More bikes than cars

[deptfordmarmoset]

There was an article on the BBC News this evening (6pm, BBC1, I think) that talked about the fact that there are now more bikes than vehicles using Cheapside, in the City of London. There was even some hazy sketching-out of a possible turning point where road planners actually change their priorities (rather than just spin a change) in favour of cyclists.

Whichever, well done, Cheapside cyclists!

There has been some news recently about which vehicles most use the central London bridges and I seem to remember that there are now a couple of bridges which carry more bikes than motor vehicles.

Does anybody know of any other locations where bikes outnumber - or are about to outnumber - infernal congestion engines?

 

[Keith Oates]

I don't know of another place where that has happened but it does show how the popularity of biking is growing again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RedRider]

Interesting.

I wonder whether cycles have ever been so prolific in central london? They're few and far between in the old photos I've seen. During the blitz, maybe?

Are we approaching critical mass?

 

[Dan B]

On some roads at some times of day, we've hit critical mass already. Try riding down Clerkenwell Road at rush hour, for example

 

[RedRider]

Exciting times. How long 'til the planners and decision makers react?

 

[dellzeqq]

the reaction from Johnson's satraps at TfL has been to switch off their brains

https://www.cyclechat.net/

Blackfriars Bridge has certainly had more bikes than private cars for three years. The A3/A24 corridor carries more bikes than private cars in rush hour. I would think that Southwark Bridge and possibly London Bridge would have reached the more bikes than private cars point.

The difficulty with these stories is that they miss the vital ingredient - most motorised traffic in central London is commercial. Cars might disappear altogether, but vans, buses and lorries aren't going to go away (unless Osborne really does bankrupt us all).

 

[jefmcg]

Cheapside? That thing is a mess and has been for over a year. It's completely closed eastward, and a narrow corridor westward, were I have had a bus right on my arse more than once. I was on it last night about 6, there was maybe 1 or 2 other cyclists, a taxi or two and two buses - no private cars. I jumped a red light, which I don't normally do, because there was a bus behind me, and they tend to accelerate past and then pull into the stop outside Tesco's (technically on Poultry, I think).

Cars don't use it because there are lots of buses and no way to get past. This is a pyrrhic victory.

 

[EC2boy]

Cheapside was over 50% cycling before they started the roadworks. Here's some stats for starters http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.com/2011/02/london-bridge-and-blackfriars-bridge.html

and here's a link to the piece in the Sunday Times that kicked off the BBC's interest and my thoughts on Jeremy Clarkson's piece in the same edition, also on cycling:

http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.com/2011/06/jeremy-clarkson-still-thinks-were-anti.html

 

[EC2boy]

Oh, and if you want to see what's going on in detail at Cheapside http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.com/2010/10/cheapside-were-20-of-traffic.html

 

[JamesAC]

I cycle along the SuperHighway in Cable Street (east London) and it's a joy to behold the dozens and dozens of cyclists zipping along in both directions.

Even more when the sun is shining!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Thanks for those links, EC2boy. I actually had a look at Cheapside this morning but, as it was well after commuting times, there weren't a lot of cyclists around. And the fact that it's one-way while the extensive roadworks are carried out will have reduced all forms of traffic.

Still, it was very noticeable how, when the sun came out in the afternoon, an impressive number of Boris Bikes returned to the roads. Nice to see that, even though many of the riders didn't appear to be very road aware.

EDIT: oh, and that's a very nice blog you've got there.

 

[EC2boy]

@deptfordmamoset. Thanks for the compliment on the blog. Yup. cheapside ebbs and flows. Towards lunchtime people are now starting to get on cycle hire bikes and whizz to meetings. you're starting to see a fair number of people in suits just going about their business. It's slowly beginning to change.