Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Quietways a “substandard distraction” says London Cycling Campaign

‘Where are the segregated lanes?’ asks campaign group

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, this week announced the opening of new stretches of Quietways in Southwark, Newham and Redbridge. London Cycling Campaign (LCC) says all three sections are flawed and highlight the ongoing failure of the Quietways programme.

Announcing the routes on Thursday, Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted these three new Quietway routes are being officially opened today as part of our growing network across the capital. Given the damaging impact toxic air has on our city, it is vital that we do all we can to enable more Londoners to cycle and reduce journeys by car.

“The latest figures show that Quietways are leading to a big increase in cycling with 24,000 bike journeys on Quietway 2 within its first week of opening. It is great to see that Londoners of all ages and abilities are embracing the opportunity to ride safely on backstreets and now many more people will be able to benefit.”

However, LCC’s infrastructure expert Simon Munk said that while Quietways were an important element of the capital’s cycling network, their quality varied considerably, often deteriorating noticeably where a route crossed from one borough into another with lesser ambitions for cycling.

He feels that the latest announcement merely serves to highlight a lack of progress building segregated cycle lanes.

“On current rate of progress the mayor is already set to dramatically undershoot the promise he made to triple the mileage of segregated cycle lanes in London. Now it seems that TfL are offering a substandard Quietway programme as a distraction.

“A proper network of both segregated lanes and genuine Quietways are essential to meeting the Mayor’s promise to make London a ‘byword for cycling’. Unless the Mayor urgently gets a grip on this, his cycling legacy will be one of promises unfulfilled.”

LCC contrasted the mayor’s “timidity” with the City of London’s draft Transport Strategy, released earlier this week, which proposes the removal of cars from half of streets in the Square Mile, two metre wide segregated cycle lanes on others and the implementation of a 15mph speed limit.

The campaign group also points to “truly quiet cycle routes” in Hackney and Waltham Forest. “The Mayor’s Transport Strategy talks of these approvingly,” it says. “But the evidence is clear – when boroughs refuse to reduce motor traffic, TfL fund their Quietways regardless. It’s time for the Mayor to say enough is enough.”

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
srchar | 5 years ago
10 likes

Useless Cunt wrote:

24,000 bike journeys on Quietway 2 within its first week of opening

Probably 24,000 journeys the week before too, unless the odd bike painted on the road attracts hordes of riders.

Avatar
nniff replied to srchar | 5 years ago
0 likes

, unless the odd bike painted on the road attracts hordes of riders.

[/quote]

 

To my mind, the random painting of bikes on the highway in the absence of anything resembling a cycle lane is the contemporary equivalent of 'Here there be monsters' on an old chart and is  similarly four fifths of f*** all use to anyone

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
7 likes

quietways are basically another form of pushing cyclists off the highway so motors can have uninterrupted use of the roads and not have those pesky cyclists getting under the wheels.

Because who the fuck wants to go down circuitous routes that cross more junctions and have parked cars both sides, utter crap and a lazy 'solution'

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
0 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

quietways are basically another form of pushing cyclists off the highway so motors can have uninterrupted use of the roads and not have those pesky cyclists getting under the wheels.

Because who the fuck wants to go down circuitous routes that cross more junctions and have parked cars both sides, utter crap and a lazy 'solution'

the one that goes along Union Street in Southwark is quite nice. It takes you through some interesting areas, and is genuinely quite quiet and enjoyable. I use it sometimes when I'm returning from a long ride and don't much want to concentrate anymore on the busier route that I use every day on my commute.

Q14 follows almost the exact route that I picked out for myself in the early 90s when I first started cycling in London, and commuted to Oxford Street. In fact, I think it was marked out on the old map that LCC used to produce back then.

They are the only ones I've used, but they strike me as being well thought out alternatives to the superhighways, which use fast, direct routes for commuters and people who are confident in traffic. You're not forced to use them and they don't give motors uninterrupted use of the roads.

Edit: corrected Q14 to Q1

Latest Comments