Blackfriars Bridge.

[hackbike 666]

Took a pic of the north side of the bridge which has changed and I do not like it one bit.

Realised that vehicles can do a right from where the cab is standing which wasn't possible before...but why complicate the junction and make it worse for cyclists.I have to cross this bit and I do not actually like where I am standing.....Normally im positioned around there.

Waterloo Bridge is a mess at the moment.Southwark Bridge is out and my only other option really is London Bridge.

Why are the bridges such a f-up though?

Any ideas?

 

[gaz]

None of them are perfect. It's either chelsea or vauxhall for me. easy choice in my mind.

 

[hackbike 666]

None of them are perfect. It's either chelsea or vauxhall for me. easy choice in my mind.

Too far out for me really.I found the route to Waterloo Bridge recently but then they suddenly decided to start digging it up and putting a million cones down.I crossed it this morning to have a look.

Now got used to London Bridge layout southwards and how all the traffic behaves but even at the end they have roadworks so the traffic has to go into Stamford Street.Only other option is Tower Bridge I guess.

 

[Origamist]

They put in a new cycle lane to the left of the lights (you can just see it in the distance - far left of the frame). Annoyingly it is light controlled and stops you when the traffic on your right can proceed left with a green filter, but when they all go green you can still get left hooked! It's typically poor UK infrastructure and makes a mockery of the "green wave" concept deployed so successfully in the Netherlands and Denmark.

 

[hackbike 666]

I really think it's a poor layout and has not been thought of with cyclists in mind.

I'll relook at the cycle lane and what you say.With taking the pic I could see how the traffic behaves and with the weird right turn from the other side I had never noticed before.

You are right lee I think it is more dangerous now,my first time round there I had to stop off on the left because I couldn't get into the right hand turn lane early enough.

Cabbie or something stopped because he thought I was going to cut across without looking of which I didn't.

 

[Origamist]

There's a write-up here, HB:

http://realcycling.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-new-year-but-not-on-blackfriars.html

 

[hackbike 666]

There's a write-up here, HB:

http://realcycling.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-new-year-but-not-on-blackfriars.html

No wonder every cyclist we saw simply ignored it and rode through red (below)

Like they need a excuse?

Seriously reading that makes me realise it's worse than I thought it was....

and (2) I haven't been looking at new road layouts before I have used them.

What I saw when I took the pics was shocking.

Yes the No U Turn sign....how many are going to ignore that?

Sickening the bridge is worse than ever.

 

[stowie]

There's a write-up here, HB:

http://realcycling.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-new-year-but-not-on-blackfriars.html

From the article

"Integrate cyclist with main stream of traffic, or build a segregated Dutch-style system? It's one of the big debates of the moment. In London, all attempts to do the latter have failed miserably. By contrast, all attempts to the do the former have failed appallingly."

Too true, unfortunately. Whilst they build appalling, ill-thought out and plain dangerous "facilities" such as these, cycling will never take off in the way the great and the good say they want it to.

I don't know whether the people who put in these cycling abominations are stupid or just don't care. Possibly both.

 

[hackbike 666]

I must say im shocked and disapointed at the way Blackfriars Bridge has turned out....but as I have been saying a lot within the last few years (and visiting other countries) it is very much the car rules.

Another thing is quite a few cyclists use this bridge and a few have been...well you know what.This will not help in one bit.

 

[Tynan]

does the problem happen because cyclists aren;t prepared ro ride in primary in slow traffic when they can get on by filtering?

 

[hackbike 666]

does the problem happen because cyclists aren;t prepared ro ride in primary in slow traffic when they can get on by filtering?

No the problem is caused because the layout is 5h1t.

Primary doesn't solve everything.

Plus the fact when I use it im generally doing a right there anyway so im in the right hand turn lane.

 

[g00se]

I went through there last Wednesday - rush hour on much the same route - coming East up from the Thames and crossing over the North<->South traffic.

The traffic coming north over the bridge crosses and merges to get into the their lane and the junction is packed but crawling when you get the green to go. It's a pain in the ar5e to cross.

 

[Molecule Man]

I've been crossing at Blackfriars recently, since Waterloo Bridge has been reduced to one narrow lane, and I have to confess I hadn't even noticed those bike lane lights. I sometimes use the bike lane, sometimes not, it seems to me that there's a risk of meeting parked vehicles at the north end of it, and being forced to pull back out into the main flow of traffic.

 

[Molecule Man]

Waterloo just one lane?

It was like that last week anyway, in both directions I think.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Waterloo just one lane nb to Strand/Aldwych. And the Kingsway underpass is closed as well. Utter 'mare according to colleague who buses in that way.