#fail cycle superhighway in London

BobMcbob

Last week I saw a tourist coach turn right from Southwark St into the cycling section on Blackfriars bridge, realising his mistake and having to reverse back out, causing no end of chaos, full car horn rage from miserable drivers and resigned tutts from cyclists. Never mind the joggers, we can't even keep motor traffic out of the segregated bits

Don't understand why TFL can't use a common colour for all cycle lanes, or even just a bit of paint at the entrances to make to totally obvious to the complete imbeciles. A lack of a clear standard causes confusion.

Has TFL run out of blue paint?

surrey_commuter

vimfuego wrote:

Used the section from Tower Hill to Southwark Bridge in anger for the first time last night. As I was headed West there seemed to be a handful of mopeds and motorbikes coming towards me having jumped the kerb to undertake queuing traffic :shock: a number of them were using the raised section as an undertaking lane but a couple were in the cycle path itself. A bit off-putting as you head down the hill from TH, but at least they were aware of my presence & got out of the way as I approached.

What was most annoying with this section is the lack of a left turn onto Southwark Bridge (going South). Basically have to slow down, indicate right and pull off onto the cycle track running north/south & wait at the phased light there - which means crossing against oncoming bike traffic as well as that coming from behind. Despite signalling and shoulder checking as obviously as possible, I still nearly got rear ended in the process. Not sure this junction has been thought through, which is odd given that it's the intersection between CS3 and CS7 (if all the blue paint is to be believed).

I wait in the cross hatching on your left so not turning across all bikes. Only enough room for a few bikes but works at the moment

fat_tail

fat_tail wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I took rower's advice through parliament square.

Worked well, though cars heading south over Westminster bridge were not best pleased.

will try it tomorrow morning !

well that was a little better... came up towards Westminster bridge then did a left .. have to watch out for pedestrians as I think they might have a green at that point. Also, cyclists who are going over the bridge but want to undertake rather than overtake.

Despite this, it was one of my slowest ever rides in close to an hour. I am losing the will to ride. :x

rower63

This morning I had to shout really angrily (STAY LEFT!) at an idiot overtaking towards me 3-abreast. There was barely room for me, alone. Over the last few days I've had to shout or gesticulate at least once on every transit of the Westminster<->Blackfriars section. It's getting very busy and very risky.
More amusingly, last night I got myself boxed in behind a Boris bike that was moving so slowly I had to look at my speedo: 9 mph. It took a long time for a large enough gap behind to safely pull out, accelerate and pass.

vimfuego

Surrey Commuter wrote:

vimfuego wrote:

.

I wait in the cross hatching on your left so not turning across all bikes. Only enough room for a few bikes but works at the moment

I just saw the "no left turn" signs and figured it'd only cause problems trying to style it out there (glad it works though). Will be sticking to the road from here on - the office is on the opposite side to the segregated section anyway

rick_chasey

Was a man/nodder down yday. Broken collarbone.

#pro.

rhodrich

rower63 wrote:

This morning I had to shout really angrily (STAY LEFT!) at an idiot overtaking towards me 3-abreast. There was barely room for me, alone. Over the last few days I've had to shout or gesticulate at least once on every transit of the Westminster<->Blackfriars section. It's getting very busy and very risky.

This. Finding it a LOT more stressful in the bike lane than in the road. With the high kerbs and narrow width, there is no space to play with if something goes wrong. If a rider goes down in front of me for any reason on the road, there is plenty of room to take evasive action. In the bike lane, there isn't. If someone's riding straight at you, there's nowhere to go....

bikergirl17

perhaps we compile our concerns in a productive manner and send to our new mayor? i am happy to even just put together the comments here and forward with people's permission.

the crossings at holborn circus are crazy too, both cyclist and pedestrian -- it is not clear as a pedestrian when to cross given the number of different lights, so people are just randomly walking half way across on the reds and standing in the middle of the street...

i am not surprised a car took the cycle lane...

cjcp

Had to deviate down Embankment off Westminster Bridge this morning, instead of the usual Whitehall route.

First time I've seen the new layout (well, what was visible through the traffic, anyway).

If riding eastbound, where do you cross to get into the bike lane?

Anonymous

Cross at any of the sets of traffic lights or you enter at the very start by keeping to the far, far right heading south towards Westminster bridge in the bike lane which has its own light phase.

I cross at the first set of lights about 200m down embankment, there are plenty of dropped kerbs to allow cyclists to join along it.

secretsam

I'm surprised at the level of negative comments on here: I only use the new Embankment stretch between where I pop out from Trafalgar Sq to Blackfriars Bridge*, but I think it's ace: no traffic lights, no cars, generally busy but not mad when I use it.

Clearly other sections are worse but I think some of the problems would stem from the insane layout of roads in London, which isn't really the fault of those designing the lanes!

As for the 3-abreast Boris Bike nodder idiots, well, yes - sadly, not a lot we can do about that except educate? Maybe have some sections where people occasionally get flagged down, like they do from time to time with cabs and other hire vehicles to check their paperwork. Then throw them in the Thames

*I make no apologies for my use of landmarks to negotiate/describe London!

tgotb

SecretSam wrote:

no traffic lights

There are plenty of traffic lights along that stretch, they're just hidden behind trees.

That said, they do seem to be green almost all the time. Now I've started doing R63's dodgy left just before Westminster Bridge (it *is* green for pedestrians at that point, so be careful), it seems to be pretty quick.

bikergirl17

first time I've taken the superhighway from ps to Blackfriars - and tptb should quickly realise the routing/lights debacle as 30+ of us took the before superhighway road route (across the ped x-ing) ... One lone boris biker on the bike route ...

Separately explain the two foot bike lane as you make the first turn in by queen Elizabeth centre - it just ends as cars move left, this time I barely missed being pancaked by a lorry. Much safer to stay on the road.

And don't get me started on the black Friars turn off maze / bounty of street lights ...

That said it was no faster than the road at the time I left (I don't hit lights) - and actually a little slower due to the Blackfriars nonsense plus the heart stopping fun of swerving out of the path of oncoming cyclists. 30 minutes later & it would like be a trade off between more reds via the road & a serious game of frogger on the path.

iPete

Yesterday I cycled into work with my other half, who's never cycled 5 miles straight, let alone 16. Unfortunately the whole parliament closure thing meant we didn't try out the highway fully. She was actually happier not penned in close proximity to everyone else. Will have to try again when it's a bit more polished.

I must say though, they are bloody brilliant if you've had a few beers and want safe passage to Waterloo for the last train.

I think some people need to try out just cruising to work every now and then, you know, a pace where you don't even need a shower on arrival.

LiveGiantlyAgain

The 'highway' along Blackfriars Bridge...

All I can type is Lord save us all!

I'm contemplating switching back to the roads...

tgotb

iPete wrote:

I think some people need to try out just cruising to work every now and then, you know, a pace where you don't even need a shower on arrival.

Hmmm... If I did that, I'd be looking at nearly 2 hours each way...

iPete

TGOTB wrote:

iPete wrote:

I think some people need to try out just cruising to work every now and then, you know, a pace where you don't even need a shower on arrival.

Hmmm... If I did that, I'd be looking at nearly 2 hours each way...

Really, I lost maybe 10 minutes cruising with the OH. Although it's hard to guage with both Millbank and Parliament closed yesterday.

The times are changing, cycling in London is becoming an accepted mode of transport and I'm taking a 'for the greater good' view*. I might lose a couple of minutes from Parliament but if the number of riders does increase, great**. It's still early days too, I have noticed the light sequences are being improved in a few spots so it seems the feedback is getting through.

It's like gentrification, we're the hipsters that moved in when it was gritty and fun and now we're getting priced out because we've made it cool but we know it's all a bit stale.

*I reserve the right to moan that it's not like the old days.
**I reserve the right to moan about the extra riders.

dyrlac

iPete wrote:

I think some people need to try out just cruising to work every now and then, you know, a pace where you don't even need a shower on arrival.

I'd have to teleport. Anything above a walking pace causes my body to expel all surplus fluid in the form of sweat: marginal gains for W/kg purposes I suppose.

Skipped the CSH this morning (as I have for all of this week because of the closures around HoP), earned a p*nct*re on York Road for my troubles (my 5th this year, again after none in 2015). That aside, I do like the Blackfriars Bridge superhighway, the lights seem well timed if you're just crossing the bridge and turning on Stamford Street (on the south) or Tudor Street (on the north) (as opposed to turning onto or off the embankment).

cookeeemonster

I'm with iPete on this one. Use it as a chillout/recovery zone and enjoy it.

It's what I've been doing on cable St for a while and...it works mostly.

tgotb

iPete wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

iPete wrote:

I think some people need to try out just cruising to work every now and then, you know, a pace where you don't even need a shower on arrival.

Hmmm... If I did that, I'd be looking at nearly 2 hours each way...

Really, I lost maybe 10 minutes cruising with the OH. Although it's hard to guage with both Millbank and Parliament closed yesterday.

The times are changing, cycling in London is becoming an accepted mode of transport and I'm taking a 'for the greater good' view*. I might lose a couple of minutes from Parliament but if the number of riders does increase, great**. It's still early days too, I have noticed the light sequences are being improved in a few spots so it seems the feedback is getting through.

It's like gentrification, we're the hipsters that moved in when it was gritty and fun and now we're getting priced out because we've made it cool but we know it's all a bit stale.

*I reserve the right to moan that it's not like the old days.
**I reserve the right to moan about the extra riders.

Don't get me wrong - Contrary to my expectations, I quite like the new bit along Embankment. It's not as much fun in the morning, for fast riders, but overall it's an improvement; it's probably quicker during rush hour than it ever has been.

However, if I had to do the whole of my commute sufficiently slowly not to need a shower at the other end (that includes accelerating very gently from every set of lights) I reckon it'd take me an extra hour. That's in Spring/Autumn; on a hot Summer's day it would be almost impossible.

secretsam

Much fun this morning with a road sweeper trundling along the path heading towards Blackfriars.

I appreciate them keeping the path swept - but 8AM rush hour is probably not the best time to do it!! What is it with the councils (generally) and services at peak times? For example, why do they empty bins in town centre areas during rush hour - surely it would be more efficient to do it at another time?

dyrlac

^ we must have been coming through at the same time.

Two observations:

1) the cheeky left from the main traffic lane onto the cycle lane (eastbound) at westminster bridge works almost every time, but you feel a bit like a chump if the left turn arrow is green, even if you know the cycle lane will be faster over the full distance.

2) on the way home, I've taken to coming down the ramp from Blackfriars bridge directly onto the cycle lane (westbound). I now see why they felt they needed to supersized speed humps. That ramp begs for the application of power awesome (similar in gradient/length to the warp ramp heading west by the flower show). Without the speed humps, even mere mortals would be regularly hitting 50kph (and pretty much everything else in their path).

rower63

Dyrlac wrote:

... the cheeky left from the main traffic lane onto the cycle lane (eastbound) at westminster bridge works almost every time, but you feel a bit like a chump if the left turn arrow is green, even if you know the cycle lane will be faster over the full distance ...

I had this this morning. I was waiting in the right-hand lane at the bottom of Westminster Bridge, with the left arrow green and the straight-on red. I caved in and succumbed to the temptation of the main road instead, joining the bike-path later by sweeping across a gap in the oncoming traffic.
(again, lots of oncoming 3-abreast overtakers :roll: )

Bikequin

rower63 wrote:

Dyrlac wrote:

... the cheeky left from the main traffic lane onto the cycle lane (eastbound) at westminster bridge works almost every time, but you feel a bit like a chump if the left turn arrow is green, even if you know the cycle lane will be faster over the full distance ...

I had this this morning. I was waiting in the right-hand lane at the bottom of Westminster Bridge, with the left arrow green and the straight-on red. I caved in and succumbed to the temptation of the main road instead, joining the bike-path later by sweeping across a gap in the oncoming traffic.
(again, lots of oncoming 3-abreast overtakers :roll: )

I performed a fairly similar manoeuvrer this morning - agree 100% that not using the bikelane until the start of Westminster bridge is the way to go.

My main complaint is the number of choppers who refuse to queue for parliament square in the evening, a lot of whom are dressed like they should know better. If they phased the lights so cyclists got a little longer to turn right into parliament square this might mitigate the need for a queue at all. Also there's going to be an accident with the 90 degree turn on the far side of the road that many people seem incapable of taking without cutting up anyone up anyone on their right.

The other issue is turning off the embankment, when it's busy in the mornings there's not enough room for everyone to get out of the main lane and flow of cyclists.

rick_chasey

Lots of broken glass on the paths .

Also agreed on the lack of queuing.

tgotb

That left turn into the lane just before Westminster Bridge is becoming more popular, though there's some difference of opinion on how to handle it. Three of us arrived at the same time today; the first went straight through, slaloming round pedestrians on the crossing; I waited until all the pedestrians had crossed and then went for it; the third guy continued to wait, as if at a red light.

I have a nagging suspicion that this manoeuvre isn't going to be permitted indefinitely, though I've no idea how it could actually be prevented. Maybe a no left turn sign?

Once on the cycle path, it was an uninterrupted 20-21mph all the way to Blackfriars . This actually seems to be the norm, not what I expected at all :-)

rhodrich

I did the sneaky left turn this morning too. A load of other cyclists slammed on their brakes to wait for imaginary pedestrians who weren't there. Someone told me as I was going through that there was a red light. That must have been imaginary too. I've got quite enough red lights on my commute, without having to wait for imaginary ones.

Still, the utter rejection of the 'tfl approved' route through PS by the vast majority of cyclists must be depressing to whoever thought out that hairbrained plan. Nobody seems to be using the inner cycle lane.

dyrlac

I should have gone for the inner lane today: waited at red, right turn lane goes green, wait some more, finally my light changes; stopped by slow moving pedestrian chaos; my trackstand goes tits up and I aim for a gap that wasn't really there. Lots of tut-tutting and eye rolling from peds and cyclists alike. Sorry everyone, yellow card to me.

rick_chasey

TGOTB wrote:

That left turn into the lane just before Westminster Bridge is becoming more popular, though there's some difference of opinion on how to handle it. Three of us arrived at the same time today; the first went straight through, slaloming round pedestrians on the crossing; I waited until all the pedestrians had crossed and then went for it; the third guy continued to wait, as if at a red light.

I have a nagging suspicion that this manoeuvre isn't going to be permitted indefinitely, though I've no idea how it could actually be prevented. Maybe a no left turn sign?

Once on the cycle path, it was an uninterrupted 20-21mph all the way to Blackfriars . This actually seems to be the norm, not what I expected at all :-)

Change the light sequence.

Ian.B

Witnessed at lunchtime: cyclist pulls alongside jogger in the opposite lane on an otherwise empty cycle path; cyclist has a 'discussion' with jogger about appropriate use of cycle path, with waving of arms, and is ignored; cyclist cycles off, passes a red light and stops to make an illegal left turn (so doubly losing any moral high ground, if indeed there was any to be had); jogger runs in front of cyclist and presumably more words are exchanged; jogger pulls cyclist off his bike and stops just short of full fisticuffs before jogging off, leaving cyclist demonstrating righteous indignation and damaged ego while picking up bike, re-engaging chain, etc.