Cycle Superhighways

[Agent Sparrow]

Now I have some more experience of them, I hate to say it but I'm going to say that they do have a positive use! Not necessarily as a safe, segregated cycle lane, but at least there aren't any potholes, and the blue paint and fresh tarmac makes it quite a smooth, frictionless ride when you're on it.

 

[Sgt Howie]

Now I have some more experience of them, I hate to say it but I'm going to say that they do have a positive use! Not necessarily as a safe, segregated cycle lane, but at least there aren't any potholes, and the blue paint and fresh tarmac makes it quite a smooth, frictionless ride when you're on it.

Enjoy it until next time the utility companies need to get to their pipes/cables!

 

[Spark]

It depends where you are. Through tooting there are a couple of sections where they appear to have just painted over imperfections such as potholes creating a smoother surface on top of very uneven terrain.

 

[Crispy]

Yeah, I don't think they did much resurfacing, the blue paint seems to follow the contours of whatever was there before - like where there was already a cycle lane and you can see the impression of the bicycle symbol indented in the blue

Also, they really went paint happy in the non laned parts. In the Elephant & Castle diversion bit (which I don't use cos it takes ages to go around), there's a bit with a fence on both sides, absolutely impossible to get lost, but there's still a massive blue square on the path every 3 meters. Someone on the board of the blue paint company slipped over an envelope of money, I reckon.

 

[Sunray]

Threads merged

TFL are doing some customer research on the SUPER highways. You can participate here:

www.accent-mr.com/BCSH7

I use the lane from oval to the city and I can honestly say it hasn't made a lick of difference to my ride. Waste of blue paint.

The CS3 route I really like, not that I use it, but have used it, it runs from central out to the canary wharf and beyond. To canary wharf its predominately off road/back street and lovely and wide so you can really shoot along.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

Well they seem to have been quite sucessful http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/17912.aspx

 

[Crispy]

That's good news

 

[nino_savatte]

I don't think the cycle superhighway network is all that it's cracked up to be. In some cases, like the one on Newham Way, they've dug it up and offered no diversion. In fact, there was a sign that said "Cyclists dismount". It's much easier to cycle on the roads. That said, most of them a full of potholes.

 

[Crispy]

The only half-decent bits that I use are on the approach to, and over, Southwark Bridge. But those were quiet roads already. Even there, there's several sections where 4 or so car parking spaces have taken precedent over the cycle lane, so it just stops dead and continues afterwards.

They're awful cycle lanes, but if they're encouraging people to ride, then they're ok by me.

 

[fredfelt]

I don't think the cycle superhighway network is all that it's cracked up to be. In some cases, like the one on Newham Way, they've dug it up and offered no diversion. In fact, there was a sign that said "Cyclists dismount". It's much easier to cycle on the roads. That said, most of them a full of potholes.

For what it's worth I understand that "Cyclists dismount" signs are just suggestions - not orders. You are free to ignore these signs.

 

[nino_savatte]

For what it's worth I understand that "Cyclists dismount" signs are just suggestions - not orders. You are free to ignore these signs.

I do But it sums up the underlying attitude to cycling in this country.

 

[Kanda]

I do But it sums up the underlying attitude to cycling in this country.

It doesn't really though does it. It's simply saying: 'There's an obstruction to this cycleway and we probably advise you dismount if you're not happy about cycling on the roads. This isn't an order though, if you don't mind the road and not this magical blue path, feel free to carry on'

 

[nino_savatte]

It doesn't really though does it. It's simply saying: 'There's an obstruction to this cycleway and we probably advise you dismount if you're not happy about cycling on the roads. This isn't an order though, if you don't mind the road and not this magical blue path, feel free to carry on'

The thing is I see a lot of unnecessary "Cyclists dismount" signs. Which reminds me, I use the roads most of the time. I'm not a fan of cycle lanes.

 

[Kanda]

The thing is I see a lot of unnecessary "Cyclists dismount" signs. Which reminds me, I use the roads most of the time. I'm not a fan of cycle lanes.

They're advisory, no need to get upset by them

 

[nino_savatte]

They're advisory, no need to get upset by them

Like the advisory cycle lanes you mean?

 

[Boycey]

they are advisory but have an accident while not using an available cycle lane and you may be leaving yourself open to "contributory negligence": http://www.ffw.com/publications/all/articles/cycle-lanes.aspx

the law really is an ass...

 

[nino_savatte]

they are advisory but have an accident while not using an available cycle lane and you may be leaving yourself open to "contributory negligence": http://www.ffw.com/publications/all/articles/cycle-lanes.aspx

the law really is an ass...

Quite absurd really. Most advisory cycle lanes are full of parked cars. Even some proper cycle lanes - like the one on Kew Road - is full of parked cars. Those motorists shouldn't be parking in them yet they somehow feel that they have the God-given right to disobey the law.

 

[Crispy]

Consultation begins on CS5: New Cross to Victoria

Route details here: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cycling/cs5 including detailed maps of each section. Haven't looked it all over yet.

 

[Onket]

Was just about to post this- https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cycling/cs5

Will have a proper look later too.

 

[teuchter]

hm, in my in-head map of London, such a straight-line route from Camberwell to Victoria didn't exist. If you'd have asked me to cycle without looking at a map, I'd possibly have set off along coldharbour lane and gone via Stockwell.

 

[Crispy]

Camberwell to Victoria is an almost completely straight and direct road. That diagramatic map is actually pretty accurate, with only Peckham Road/High St. and the kinks round Oval/Vauxhall being straightened out.

 

[nino_savatte]

There are still no Cycle Superhighways from the West... not that I think they're much good btw.

 

[Orang Utan]

That New Cross to Victoria route is very straightforward already. It doesn't need a load of blue paint stuck all over it. It would be a waste of money.

 

[Orang Utan]

I used a bit of one of these superhighways when I was cycling from Deptford to Walthamstow. It seemed to completely disappear at huge roundabouts and at other places, so you had a tense experience getting across them at Poplar and crossing
lanes in the one way system at Stratford.
One roundabout had clear lanes and made such a difference - Bow. Though I read that someone managed to get themselves killed last year on that roundabout.

 

[plurker]

Though I read that someone managed to get themselves killed last year on that roundabout.

It was 2 cyclists in a month I think....

edit - 2 in 3 weeks in fact.

 

[Orang Utan]

It was 2 cyclists in a month I think....

edit - 2 in 3 weeks in fact.

oh, so that's how it happened. it's fine if you keep an eye out for traffic coming up behind you. not ideal though.

 

[ferrelhadley]

They seem to be making a dogs breakfast of the Stratford High Street (the A118) from the Bow interchange to the center of Stratford. They had laid down what looked like a rather narrow segregation barrier thing for buses and are now pulling some of them up.

I am assuming it is related to this.
https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cycling/cs2extension