL's Local Cycling Guide no.7 reveals that for much of the journey there's an off-road and scenic route. Pedal Power Kennington had a great ride on it in the sun today to visit the Cycle Show.

Nip over the river at Lambeth Bridge, down John Islip Street and Lupus Street, and you can cycle on the shared use pavement along the Chelsea Embankment and Cheyne Walk. On one side you have the river, views of Battersea Park and houseboats. On the other you have the mass of queueing cars that you're meandering past. On to back streets for a quick look at the antique shops and auction houses in Lots Road before nipping across Kings Road and Fulham Road to cycle up through the wonderfully atmostpheric Brompton Cemetery (above) to the back entrance of Earl's Court.

There is one little fly in the ointment on the riverside Embankment, which is part of National Cycle Network 4 (like the M4 but with a total budget equivalent to less than a foot of the motorway). Crossing the road leading to Chelsea Bridge is a doddle due to a Toucan crossing; likewise Albert Bridge. However at Battersea Bridge the powers that be have decided no pedestrian or cycle crossing lights or crossing time is necessary.

So you stand there while traffic goes straight on over the bridge, then the lights change and traffic turns left over the bridge, etc. etc.
After observing this a few times you take a deep breath and just chuck a couple of the smaller kids into the way of the cars. The drivers beep at them getting in their way but, 'cause they're kids, squeal to a stop. While they're in chaos you get the rest of the group to go across. Simples, innit.

A gloomy outlook

A Kennington cyclist recently told me how much she dreaded going into the dark chasm below the Waterloo and former Eurostar lines on Westminster Bridge Road.

Like her I hate this sudden change from light to stygian gloom and the panicky feeling that one day a driver coming out of the light on the multi-lane chicane will run straight into the back of you.

To maintain the suspense Transport for London have arranged things so you normally have to spend a dark minute nervously waiting for the traffic lights in the tunnel to change while taking deep breaths of taxi exhaust.

As you set off you realise you need to move out to the 'fast' lane if you're not going to spend more long minutes of your life breathing diesel particulates while stuck behind a bus at one of London's foulest bus stops.


Transport for London and the rail companies (the overlying cause of the gloom) should be ashamed of themselves for creating such an unpleasant environment for cyclists and pedestrians and not resolving it.

Bizarrely The South Bank Employers Group didn't mention this horror in their draft Cycling Strategy, despite (or maybe because) Netwonk Rail being a member.

This is the kind of dire infrastructure that puts people off active travel and results in hospital admissions for heart disease and obesity surgery. Given that the tunnel is adjacent to St Thomas' Hospital I hope that the Guys and St Thomas' Trust (another member of SBEG) are actively campaigning for improvements. Then again, the lack of reference to this in the thick draft strategy they helped write suggests they're not. Naybe they're scared active travel will put their fat cat consultants out of work and out of their Mercedes? Most likely though, as the largest employer nearby with a particular duty of care to the residents, they just don't consider it any of their business.

Cycling averse Road Safety events

I hadn't realised there were so many Road Safety conferences, award ceremonies and the like - with three in the near future being just a short cycle from Kennington.

Unfortunately none I've looked at do anything to encourage people to travel to the event by bicycle. I guess cyclists are just not the Road Safety brigade's target audience (ooh, how the organisers must shudder of the perceived risk of a cyclist being in collision with a particulate-poisoned, obese, diabetic, stroke-awaiting, airbag-cushioned driver).

25th November: Road Safety Expo 2010 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (above) in the heart of London
Getting here by Road
Please be advised that it is quicker and easier to travel here using public transport.
The Centre is within easy reach of the A1, M1, M25, M11, M40, M4, M3, M2 and M23.
To plan your journey by road, visit www.theaa.com (enter the postcode SW1P 3EE as your destination).
There is no car parking at the Centre however there are four public car parks nearby, for more information about car parking, visit www.ncp.co.uk.

23rd November: Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) 21st Westminster Lecture on Transport Safety - Roads, casualties and public health: the open sewers of the 21st century?
1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster
How to find us
One Birdcage Walk is a 5 minute walk from Westminster or St James's Park tube stations. The venue is conveniently located 15 minutes from major overland stations Victoria and Waterloo.

early December: Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards at The Savoy
Parking
The Savoy offers valet parking including in-and-out privileges. Alternative garages are also available in the surrounding area. (It is conceivable that their valet parking service may include bicycles, but it certainly isn't made clear)

Maybe I'll leave London and go to

16-17 November: 2010 Road Safety GB national conference
The Hotel is located right in the heart of England with free on-site parking for 650 cars.

but then again maybe I won't.

The South Bank is broken

According to the draft South Bank Cycling Strategy the South Bank attracts 17,000,000 visitors a year. That's a lot of people who are likely to be thirsty during their visit.

The riders on the Pedal Power Kennington ride on Wednesday felt thirsty by the time we reached Bernie Spain gardens so we stopped for a drink from the water fountain but it was broken.

I think it's the only one along the South Bank for quite a way - the nearest one I know of is this one between Lambeth and Westminster Bridges which is also broken:

So, one of the marshalls nipped off and bought a bottle of water that had been driven to the South Bank by a great big polluting lorry.

Vroom, Vroom South Bank.

Shooting Fish in a Barrel

Central London's bridges are complete crap for cyclists yet London's traffic authorities have an astounding disinterest in improving conditions.

Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police's incompetence cannot be shown more simply than their failure to stop the blatant day-in, day-out trading by the same ice-cream criminals in the red route, bus lane and cycle lane on Westminster Bridge.

The legal cycling route

View Larger Map
A new block was recently built between Cottington Street and Othello Close - a near direct straight line to Chester Way from Kennington Tube. This kind of development provides perfect opportunities to encourage cycling over car use through providing a legitimate route. As the photos show the opportunity wasn't taken advantage of, unsurprisingly resulting in naughty people cycling on the pavement. (Probably the same people who would illegally cycle the wrong way on Chester Way).