I am a london university student going into my 3rd and final year. For some strange reason I've caught the feeling that I should cycle there this year. I am going to be living in the Tufnell Park area and commuting to Holborn. It would save me a lot of money and I think I'd really enjoy it.
One thing guiding this possibility for me is that I researched and found one of London's cycle routes, specifically C6 is very near. I would have to cycle a short distance at the start from Tufnell Park to Kentish Town but then I would be on the C6 route all the way there. Additionally, with lockdown easing etc they have announced the closure of several central london roads to cars, so this seems like strong incentive. It would also only take little over 20 minutes.
The issue is I'm not sure how great and safe this cycle route is, especially for beginners. I have a feeling C6 it has been updated since google maps took pictures, but when I follow the map it still has many points which seem quite daunting and despite what the continuous green line shows, it does not seem entirely continuous. I am therefore wondering if anybody with experience of the route or able to have a glance at it https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/cycle?intcmp=40402&intcmp=58492&intcmp=60683 can advise me. (Screenshots of C6 provided by Tfl attached below) Specifically has it been updated? Have covid developments made my route easier?
Will even having to cycle from Tufnell Park to Kentish Town itself without a cycle lane be too daunting and prohibitive? I do recall hearing that around this area was what was/is known as 'death mile' for cyclists/road accidents and more broadly it is hard not to be taken in by all the cycling horror stories around central london.
So - Is C6 a safe cycle route for me as a beginner for a daily 20 minute each way commute?
One thing guiding this possibility for me is that I researched and found one of London's cycle routes, specifically C6 is very near. I would have to cycle a short distance at the start from Tufnell Park to Kentish Town but then I would be on the C6 route all the way there. Additionally, with lockdown easing etc they have announced the closure of several central london roads to cars, so this seems like strong incentive. It would also only take little over 20 minutes.
The issue is I'm not sure how great and safe this cycle route is, especially for beginners. I have a feeling C6 it has been updated since google maps took pictures, but when I follow the map it still has many points which seem quite daunting and despite what the continuous green line shows, it does not seem entirely continuous. I am therefore wondering if anybody with experience of the route or able to have a glance at it https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/cycle?intcmp=40402&intcmp=58492&intcmp=60683 can advise me. (Screenshots of C6 provided by Tfl attached below) Specifically has it been updated? Have covid developments made my route easier?
Will even having to cycle from Tufnell Park to Kentish Town itself without a cycle lane be too daunting and prohibitive? I do recall hearing that around this area was what was/is known as 'death mile' for cyclists/road accidents and more broadly it is hard not to be taken in by all the cycling horror stories around central london.
So - Is C6 a safe cycle route for me as a beginner for a daily 20 minute each way commute?