Bad road layout on CS7 near Elephant

[leemo]

If you use CS7 to circumvent the Elephant and Castle roundabout please be wary of the junction at Gaunt street and Southward bridge road going south:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.498...=hRnM8dk68sNPMzaOJ7xD7Q&cbp=12,175.09,,0,-0.4

The signage has changed and the blue paint applied when it became part of the Cycle Superhighway. However Im not sure is an improvement because from the other direction the the Give Way signs have been removed and instead there is the double-dashed give way marking on the road:

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.497...=86DB2yevMq5cCAUVIMbC9A&cbp=12,19.82,,0,19.52

However the double-dashed line could be a bit tricky to see if there is eg a bus infront of you. Its not obvious that what one should give way to is oncoming cyclists and this might happen:


View: http://youtu.be/A3cEb3ZWKrM


This seems like a really bad layout that I'd avoid were it not that the Elephant and Castle roundabout is probably worse. Is there someone in the council or TfL that can be notified of this dangerous junction? Can I find out the reason that the Give Way signs were removed?

 

[gaz]

I may have an e-mail address of someone useful at TFL.. let me see if i can find it.

If i can't the best thing to do is just report it via the TFL website (there will be something under the contact us area).

 

[Pisquee]

I much prefer the roundabout (apart from the day my chain came off on the middle of it!) as you are in the flow of traffic, rather than seeming to be cutting across it unexpectedly.

 

[leemo]

yeah maybe I should go back to using the roundabout but I seem to recall somewhere seeing that it is an accident black spot. Anyone else who does this route have a view on which is the safer option?

 

[jonny jeez]

yeah maybe I should go back to using the roundabout but I seem to recall somewhere seeing that it is an accident black spot. Anyone else who does this route have a view on which is the safer option?

I ride the road round the elephant, I dislike the cycle route and it doesn't really suit my direction of travel. Never had an issue using the road until the last two weeks and on both occasions (two incidents) was nearly off'ed by cyclists!

Take the lane you need early, hold it and stay in primary (to control the lane) until you want to exit and it'll be fine. (just make sure you know what lane you need). DO NOT try to ride around the edge of the RAB (unless taking the first exit), this is very dangerous, confusing and daft...I still see riders doing it every week and am amazed they lack such basic common sense.

Never really had any issue with cars on the RAB everyone seems to take their time.

 

[saoirse50]

I find the roundabout easy to negotiate, especially now there is only one and it is controlled by traffic lights. In the 70's (and possibly 80's, I forget exactly when it first got lights) it had no lights and was quite an adrenalin booster. However, I have to admit, when escorting those new to cycling or youngsters through the area, I rarely use it. Unless there is just one of them and they specifically want to learn how to negotiate it. So it seems especially important that the cycleroutes that facilitate its avoidance, are kept as safe and hazard free as possible, as that is where the less experienced are likely to be, attempting to become experienced. Is this particular junction Southwark controlled or a TfL one? Correspondence with the relevant authority may be in order.

 

[saoirse50]

PS The relevant authorities should perhaps see the video, too.

 

[ianrauk]

I find the roundabout easy to negotiate, especially now there is only one and it is controlled by traffic lights. In the 70's (and possibly 80's, I forget exactly when it first got lights) it had no lights and was quite an adrenalin booster. However, I have to admit, when escorting those new to cycling or youngsters through the area, I rarely use it. Unless there is just one of them and they specifically want to learn how to negotiate it. So it seems especially important that the cycleroutes that facilitate its avoidance, are kept as safe and hazard free as possible, as that is where the less experienced are likely to be, attempting to become experienced. Is this particular junction Southwark controlled or a TfL one? Correspondence with the relevant authority may be in order.

You could show me. I don't think I have negotiated the RAB successfully ever....hate the bloody thing.

 

[saoirse50]

Certainly, my dear. When I did the cycle instructor training, on the last day, we went up there. It was used as an example of the most difficult junction. It was the only non compulsory bit of the training. (We did several other roundabouts, though). They took us round, one at a time, but only if we wanted to do it. Then we could opt to take someone else round. Several of the guys were from out of London, and had not done much really busy urban riding. They opted not to give it a go, as they did not envisage such a situation arising in their future training career.
To be honest, I haven't used the roundabout much since they chopped off the southern one. In the past I lived just off the Walworth Rd on the Pullens so it was a twice daily feature of my commute. I remember being quite annoyed when they put the lights on it. You couldn't hit it at speed and whirl round both of the half circuits in a glorious swoop anymore.