Plastic barriers on Grosvenor Rd at Vaux Br lights

rower63

Many of us have noticed these new barriers with dismay. Some have even already had accidents as a result. All I can find from tfl's website is two vague potential references:

"Note 4. Upgrade to existing Cycle Superhighways including route wide upgrade to CS2 in east London and improvements along CS3, CS7 and CS8: Improving existing routes with safer junctions and new segregation to protect cyclists. Construction on upgrade to CS2 in February. Work on CS8 and CS3 is to be carried out later this year"

and

"Rolling upgrades
We have proposed a rolling programme of upgrades to a number of locations along the existing Cycle Superhighway network. Work will take place throughout 2015 and 2016."

I sent them a communication via their online contact form:

"I commute 19 miles by bicycle every day from Sunbury-on-Thames to St Pauls using a route that takes me along part of CS8 north of the river across the Vauxhall Bridge junction to Millbank. The blue-painted cycle lane as it currently stands, in my opinion works very well to accommodate the substantial and ever-increasing flow of riders along the route. The fact that it is open to the right is good, too, as it gives riders more options when the blue area becomes overly crowded and there is space in the vehicle lanes, which happens quite often given the high volume of cycle traffic at peak times. Often in the mornings there are 30-40 cyclists waiting at every change in the Vauxhall bridge lights, which gives some idea of the volume.
I have noticed that for the last few days a line of 18-inch tall heavy-duty plastic barriers has been placed between the blue lane and the vehicle lane along Grosvenor Road. I hope that this is not a precursor to an "improvement" in that part of CS8 by constructing a permanent segregating barrier. I have already seen several near-accidents involving cyclists touching the plastic barrier when it's crowded, and it's only a matter of time before the wall acts as a "trip" and someone topples over it into the vehicle lane.
Furthermore, given the likely congestion along it, and this applies to most segregated plans, average speeds along those bits will reduce from perhaps 15-20 mph to around 10mph, adding so much time to a journey that many existing cycle journeys, say the 10 miles from Mortlake to Blackfriars, will take so much longer that much of the present cycle volume will be choked off.
Aside from a couple of references to "rolling upgrades" and "Upgrade to existing Cycle Superhighways" on the tfl website, there are no details available on what exactly is happening here.
If you could illuminate me as to what works are in preparation here, I would be grateful.

Thanks"

I'll post again when and if I get a response...

dhope

Be interesting to hear if/when you get a reply.

If I'm being picky...
Would avoid referring to the rest of the road as 'vehicle lane' though. Next lane, middle/right lane.
Vehicle lane already seems like you believe that you shouldn't be there. (I know a bike's a vehicle, but never know - you might have a tabloid trawling forums for quotes one day in the future - I think it's happened before)

rower63

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683061#p19683061]dhope[/url] wrote:

Be interesting to hear if/when you get a reply.

If I'm being picky...
Would avoid referring to the rest of the road as 'vehicle lane' though. Next lane, middle/right lane.
Vehicle lane already seems like you believe that you shouldn't be there. (I know a bike's a vehicle, but never know - you might have a tabloid trawling forums for quotes one day in the future - I think it's happened before)

yes you're right, too late though it's sent.

veronese68

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683061#p19683061]dhope[/url] wrote:

Be interesting to hear if/when you get a reply.

If I'm being picky...
Would avoid referring to the rest of the road as 'vehicle lane' though. Next lane, middle/right lane.
Vehicle lane already seems like you believe that you shouldn't be there. (I know a bike's a vehicle, but never know - you might have a tabloid trawling forums for quotes one day in the future - I think it's happened before)

That bit could be edited on here though. If Rower does that we'll both have to remove the reference of course.

bikergirl17

The new lanes terrify me ... Have you seen the plans? Two single lanes head on with no passing space & fully segregated and the need to cross three lanes of traffic to get on / off embankment. Who approved this? There is more space on that ridiculous raised side walk. How will there not be accidents during rush hour when you get 40 cyclists trapped behind someone veering on a boris bike?

And the plans are posted. Seriously I am befuddled how they were ever passed.

bikergirl17

The new lanes terrify me ... Have you seen the plans? Two single lanes head on with no passing space & fully segregated and the need to cross three lanes of traffic to get on / off embankment. Who approved this? There is more space on that ridiculous raised side walk. How will there not be accidents during rush hour when you get 40 cyclists trapped behind someone veering on a boris bike?

rick_chasey

Main issue with the plastic barriers is they make the bike lane smaller.

If someone (...) were to push them out further into the road a bit...

rower63

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683411#p19683411]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

Main issue with the plastic barriers is they make the bike lane smaller...

there was congestion to get in to that lane this morning, a crowd of stationary cyclists in the middle of a live junction :roll:

rick_chasey

Yeah.

I have seen a lot of moto riders getting booked by police for riding in the lane over the years, so maybe this is their solution to that.

kurako

Hells bells that sounds horrible. I am so glad I don't go that way. One place which would actually benefit from all this segregation is the A4 between Earls Court Road and Hammersmith. There are 3 impossibly narrow lanes which are either completely blocked with no space to filter or flowing fast with no space to overtake. If they would put in two proper sized lanes and a bike path I would probably use it in preference to High St Ken which is also totally shoot. TFL are you watching?

MrSweary

Yup - that sounds like the usual level of thought has gone into it. I think I'd just be in the traffic if I were having to travel down there.

Luckily my only contact with blue lanes is a short stretch of bumpy blue just after the Oval. There is no need to rush there anyway as everyone is steeling themselves for the Kennington Road Sprint! :twisted:

itboffin

there's no law that says you have to use the lanes so dont

jzed

:roll: New blue paint at the new filter lights on CS2 isn't very sticky in the wet. Lost traction setting off. :roll:

rjsterry

Just seen these this morning. They are now so badly aligned (presumably due to impacts from the road side ( :shock: ) that they now almost look as though they have been dumped.

rower63

While I was away on hols I got this reply:

"3 September 2015
Dear Mr Burbanks
Thank you for contacting us about the CS8 route at Grosvenor Road. Your webform was received 19 August 2015.
We are looking into your concerns about the barrier in place here, but it’s taking a little longer than expected. I will revert to you with more information as soon as our investigations are complete. I’m sorry for the delay.
If you would like to contact us about this issue in the meantime, please reply to this email. Alternatively, you can call us on 0343 222 1234, quoting the reference number above.
Kind regards
Daniel Corrigan
Customer Service Adviser
Transport for London Customer Services"

... and I noticed this morning they've gone.