Ha! Cycle that way 2-3 times a week and NEVER noticed it!
New(?) East > Central London Route (avoiding Bow)
- Thread starter Alan Whicker
- Start date
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stowie
Legendary Member
Without any fanfare or prominent signage, an off-road cycling and walking bypass of the dangerous Lea Interchange has opened up in East London.
For riders heading west from Waltham Forest the route avoids the multiple traffic lanes and crossings where a cyclist was killed at the Lea Interchange during the London 2012 games.
http://lcc.org.uk/articles/secret-route-bypassing-the-dangerous-lea-interchange-opens-in-east-london
This route passes south of the Velopark and ultimately ends in ramp leading to a barrier in front of the four lane Waterden Road that connects with the Westfield shopping centre. It is unclear what, if any, further connection will be provided for walkers and cyclists.
This is where it ends:
What on earth?! LCC article seems to be quite positive about this cycle route, but is this how it ends?
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
I asked John Cryer the MP for the area and also several councillors for Walkem forest why it needed to be taken. Wansted flats floods worse than ever since the Met built the marshalling centre there. the ODA , LOCOG and the OPLC are all , well I am not going to use the word, but i think you understand
I've cycled around this area at weekends and it's all very pleasant, but for many of us (or at least for me) it'll never be a serious route to commute along due to where we are going. And most importantly, new and beginner cyclists will not know about it - and Bow Roundabout is at its most dangerous in those first few times you use it (In my opinion).
Incidentally, people may be interested in a project I've just started on Youtube - to document every one of my Bow Roundabout crossings.
Currently at 32 crossings - 21 have had ''issues'' of some kind.
www.youtube.com/bowroundabout
Incidentally, people may be interested in a project I've just started on Youtube - to document every one of my Bow Roundabout crossings.
Currently at 32 crossings - 21 have had ''issues'' of some kind.
www.youtube.com/bowroundabout
stowie
Legendary Member
The route through Victoria park, over Hackney Wick and then through the Olympic park to Leyton works pretty well for me as I live in Walthamstow. It is much, much nicer than going through Bow and Stratford Gyratory.
I have some videos of Bow that I could donate to your project! Horrible mess of a junction which is laughably held up as improving cycle infrastructure. Makes me very irritated to even think about the
spen666
Legendary Member
Ever thought there may be something in your technique that needs changing? I have no idea how you ride, but I ride that route twice a day and rarely if ever have any problems at all. That would suggest to me that:
1. I am more ignorant of issues than you
2. I have been incredibly lucky compared to you
3. i adopt a different approach to the place compared to you ( I use the flyover to avoid the roundabout in its entireity. Could this be a change you could make?)
Maybe the language I used is ambiguous, but I didn't say 'I have had issues' -I'm pointing out that there are regular issues there. If you watch the videos you'll see what I mean.
Take this morning's video, for example.
1) Cars in ASL (An issue)
2) Cyclist on left side of white van (An issue)
3) Van indicates late (An issue)
4) Van left hooks van (An issue)
5) Segregation puts cyclists exactly at the most dangerous point of the road (where the last death occurred).
Some of these issues are behavioural, many are structural.
Ah, the flyover. I used to use it every day, but with the implementation of the segregation I very rarely do now. Hoping for space in the traffic both sides when you have to also line those spaces up with holes in the segregation is too much faff if you ask me.
My biggest concern is that the facility should cater particularly for new and beginner cyclists - but I think these are the type of individuals who will make the biggest mistakes that are built in to this facility.
spen666
Legendary Member
Bizarrely, I find heading into town on a morning it is now easier to get across the traffic and onto the flyover than it used to be before the segregated section was installed. I find traffic far more accomodating than before. I usually pull onto the road at the largest gap in the segregation and move immediately into the right hand lane
stowie
Legendary Member
Some of the issues I have had using the flyover
You need to be a bit lively to get onto it, and really rather assertive. I am not overly keen on the speed of drivers on the flyover and seen some horrible overtakes when the cyclist has been too close to the gutter. On the way down I have had drivers simply barge their way onto the road from the slip road causing significant braking to be needed. I don't think the flyover is for the less confident or slower cyclists.
Some issues with the roundabout
Red light jumping by motorists is now endemic. Everyone does it. By the time the junction is clear for cyclists, the pathetic time advantage given has all gone and motorists are catching up the tail ender cyclists rendering the whole early start a pathetic nonsense. The approach (Eastbound anyway) to the "facility" is an utter joke when queued. A bus stop is just before the segregated run-in and buses can completely block it. Idiots coming out of Maccy D's are more concentrating on stuffing their faces with lard than driving carefully and pull out in front of you to edge into the traffic. When busy the "advanced" area is permanently full of vehicles.
This facility is held up as an example of cycle planning by TfL which is rubbish. It is TfL putting traffic flow first and then adding in some rubbish to placate cyclists whilst making the whole thing still pretty impassable for pedestrians. One of the complaints about the new cycle lanes was that it had taken away a bus stop right after the junction. Vulnerable pedestrians actually used the bus to traverse the junction, getting on at the church and going one stop since they couldn't cross the junction where there are no pedestrian facilities. If this isn't a damning statement of TfLs priorities, I don't know what is.
The junction is (maybe, just) OK for cyclists who are assertive, fast, and used to / accept dealing with aggressive and fast driving. One could say that, by using vehicular cycling techniques one should be able to traverse the junction OK. But since most people (including many cyclists) think that vehicular cycling in these conditions is mad and would never do it then I don't accept this is an acceptable solution.
Rant Over.
That is a little bizare IMO
I've noticed no difference to how accomodating people are, just the opportunity to move to the right is now limited by the segregating kerbs.I guess the one behavioural aspect is that I'm not super keen to slow down to wait for space - if it's not there I'm more likely to continue over the RAB instead.
spen666
Legendary Member
I think the traffic going westbound is slowed down slightly by the slight change in road markings. It is much more difficult for traffic to zoom up the outside land and cut onto the slip road. Traffic seems to get into the correct lane earlier making it easier for cyclist to ride in outside lane ( majority of traffic takes the slip road)That is a little bizare IMO
I guess the one behavioural aspect is that I'm not super keen to slow down to wait for space - if it's not there I'm more likely to continue over the RAB instead.
I also suspect that the limited gaps in the segregation mean motorists now expect cyclists to move at those points rather than randomly the whole length of the road from the preceeding traffic lights
Did that exact route tonight and it's great! I cycle thigh victoria park to wanstead and would do the eastway ruckholt route that isn't pleasant. This new route is a pleasure in comparison. The best bits are far better and the worst bits are nowhere near as bad. The part through the park is a treat, no cars, wide spaces. The route I take up to and through Wanstead Flats is absolutely fine. It only gets clogged up Blake Hall road but there's a cycle lane and no parked cars so even that us much better than ruckholt road.
The only bit of fun is carrying thr bike up the steps over the water as I couldn't be faffed with the lift!
Definitely my new route home.
I can post a video next week if anyone is interested.
