Which is the best Cycle Superhighway

DonDaddyD

OK I've used a bunch of them now.

Colliers Wood to City, Barking to Tower Bridge, Bow to Aldgate and the one on the Millbank that doesn't seem to go anywhere.

So I got to wondering... of those that use them which is the best one and what makes you think its the best?

sketchley

Have to say liking the CS8 from Milbank to Chelsea Bridge. But I can't vote for that.

notsoblue

Er, CS8?

DonDaddyD

You can now!

Clever Pun

where's the "It's just some blue on the road" poll option

rjsterry

The completed bits of CS8 are some of the better bits I've seen so far, mainly due to the roads it uses being wide enough to fit a decent width of blue lane, and not being interupted by parking bays every hundred yards (unlike CS7), although this does seem to encourage scooters and m/cycles to use it as a short cut past the traffic despite most of it being marked with a solid white line (unlike CS7).

CS7 is too patchy to be really useful and in places, the remaining lane width is not wide enough for buses, so they encroach across the CS lane anyway. Good as a route marker if you don't know your way, and generally raises awareness of cyclists, but not much more than that. It does seem that some lessons have been learnt from CS7, but it is so dependent on the existing road layout.

Don't know CS2 or 3 at all. There be dragons.

DonDaddyD

My vote is CS7.

First and best, its not the longest (Barking to Tower Brigde/Gateway is by far) but there is enough climbing (Tooting and Balham Hill) to get the blood in the legs and lots of lovely straights to sprint it out.

In places there are pinch points such as just after Balham tube heading towards Balham Hill. But the route is a strategic one where you have to pick your moments to attack or it goes wrong and you get stuck behind something that ruins the commute.

Love it.

Heading back from the City to Merton is also fun and much more the sprinters commute as oppose to a tactical battle. Love the Kennington to Clapham dragstrip and the climb through Clapham.

Basically the route gives lots of variety to perfect your commuting skills.

sketchley

Fact is my average speed on CS7 is around 12 to 13mph, on CS8 then onwards to Putney bridge it's 15 to 16mph. Then i get to go through Richmond Park. Longer route home but much faster.

cjcp

notsoblue wrote:

Er, CS8?

Millbank and other bits either side to older folk like you and I.

Anyone think that the "S" and "8" they've painted on the hallowed stretch of road that is Millbank looks upside down as you approach them?

asprilla

I've never been on a Cycle Superhighway.

I understand they are blue.

rjsterry

CS8 turns south over Chelsea Bridge, then right at the QTR rbt to run along the edge of Battersea Park, so only the Eastern end of it coincides with the full SCR Circus Maximus.

Actually, Millbank would make quite a good Circus Maximus, with LBR as the tight turn, and supporters lining both pavements and the central reservation. Now who get's the Charlton Heston role?

ndru

CS3 - mostly off road, pretty direct, bits along the river and limehouse basin. Almost continous. I would like to see it upgraded to Cable St standard though.

TheStone

It's not CS7.

I was cruising at well over 50kph on a new section before Vauxhall bridge last week .... very nice.

W1

I'm pretty impressed by what they've done with CS8 - not used any others so can't comment.

gaz545

The deciding factor is the last bit. Compare CS7 and CS8 and you have a different story. CS8 as you approach wandsworth is currently in a very bad state and i doubt it will be improved. colliers wood is actually useable and can be done so at quite some pace.

I've yet to ride CS2.

CS3 is the worst out of the 3 i have been on. The first time i used it, i got lost!!! It is very hard to follow if you have no general idea on where it is meant to go. and the bit built on the already existent cycle lane next to the A13 is stop, start, stop, start for cyclists.

The major problem with all of the CS's is the fact that not much is actually being improved over what was already there. Those of you that knew the routes before. How was it really?
TFL have carefully looked at the routes and chosen those which have a. plenty of cyclists on already b. bus lanes c. cycle lanes/routes d. cycle facilities. Then have then merged them all together with some blue paint and hoooorah we have some cycle lanes!

The blue paint doesn't make us safe and neither does a solid border line. BUT they make you feel safe. Designated space which is easy to see, you expect motorists to stay out of them and motorists expect you to stay in them! In the past 9 or 10 months the CS7 has been open I have seen at least one collision per month involving a cyclist!

As i've said elsewhere, we are being sold a fairytale. And people are falling for it.
Look at the proposed solution to vauxhall bridge and the gyratory, it's a JOKE!

Edit: on reflection I am being a bit harsh, i do know that in some places on CS8 and on CS7 there has been a reduction in vehicle lanes to make available a cycle lane. But we have yet to see a solution for left hooks which are still very common along clapham south side!

Applespider

The Vauxhall 'solution' is horrendous. Take a horrid gyratory and make it worse... Coming over Vauxhall Bridge in the morning wakes you up better than a triple espresso...

DonDaddyD

CS3 is EVIL!!!

When I eventually found it - by crossing the North circular - I got lost several times, in places it appeared to just stop and restart somewhere further along the route - rode around in circles until I found it.. Then there are the miles against the North Circular with no cover so you are bombarded by wind upon wind

CS2 is literally 2 stations long - Aldgate (East) to er Bow (can't call it Stratford) it's about 2 miles long. Was supposed to be longer but Newham Council dragged their heels.

Need to ride CS8 again to comment.

CS7 is brilliant except for the left hooks along Clapham Common (both directions) and the Ele & Castle bypass seems pointless and overly windy.