London - North to South - Route advice

Adrian32

Can anybody help ... I am going to plan a route across London for a group of 15 cyclists. We would like to go over a central bridge. Our route takes us from London to St Alban's then through London to Newhaven then ferry, then Dieppe to Paris. So we need to come out on a road heading towards the south coast. We will be going through London on Sunday 25th May (do join us!) and will be aiming to be on a bridge by 9.45 am and wonder if this is early enough to give us less traffic?

What route would people suggest and does any body know of one that is published?

Adrian
www.r4rh.org

sean65

What's the idea behind this route?

Is it to take in some city culture or just to get safely across the city?

Adrian32

The 'right bridge' seems to be the main issue, for fund raising photo opportunities. The suggestion so far is to go down the A5 Edgeware Road and over Westminster Bridge.

sean65

I see. I've always liked the view from the next bridge down which is Waterloo.

If you stand on one side you've got the Wheel and the Houses of Parlament in the background and on the other side you've got the City of London in the background including the Gerkin, St Pauls and all the other sky scrappers.

Or London Bridge which would give you the Tower Bridge in the background.

They're all within a few miles of each other so they're easy enough to get to.

Adrian32

Has anybody been down the Edgeware Road on a Sunday morning at about 8.30am ,, does it have big wide bike lanes for a group of 15 to go down? And what is the traffic in Central Londonlike at that time ?

andymiller

At 8.30 on a Sunday morning, probably any route in London is likely to be reasonably quiet.

That said, Finchley Road/Edgware Road/Park Lane etc is one of the main through routes into and around central London. Personally it's a route I would avoid - and I've been cycling in London for many years. I'd head more south east and then come in through Hamstead/Camden and then Bloomsbury or even Clerkenwell/Farringdon.

There are pretty good cross Central London cycle lanes but I don't know of a North to South one. Generally cyclists share the bus lanes.

Your best bet is to go to the Transport for London website and use the Journey Planner. This will generate a series of maps taking you the more scenic and interesting route through quieter back streets.

Adrian32

Good idea I will have a look but we need a reasonably straight forward ie (straight!) route to get a big group through ..... in one go

Brains

I'd aim for Kings Cross area, (Regents Park ?) then down through Farington to the City, which on a Sunday will be avery quite.

Over London bridege with the photo stop withTower Bridge/Belfast in the background and then get to the Oval and head south.

Another option would be to cross via Westminster Bridge for the classic Big Ben in the background

Work out the bridge shot and then get the route - the TFL website will give you the best and most direct route (if you set it right)

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/cy ... efault.asp

here is a route via Waterloo bridge (not that photogenic, unless you want the wheel)
http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/F ... ACFC60.pdf

I'd suggest you do try the TFL routes because 15 people in a block is going to be impossible to manage on main roads

bof

Brains wrote:

I'd suggest you do try the TFL routes because 15 people in a block is going to be impossible to manage on main roads

Actually its harder to manage a largish group of riders on minor roads in London as you get caught by short traffic light intervals. Almost all the roads in inner London will feel OK to ride that early, however major.

Westminster, Waterloo and London will give you the best shots.

andymiller

bof wrote:

Brains wrote:

I'd suggest you do try the TFL routes because 15 people in a block is going to be impossible to manage on main roads

Actually its harder to manage a largish group of riders on minor roads in London as you get caught by short traffic light intervals. Almost all the roads in inner London will feel OK to ride that early, however major..

On a main road you'd still be best off cycling in single file - so still a risk of getting caught by traffic lights. IME there are more traffic lights on main roads than back streets.

Adrian32

I was interested in the write up in Cycling Plus about the rapha ride to Brighton where they talked about quietly stopping traffic at lights. Did anyone go on that??

We are worried about the group splintering on the back street routes and going off in different directions ....

andymiller

Adrian32 wrote:

We are worried about the group splintering on the back street routes and going off in different directions ....

Even if you go on the main routes you will still have traffic lights (I have about 10 sets on my 2-mile ride to work) and you will need to ride in single file (ish). So you will still need to have some (minimal) organisation to make sure you all stay together. I suggest you have someone with a map riding at the front and someone with a map riding at the back. Or maybe see if you can find a couple of locals to volunteer as guides?

JoeLonghair

From any of the major bridges head along the embankment. At westminster Bridge head for Buckingham Palace, Hyde park corner to Marble Arch, Edgware road to Stanmore, Brockley Hill to Elstree Radlett to Saint Albans. Its all straight wide and if the Groupe splits up then the rest is still in view. On a Sunday morning not much traffic and you got Bus lane till almost Stanmore, I would have loved to escourt you on the back roads all the way but I will be cycling else where at the time.
all the best

Adrian32

We did a recce on a Saturday morning and found that the Edgware Road was quite quiet at 7 am so we will be going sright down it and then over Westminster Bridge. If anybody fancies joing us we will be leaving the Bridge at 8.30am and heading to Newhaven.

culverwood

I have cycled into London at that time on a Sunday and would suggest the route down the A1000 via Hatfield, Potters Bar, Barnet, East Finchley, then turn right down Bishops Avenue and right at the end to cross Hampstead Heath and go via Hampstead and Regents Park and down Regent St. I chose to go over the Millennium bridge but Westminster is probably the most direct. After that I went east so I can't help any further.

There was almost no traffic on the road at that time of day.

paulwood

if you are thinking of doing Edgware Road why not consider cutting slightly left and going down Abbey Road. Quieter cycling, brings you out at Marble Arch and you would get a photo on the pedestrian crossing of Beatles fame.