Overwhelming support for giving up more road space to cyclists,........

[classic33]

...................poll reveals, as Londoners back cycle superhighway scheme.
Giving up more road space for cyclists in London

"Londoners strongly support Boris Johnson’s plan to remove central London road space from motorists to create safe routes for cyclists, a poll reveals today.

A YouGov poll found 64 per cent support for the Mayor’s 14-mile “Crossrail for bikes” £48 million project that will take up one of four lanes on the Victoria Embankment, with 24 per cent opposed and the remainder undecided.

There was two-to-one backing for segregated cycle routes even if they resulted in longer journey times for motorists, with 51 per cent in favour and 26 per cent against.

The findings came as more than 100 major employers gave their public backing to the proposals. Land Securities - the UK’s largest commercial property company - and the Royal Opera House joined supporters including RBS, the Crown Estate and Barts Health NHS trust.

The poll of 1,002 Londoners was commissioned by CyclingWorks.London, a group co-ordinating business responses to the new superhighways. Polling was carried out between October 8 and 13."

 

[classic33]

Motorists approve the idea of getting cyclists out of their way shock.

Even if it results in longer journey times for them.

 

[Markymark]

Nah, its giving up one whole lane to cyclists - this is a +ve step. In the short term this WILL increase journey times for motorists but hopefully people are seeing in the long term removing the single occupancy cars in London will speed up traffic flow for the essential traffic (delivery, buses etc).

 

[Markymark]

You think? I think it will encourage more cyclists by offering a decent route into London giving them space taken up by motorists.

Many here revere the wonderful Dutch infrastructure of which part of it is dedicated cycle routes. I can't stand the crappy painted bit of paint putting cyclists in danger as a terrible afterthought but this goes way beyond that and will actually be a decent place to be.

 

[Markymark]

It's a major route East-West and will attract large numbers who may not have ordinarily gone that way in the same way as motorways sometimes take you away from the most direct route.

 

[Markymark]

The embankment is traditionally 2 lanes. One is now going to be for cyclists - not sure for how much of it but its a major route across London.

 

[Drago]

Why don't the double yella's extend across the entrances?

 

[mjr]

It doesn't have to be exactly A to B because I think I'd go slightly out of my way to use the new cycleway, if it's any good, because it'll be easier and possibly faster.

Looking at the GPS recordings of my recent riding in London (trips between King's Cross, Paddington and Waterloo), even the not-very-good Torrington Place cycleway was faster than the on-road section of route west of Tottenham Court Road and I was slightly faster on the lumpy cycleway next to Constitution Hill than on the road... which is counterintuitive because I feel like I'm working harder to keep nearer the motor traffic speed when there is no protected space. What my recordings don't show is what other vehicles were doing: I wonder if any speed improvements from wider lanes and better junction visibility are negated by slowing to negotiate my way between or around motor vehicles at pinch points and junctions - it looks like I slowed earlier on the approach to junctions when I was not on the cycleway.

I know that faster riders may well find that having riders like me in a too-narrow lane like Torrington Place slows them down enough that it wouldn't be quicker for them. That's part of why I support keeping the main traffic lanes open for cycling too. The other is that I think it should keep a check on designers and builders, with them wanting to avoid being shamed for building infrastructure that is worse than the competing roads, although I know that it's currently seen as reckless cyclists ignoring cycleways by an uncomprehending public - I'd welcome any help challenging the people who suggest forcing cycles to use cycleways, pointing out that if they were built well, you wouldn't need to force most riders.

 

[theclaud]

I'd welcome any help challenging the people who suggest forcing cycles to use cycleways

You can challenge it every day by claiming your space on the road. No need to thank me...

 

[mjr]

You can challenge it every day by claiming your space on the road. No need to thank me...

And yet, that approach was tried for decades and did nothing to stem the decline, did it?

Groups like Stop Killing Cyclists are finally getting traction and it seems to be improving things, so let's back them.

 

[mjr]

You like to conflate things and draw spurious conclusions, don't you...

Nah, I'm just not showing all the steps in between during this discussion, because it's more about the Die In than why it's basically a good thing.

 

[classic33]

Nah, I'm just not showing all the steps in between during this discussion, because it's more about the Die In than why it's basically a good thing.

The "Die In" has a seperate thread, for a reason.

 

[mjr]

The "Die In" has a seperate thread, for a reason.

Yeah, sorry, this cold is a pig!

 

[dellzeqq]

And yet, that approach was tried for decades and did nothing to stem the decline, did it?

Groups like Stop Killing Cyclists are finally getting traction and it seems to be improving things, so let's back them.

the decline?

 

[Dan B]

the decline?

Torrington Place is flat as far as I recall, so I guess he's talking about Constitution Hill, which has a pretty good slope on it