City of London Cycle Lane around Tower

[Brains]

Planning & Transportation Department
City Planning Officer, Peter Rees

Re Local Cycle Link Lane: Link 280
Location: Mark Lane-Hart St-Crutched Friars EC3
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Dear Sirs,

The critical cycle link lane that connects the main cycle route in from the east of London from Portsoken St to Great Tower St and the rest of the City and West End appears to have been suspended in the last few days.

I suspect this is not an authorised suspension as I can find no notice of the suspension attached to lamp posts or similar at the site, nor any mention of the suspension on your web site.

All of the cycle signs have had black gaffa tape placed over them and many of the signs warning that the road is for two way traffic have had bin bags placed over them. Therefore it looks like the road is closed to cycles.

If this is a genuine suspension then please could you advise the alternate route between Portsoken St and Great Tower St, and may I suggest you urgently post some diversion signs.

If this is not a genuine suspension please could you advise me of the same and I will remove the gaffa tape and the bags on your behalf.

The reason for the urgent request is I had "frank discussion" with a White Van Man after his attempt to run me off the road and his suggestion exactly where I should park my bicycle.

Unusually for a White Van Man, he did have a valid point, as all the signs warning of oncoming cycles are now covered.

Before you end up with a far more serious situation, a solution is required.

If the suspension is genuine, then I can only assume it is connected to the building works in Crutched Friars. May I suggest that if this is the case, that the Mark Lane entrance is closed to all but construction traffic and cycles. The motor traffic can then be diverted up Mincing Lane and Seething Lane.

FYI: The only CofL weblink I could find on the original construction of the link.
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BC0EE95D-9454-4F0B-8AC4-5D21A8C29A24/0/DP_PL_PUB_LCN5.pdf


I await your reply with interest

 

[Brains]

I completely sympathise with you on this.

We were in the process of installing the measures to allow people who cycle to go from Crosswall to Great Tower Street along Crutched Friars, Hart Street and Mark Lane. However, during the implementation works, the City decided that it wished to discuss this matter further. Therefore, those signs that were being erected were covered over as soon as possible. This occurred in late March / early April.

At the entry to Crutched Friars (i.e at Crosswall), the no entry signs are still there and the street has not yet officially been changed from what it has been for many years. Likewise at the other end (near Great Tower Street), the one way signs are still visible for people coming in the opposite direction.

I realise that the alternative routes are not very direct and/or mean you have to cycle on very busy streets, which is not at pleasant.

A report is being written about this issue (and other locations in the City). This will be discussed by the City at various committees in the next month or so. Anyone is welcome to attend the public parts of these committees if they wish. I can't provide exact dates until the report is completed, but if you are interested I will be happy to let you know which committee it is going to and who you can get in touch with if you wish to go and contribute to the discussion.

If the City decides to go ahead and finish the works at this location (and I sincerely hope they do), I hope that this will allow the streets to be officially changed by about August.

If you wish to discuss this further, or any cycling issues, please feel free to call or email me directly.

Regards, Jereme

Jereme McKaskill
Cycling Officer | City of London
Department of Planning and Transportation | North Wing | Guildhall
City of London | PO box 270, Guildhall | LONDON | EC2P 2EJ | England
Telephone 020 7332 3580 | www.cityoflondon.gov.uk


​

 

[Brains]

Jereme

Thanks for your mail - It's nice to know someone actually cares.

I'd like to be kept updated on this issue as it is my belief that this short section of the cycle route basically connects East London/Canary Wharf/Greenwich with the City/Westminster etc. Therefore it is as critical to cyclists as say Lower Thames St is to cars.

If you think my presence (or the presence on any other member of the public) would help jolly the situation along, or persuade any waverers on the committee to continue to do the right thing then of course I will attend the meeting(s)

In the meantime, in the absence of any other alternative, I, like dozens of other cyclists will continue to use the route every day in both directions.

 

[mr_cellophane]

I noticed the signs and little ped island in Crutched Friars yesterday. I didn't think that used to be a contra flow, although the number of motorcyclists who go the wrong way along there and Lloyds Avenue to the parking bays there is terrible.

 

[graebo83]

The current situation is really dangerous! If there is a cycle lane entrance painted onto the road, then cars and vans coming the other way should be warned of oncoming cyclists. The fact the no entry signs haven't been amended yet is a technicality, to most people it would look like you are allowed to cycle down that street and it is going to cause an accident. It is too late for the council to pause this project, they need to finish what they started asap before somebody gets hurt, august is far too long!