Work to begin on segregated Barclays Cycle Superhighway

Date: 3/6/2013

Work on a 3km segregated Barclays Cycle Superhighway is set to begin this month after a public consultation revealed strong support for the project, (TfL) Transport for London has announced.

The route - dubbed Superhighway 2 - will run between Newham and Stratford, and forms parts of attempts to improve safety provisions for the capital's cyclists.

Construction of the cycle lanes - which will be separated from traffic - is expected to be completed along Stratford High Street by autumn, while bus stop bypasses and junction upgrades designed to aid cyclists should be in place by the end of the year.

As TfL continues its efforts to encourage a greater number of Londoners to cycle on the city's roads, the initiative includes the installation of early-start traffic signals on the south-east arm of the Bow Roundabout - a measure which should reduce the risk of conflict between cyclists travelling straight and vehicles turning left.

Andrew Gilligan, the Mayor's Cycling Commissioner, explained that the scheme is part of wider attempts to overhaul the capital's roads and ensure they're as cyclist-friendly as possibly.

"In line with the Mayor's pledge to 'go Dutch,' this will be the first of several new segregated bikeways in London, along with improved non-segregated routes," he said.

"It's not going to transform life for cyclists on its own, because it will only form part of most people's journeys, but it's a very important start."

Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales added that the project represents a "big step forward" in improving cycling infrastructure in London, and also praised TfL for responding to the views of residents during its consultation process.

Once work is completed, a number of junctions should also boast cycle-specific traffic signals in a bid to remove any potential confusion and clearly define the appropriate routes for cyclists to take.

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News