Cyclists are currently inconvenienced by one-way streets, such as Harewood Place.
A CRISP (Cycle Route Implementation Stakeholder Plan) is currently being prepared for the Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho areas. The first draft of this report recommended 92 improvements at an estimated total cost of £4.1m. Among many other things, the CRISP addresses the problem that eastbound cyclists from Hyde Park cannot currently proceed further east than Hanover Square.
Cyclists are currently inconvenienced by one-way streets, such as Harewood
Place.
The Royal Parks are currently considering ways of improving the safety along Rotten Row, which is very heavily used by cyclists at peak times.
The segregated path alongside Rotten Row
Options for the path alongside the horse track include:
Options for the junction with the West Carriage Drive include:
Options for Victoria Gate include:
Please let us know if you have any views on any of these.
Network Rail has awarded Morgan Est a £26m contract to restore part of the roof of London's Paddington station. Work starts immediately and is scheduled for completion in 2010.
Morgan Est and its sister company, construction firm Morgan Ashurst, will renovate the fourth span of the station roof. Refurbishment of platforms 9-12, situated below the fourth span, is also included in the contract. This is where the cycle parking is currently located.
The cycle parking stands at Padington
According to posters at the station, the cycle parking stands will be moved closer to the station concourse as the works proceed. This is probably a more convenient location for most users.
Dave Holladay ('Working with CTC, the UK's National Cyclists Organisation on Cycling with Public Transport') is seeking to clarify what Network Rail intend to do about bikes parked in the current area - for example, invite the owners to contact the company for further information.
Kensington & Chelsea have adopted a new approach to allowing two-way cycling in one-way streets.
Traditionally contraflow cycling has been allowed only in contraflow cycle lanes. In narrow streets, it has often been difficult to provide the space for a contraflow cycle lane. In streets lined with parked cars, there was the additional hazard of opening doors.
The traditional approach to contraflow cycling
Ebury Street, Westminster
Kensington & Chelsea have now allowed two-way cycling in a number of one-way streets without marking a contraflow cycle lane. This approach is probably suitable only for streets with a low traffic flow, such as Holland Street, pictured below.
K&C's new approach to two-way cycling
Holland Street, Kensington
If you are thinking of taking a shortcut through a pedestrian area at a quiet time, then think again! As the experiences of two cyclists show, you are quite likely to be fined at quiet times, when there are few pedestrians around to annoy.
Cyclist F. was cycling in Piccadilly after midnight. She went over the pavement to avoid the one-way system. There was no- one on the pavement. She was then pursued by a police community support officer who informed her that she had had been picked up by CCTV and would have to pay a £30 fixed penalty. F. couldn't really believe she was stopped for cycling on an empty pavement after midnight. The PCSO held her up for a considerable time to ascertain details such as her hair and eye colour, country of birth and as a result she did not make it home till very late.
Cyclist G. was fined for cycling along a length of the footway of Grosvenor Road not designated for cyclists' use. It was Sunday morning, few people were around and he thought he wasn't inconveniencing anyone. It often happens that cycling is eventually allowed in places were people are fined for illegal cycling. In this instance, Transport for London have long-term plans to widen the footway of Grosvenor Road to allow its use by cyclists.
Both experiences show the value of the LCC's campaign for greater permeability: very often people resort to illegal cycling when blocked by a 'no entry' sign or intimidated by heavy or fast-moving traffic. Removing these obstacles to legal cycling is a major step towards reducing illegal cycling.