From the latest Mayor's Question Time (maybe the tube and rail lines will be pulled up?!):
*101** / 2009 Cycle Super-Highways*
Could you expand on your plans regarding the 12 cycle super-highways and
where these will be built?
*Joanne McCartney*
Cycle highways will be a set of twelve high-profile radial routes into
and out of Central London that will concentrate cycle flows and provide
a fast and efficient way into the centre.
TfL is currently working on the definition of the specific routes; it is
expected that a more detailed announcement will be made by the Mayor in
Spring. This will include information on the implementation of the first
routes and associated package of measures.
Cycle highways will comprise a package of innovative measures, including
information along the route, to encourage people to cycle. They will
also include engineering interventions where necessary.
Due to the nature of the road network, Cycle Highways cannot be a
'one-size-fits-all' solution; however, they are likely to be based on
the following basic principles:
· *** Safety*: All routes will include safety measures. These
may include traffic calming measures, enforcement and advance stop
lines among others.
· *** Directness*: They will follow direct and reliable
routes into Central London with clear information on cycling time
to destination provided.
· *** Continuity*: The whole route will be clearly marked
from beginning to end.
· *** Visibility*: Each route will have a clear identity--
e.g. 'Docklands Cycle Highway' or 'Northern Line Cycle Highway',
with consistent and easy to follow road markings and signs.
· *** Comfort*: Road surface conditions will be improved and
obstructions will be minimized.
· *** Value for Money*: To make best use of existing
resources, cycle highways will concentrate on pragmatic and simple
measures and will not depend heavily on engineering
interventions.
2009 Cycle Super-Highways (London)
That would be ridiculous - it would just make it easy for French cyclists to pop over and add to the congestion!
Seriously though, if its something you would like to see happen it might be a good idea to make a fuss over it. London has a long and glorious tradition of disconnected transport policies - the rail network being one.
Seriously though, if its something you would like to see happen it might be a good idea to make a fuss over it. London has a long and glorious tradition of disconnected transport policies - the rail network being one.
Safe, Direct, Continuous, Visible and Comfortable: those are surely the minimum criteria for any cycle route. It's the norm in Holland, Germany, Denmark etc., but so unusual in Britain we make a song and dance and call it a Cycle Super Highway! 
But there's another criterion: Value for Money. Now this is something the British cyclist is much more familiar with - as a euphemism for "built on the cheap". It generally means that all the other factors are compromised and the one thing we can be sure of is there will be nothing "super" about these cycle highways.
Here's the actual deal, which we've already seen in the shape of the so-called National Cycle Network. They pretend to make an M1 for cyclists and we pretend to be grateful for a B1101.
But there's another criterion: Value for Money. Now this is something the British cyclist is much more familiar with - as a euphemism for "built on the cheap". It generally means that all the other factors are compromised and the one thing we can be sure of is there will be nothing "super" about these cycle highways.
Here's the actual deal, which we've already seen in the shape of the so-called National Cycle Network. They pretend to make an M1 for cyclists and we pretend to be grateful for a B1101.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
I think the name Cycle Super-Highway is deliberately misleading. It suggests (to me) a motor-free route similar to a voie-verte. But reading the details of the OP, this is not so - else why should ASLs be relevant? So it is little more than a rebranding of existing infrastructure with minor additions to improve continuity (rather like the NCN).
Are concentrated cycle flows desirable, or does this hint that cycling on other radial routes will be frowned upon?Boris's spokesperson wrote:Cycle highways will be a set of twelve high-profile radial routes into and out of Central London that will concentrate cycle flows
Well, just how innovative is that?! I await the other innovations with bated breath (or at least I would if I lived near London).Boris's spokesperson wrote:Cycle highways will comprise a package of innovative measures, including information along the route
I've had a playful time imagining how it could be at Yet Another Cycle Forum
http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14059.0
http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14059.0
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Re: 2009 Cycle Super-Highways (London)
The mayor wrote:
Cycle highways will be a set of twelve high-profile radial routes into
and out of Central London that will concentrate cycle flows and provide a fast and efficient way into the centre.
Call me a cynic, but do I as a cyclist need to be concentrated into a flow?
Or is this for someone elses benefit.
Could it be that someone is upset that the bus lanes are being utillised to such an extent by the cyclists?
If london cyclists (me, I'm just a visitor) get given this infrastructure, is something going to be taken away too?
Cycle highways will be a set of twelve high-profile radial routes into
and out of Central London that will concentrate cycle flows and provide
a fast and efficient way into the centre
I'd love to be proved wrong, but there's a large pink pig outside my house revved up and waiting to fly....
I'm not holding my breath.
Jan
With a 250 mile prespective I too am suspicious of some of the wording. 'Concentrating the flow' sounds like the other side of the coin says 'banning from other routes'.
Value for money = only provided where it costs no more than a line in the road AND disappears from view where you really need it.
Coincidently there is a squadron of pigs taxiing on a field nearby.
Value for money = only provided where it costs no more than a line in the road AND disappears from view where you really need it.
Coincidently there is a squadron of pigs taxiing on a field nearby.
a little before the mayoral election Ken went big on cycling, without really knowing what he was on about, and Jenny Jones and TfL filled in the gaps. This scheme is what they filled it with.
As far as one can tell from the maps this springs out of studies made by TfL on the major routes into towns, and their desire to take all users and needs into the balance, rather than to concentrate on the swift passage of motor vehicles.
If it's the case that 12 radial routes will concentrate the flow of cyclists into the centre of town then it's clear that the critical mass that has been achieved on the A24/A3 can be replicated elsewhere - if (and it's a sizeable if) they use the routes that get cyclists from A to B in the shortest order, which are, for the most part, main roads. I'm optimistic that this is the case, given that the Embankment is, I understand, one of the routes.
This is going to give a shot in the arm to cycling in London, but, if I'm correct, will mean that LCN+ is a thing of the past. And a good thing too.
The other plank in the TfL plan was making suburban centres more sustainable by giving pedestrians, buses and cyclists priority. I see no mention of this. There's always hope...
As far as one can tell from the maps this springs out of studies made by TfL on the major routes into towns, and their desire to take all users and needs into the balance, rather than to concentrate on the swift passage of motor vehicles.
If it's the case that 12 radial routes will concentrate the flow of cyclists into the centre of town then it's clear that the critical mass that has been achieved on the A24/A3 can be replicated elsewhere - if (and it's a sizeable if) they use the routes that get cyclists from A to B in the shortest order, which are, for the most part, main roads. I'm optimistic that this is the case, given that the Embankment is, I understand, one of the routes.
This is going to give a shot in the arm to cycling in London, but, if I'm correct, will mean that LCN+ is a thing of the past. And a good thing too.
The other plank in the TfL plan was making suburban centres more sustainable by giving pedestrians, buses and cyclists priority. I see no mention of this. There's always hope...
I was waiting for SimonL6 to pop up and tell us that there already is a "cycle super highway" into London - and it's called the A24! 
But he seems kind of hopeful that the plans might be to legitimise and facilitate this kind of reclamation by cyclists of the old arterial routes, which naturally occupy the line of least resistance from A to B. Now that really would be innovative - in Britain anyway. I feel my scepticism ebbing away ...
But he seems kind of hopeful that the plans might be to legitimise and facilitate this kind of reclamation by cyclists of the old arterial routes, which naturally occupy the line of least resistance from A to B. Now that really would be innovative - in Britain anyway. I feel my scepticism ebbing away ...
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
anybody who's been on the receiving end of TfL consultation papers could be forgiven for being sceptical. You open the package, read the bits about bike underpasses with steps (honest) and sigh.
But - to take the obvious disparity between cycling on the A24 and the A23, which run side by side, it might be that you could make changes to the A23 which is not a comfortable road to ride on, and boost numbers. Banning right turns for traffic travelling southbound along Brixton Road, other than at traffic lights, would be a real boon - indeed, making small roads on the western side of Brixton Road no entry would be great. A bus lane northbound through Streatham would really help. Giving cycles great big ASLs and a fifteen second start at Kennington Lane/Kennington Road, and again entering Brixton Road coming southbound, to enable cyclists of a genteel persuasion to filter right would be good.
I don't think that this is the whole story. Cyclists have a pretty good deal going north on the Old Kent Road, but they're not so numerous, and it may be that demographics has a bearing on this. And, when all is said and done, Rosebery Avenue westbound is not a clever road to ride a bike on, and there are thousands of cyclists pouring down it.
But - to take the obvious disparity between cycling on the A24 and the A23, which run side by side, it might be that you could make changes to the A23 which is not a comfortable road to ride on, and boost numbers. Banning right turns for traffic travelling southbound along Brixton Road, other than at traffic lights, would be a real boon - indeed, making small roads on the western side of Brixton Road no entry would be great. A bus lane northbound through Streatham would really help. Giving cycles great big ASLs and a fifteen second start at Kennington Lane/Kennington Road, and again entering Brixton Road coming southbound, to enable cyclists of a genteel persuasion to filter right would be good.
I don't think that this is the whole story. Cyclists have a pretty good deal going north on the Old Kent Road, but they're not so numerous, and it may be that demographics has a bearing on this. And, when all is said and done, Rosebery Avenue westbound is not a clever road to ride a bike on, and there are thousands of cyclists pouring down it.
of course radial cycle routes into a city are not new.
Edinburgh has them with the old rail network. Of course its pretty unpleasant when you reach the city centre
Cambridge has them and is expanding them.
Londons playing catch up. I'm leaning towards Si's optimism. Direct routes with cycle friendly infrastructure loaded ontop ASLs etc. Of course the quality will be mixed. Some may be NCN style disasters and others may b really good. Its all progress.
Edinburgh has them with the old rail network. Of course its pretty unpleasant when you reach the city centre
Cambridge has them and is expanding them.
Londons playing catch up. I'm leaning towards Si's optimism. Direct routes with cycle friendly infrastructure loaded ontop ASLs etc. Of course the quality will be mixed. Some may be NCN style disasters and others may b really good. Its all progress.
I hate snow.