As soon as a new cycle lane appears in Westminster, another one disappears.
The cycle lane in Great Marlborough Street, pictured here, used to lead to an advance stop line ('bike box') at the junction with Regent Street. The old arrangement can be seen on Google Street View.
The advance stop line and its lead-in lane appear to have been removed as part of a scheme to:
It is possible that the new scheme will be easier to cycle. Doubling the number of westbound traffic lanes may eliminate the traffic queues that used to build up and were difficult to get past. We would be interested to hear whether you find the new arrangement easier or more difficult to cycle.
In the meantime, the remains of the cycle lane must be a strong contender for the title of London's shortest cycle lane.