Major £4.5m London cycle route takes step forward but fears cyclists will go wrong way
A new multi-million pound cycleway proposed to run through the centre of the City of London has taken a significant step forward. The proposed route will stretch from Aldgate in its east to Blackfriars at its western point, connecting up with Cycleway 2 at Whitechapel High Street, Cycleway 6 at New Bridge Street, and Cycleway 3 on Victoria Embankment.
City of London Corporation Members yesterday (Tuesday, October 1) approved a design option to go to public consultation, with work expected to begin in the summer or autumn of 2026. The Aldgate to Blackfriars scheme is known as phase 3 of the City's Cycleways Programme.
The other routes previously approved as part of the same programme are those between Upper Thames Street and Chiswell Street, and from Monument to Sun Street. The new cycleway is to include notable City locations such as Leadenhall Street, Bank Junction and Queen Victoria Street, which Corporation officers have said will connect key destinations with the London-wide cycle network.
READ MORE: Lime bikes strewn across London pavements causing 'big issue' for blind and partially sighted people
The total cost of the new cycleway is estimated at between £4 million and £4.5m. Transport for London (TfL) has paid more than £200,000 for the route's design and will fund the public consultation, though the City will need to provide match funding of around half of the final cost of delivery.
An initial completion date of 2025 was pushed back due to Covid, with work now expected to be finished by 2028. In papers prepared ahead of yesterday's meeting, Corporation officers wrote that the proposal is designed 'to create a high quality and safer route' for people cycling in the area.
To qualify for TfL funding, separated or protected cycling provisions must be provided on streets where traffic is above 500 vehicles an hour during peak times. Queen Victoria Street and those around Aldgate are above that threshold.
At the committee meeting, Deputy Marianne Fredericks raised the potential issue of cyclists not using crossings when having to change lanes, meaning they instead continue in the wrong direction. This includes at Friday Street, where those travelling westbound will need to switch from the one-way lane on Queen Victoria Street's south kerbside to the two-way provision on its northern edge.
How are we going to make it really understandable and visible?
She said: "People who cycle 24/7, seven days a week will understand it. But we have a lot of tourists who use the Lime Bikes to sightsee around the City of London, and it's ensuring that they understand that, and that they're not inadvertently putting themselves at risk with the traffic. How are we going to make it really understandable and visible?"
An officer said signage would be installed to inform cyclists of the correct direction to take when changing lanes. At one point, there was some confusion as to what route the cycleway is designed to take, in particular around Aldgate, and whether it would deliver the most effective option.
Members were told the intention is to provide a safer alternative than what is currently in place, though with the admission that some people will likely continue to use existing routes at certain points. Following the discussion, committee Members approved the recommended design option, which includes a two-way cycle lane between Puddle Dock and Friday Street, to go to public consultation. This is expected to take place between December this year and January, with detailed designs to be published later in 2025.
Get the biggest stories from around London straight to your inbox. Sign up to MyLondon's The 12 HERE for the 12 biggest stories each day.