We have just had notification that the new 20mph borough-wide limit (except for TfL roads other than Commercial Street) will come into force on Monday 13th April.
Wheelers' Infrastructure Officer and Campaigns Co-ordinator have a meeting scheduled with the borough officers next week and will ask about the all important enforcement proposals. We'll keep you posted when we get more information.
There is a current TfL consultation about improvements at Bow roundabout, principally for pedestrians but also affecting cyclists. See consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/bow-vision.
On Saturday March 14th there is a public exhibition at St Mary's Church, 230 Bow Road, London E3 3AH between 11.00 and 15.00. Active THW campaigners are planning to go along at 11.00 and are hoping to meet local councillors there to discuss the proposals. If you are interested in joining them please contact gerry@wheelers.org.uk.
If that time isn't convenient then just go along later - my experience of the TfL public exhibitions is that they are a good opportunity to see the plans on large drawings (much easier than peering at the computer screen) and also to talk to TfL staff.
The on-line consultation closes 1st April.
Good news on the progress of Tower Hamlets becoming a 20mph borough. At the LBTH Cabinet meeting on 4 February 2015 it was resolved to:
Relevant Cabinet documents:
The go live date for the implementation of the new speed limit is 1 April 2015. UPDATE: Date amended to 13 April 2015.
The "Borough-wide 20mph Limit" report that was presented to the cabinet gives the reasoning for proposing the 20mph limit, costs, benefits and overview of the consultation held towards the end of 2014. Pleasingly, 60% of the consultation respondents were via our online campaign. If you submitted your support, thank you for helping our borough become a safer place for all to travel around in!
In addition to the Cabinet's decision, Transport for London announced today that they would be implementing a 20mph speed limit on Commerical Street for a trial period. After review of this trial they will consider reducing the limit on other TfL roads within the borough as requested by LBTH's initial proposals. Obviously Whitechapel Road would be a prime candidate with current Cycle Superhighway 2 plans having a break in the protected space past Whitechapel market.
TfL consultations close at midnight Friday (27th Feb) on 'improvements' to parts of the cycle track along Cable Street and the cycle route on Horseferry Rd (CS3). The consultations can be found at:
consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/cable-street
consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/horseferry-road
Horseferry Road
This proposal is an improvement. Members are supporting it. We haven't canvassed sufficient opinions to feel confident at the moment in adding ' given the low volume of motor trafffic and the 20mph speed limit this could be a 2-way road without the cycle track'. But if that's your view please state it. The on-street parking here is unfortunately an impediment to decent design.
What we would ask supporters to add is a request that TfL and the borough look at solutions to the inadequacy of CS3 across St James' Garden and over that far too narrow bridge. Is there scope for CS3 to by-pass St James Garden?
Cable Street
THW do not support these proposals. They do not deal with the problems and adding traffic islands will impede proper improvements.
The Cable Street tracks are too narrow to carry the current cycling traffic and in 2016 even more people will be cycling along CS3 when phase one of the East/West Superhighway opens.
The Mayor of London's 'Vision of Cycling' for London', published in April 2013, envisages 'crossrail for bikes' as a continuous good quality 15 mile cycling route that incorporates CS3 to Barking. We say that TfL need to go back to the drawing board and return with proposals that make CS3 from Tower Hill eastwards a good environment for people cycling and walking. It should be as ambitious in delivery as phase one of the East/West Superhighway.
What is particularly surprising is that these proposals don't even meet recommendations made to TfL in April 2012 by the 'stakeholders' group of the Better Junctions process (Design Review Group, DRG), at which London Cycling Campaign (LCC) is represented. THW have a rep on the LCC committee that considers the design proposals and hence hear the feedback from the 'stakeholder' monthly meetings.
The DRG is not a radical body but even their recommendations started from a more 'whole street' approach when considering similar 'tweaking' proposals for Cable Street!
Their suggestions included removing through motor traffic and hence reducing motor vehicle volume, reducing speed of vehicles and creating a better environment for pedestrians. They agreed that consistent cycle track priority across side roads is to be supported, which is part of what this current proposal is dealing with, but not likely to resolve the major problems without other measures. Some delegates were new to concepts of 'filtering' and were worried that residents may oppose it. Even so one of the options favourably considered was removing from a stretch of Cable Street all traffic bar buses and cyclists to enable a calmer environment around Blue Gate Fields school.
Since 2012 there has been a huge leap forward in the design understanding of what is required for a good quality street. TfL now has a 'toolkit' that includes the updated London Cycle Design Standards - recommended reading is chapter 3 "Cycle-friendly streets and spaces". Plus other 'tools' are now available; the borough will be 20mph from 1st April (bar some trunk roads) and last year the Department of Transport introduced the possibility of 15mph 'advisory' streets.
To this we must add, if not political will at least political expediency! A result of the 2014 Space 4 Cycling council election campaign in Tower Hamlets, which many candidates signed up, for was the council decision last July to support Space 4 Cycling. Further we have been told by council officers working on schemes for CS3 that at meetings last year residents supported removing rat-running motor traffic.
We need to see a design that recognises the continuity of 'crossrail for bikes' eastwards, that can cater for not only the growth in people cycling to and from work but also those making shorter local trips and children cycling to school. Tower Hamlets needs an active population - too many overweight children and a diabetes time bomb; but it also has an excellent school cycling team keen to get children safely peddling.
The following pages of 'Vision of Cycling' for London' have good quotes to pepper a response: page 10, "We want to change the nature of cycling, attracting thousands of people who do not cycle now" and page 11, "Routes will be wide enough to cope with higher volumes of cyclists, and designed to reduce conflict between pedestrians and bikes". Boris Johnson's 'vision' is to double the numbers cycling by 2023. Let's have a CS3 worthy of that vision.
London Assembly Green Party member Darren Johnson has tabled two CS2 upgrade questions for Mayor's Questions at City Hall on Wednesday morning (21 Jan) and we are going along for a publicity photocall. Could you join us?
Time is 9.15am for about 30 mins, outside City Hall, SE1 2AA [location map].
TfL has watered down the upgrade to CS2 in the Whitechapel market area after heavy lobbying from the borough and the result is no segregation from motor traffic along this difficult stretch. Read LCC's analysis of TfL's CS2U report.
We suggested to the borough and TfL that 'Copenhagen Paving' - stepped splayed kerbs - would provide security for cyclists and enable loading vehicles to access the market. As is commonly seen in... Copenhagen but also already in use in the UK. Scroll down to last photo here for an example copenhagenize.com/2010/05/paving-way-for-cyclists.html
The questions specifically tackle the market area but we are continuing to lobby on other matters of concern. The CS2U plans will be ratified at the TfL board on 4th Feburary.
Darren Johnson's formal questions to the Mayor are as follows:
Watering down of plans for CS2 safety improvements (1)
Question No: 2015/0066
Darren Johnson
Cyclists in Tower Hamlets are dismayed by your decision to water down plans to make cycle superhighway 2 safer. The section running by Whitechapel market has been downgraded so that, instead of benefitting from a fully segregated cycleway, people cycling along the eastbound side of Whitechapel Road will have to mix with buses in a five-metre wide bus lane that includes a two-metre cycle lane. These are the same design features that were incorporated into the original CS2 design. How can you justify watering down these safety improvement plans when there is a clear and urgent need for a radical overhaul of this route which has already claimed the lives of six cyclists?
Watering down of plans for CS2 safety improvements (2)
Question No: 2015/0067
Darren Johnson
It has been suggested that the main reason you have abandoned plans for safety improvements on CS2 is because Whitechapel market traders want to park their vans in loading bays next to their stalls. Other markets in Tower Hamlets such as on Chrisp Street and Watney Street do not provide this facility. In addition, the bays at Whitechapel market are loading bays only, but traders routinely exceed the loading times, thereby breaking the law. Why should east London cyclists be put at risk to facilitate rule-breaking in this way?
11th November was the third anniversary of the tragic death of Svitlana Tereshchenko who was killed at Bow Roundabout. Her memorial bike, which had been restored by Wheelers and removed for the CS2 upgrade, was returned to the site last week. During its removal the bike has been modified so that parts cannot be removed from it.
Her mother and sister travelled from Greece and were joined by some of her friends and a contingent of Wheelers' members to commerate the anniversary. Her family are very pleased with what has been done to the bike so that it remains as a permanent memorial and for the floral tributes. Wheelers would like to thank John Discombe of J Discombe Tools and Steve Davies for their help in the restoration of the bike.
LB Tower Hamlets is currently asking for feedback on proposals for a 20mph speed limit on the borough's roads.
Find out more and send your support of these proposals to LBTH using our handy web form and template letter. The deadline for comments is 31 October 2014.
Transport for London are currently consulting on major improvements to Cycle Superhighway Route 2 (CS2) between Aldgate and Bow roundabout. These proposals feature segregated cycle tracks and junctions redesigned to separate cyclists from motor vehicles and will need your support if they are to go ahead.
Take action to tell Transport for London that you want to make CS2 safer and more inviting so that everybody feels able to cycle.
The deadline for you to send your support and comments is 2 November 2014.
Also, join us on Saturday, 25 October for our ride and information event to show our support for the proposals in the Whitechapel market area.
Notification of roadworks at this junction from 20 October for six weeks.
From: Road Network Info <SMBRoadNetworkInfo@tfl.gov.uk>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2014
Road Network Information
Dear Stakeholder,
Cable Street junction with Cannon Street Road
Transport for London (TfL) has appointed CVU (Colas, Volkerhighways and URS) to replace the traffic lights at the junction of Cable Street with Cannon Street Road. Works will be taking place on the footway and carriageway.
To ensure the safety of road users and workers carrying out the works, traffic management involving temporary traffic lights will be deployed on site during these works.
Why are we doing this work?
CVU on behalf of TfL are replacing traffic signals that have reached the end of their 15 year life cycle. The modernisation of the traffic signals will improve reliability and maintenance.
Cable Street junction with Cannon Street Road is an important route for through road uses and, as such, is a difficult route to maintain. We have arranged the work into a suitable number of phases to reduce the amount of disruption caused and to maintain road capacity as much as possible at all times.
What times will the work take place?
The works will begin on Monday 20 October 2014 for six weeks, or until the work is completed, depending on the weather.
In agreement with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the working hours will be from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 18:00 with weekend working involving road closures on Saturday between 08:00 and 18:00 and on Sunday between 09:00 and 16:00.
What we would like you to know
Transport for London is firmly committed to minimising disruption. We have worked closely with our contractor, CVU and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in order to reduce the impact of these works on road users, local residents and businesses as far as possible.
Keeping London moving
I hope you will appreciate that a certain level of disruption is inevitable, and I apologise in advance for any inconvenience that may be caused as a result of these essential works. Should you require further information or an update during the delivery of these works please contact our Streets Customer Services department on 0343 222 1234 or email: enquire@tfl.gov.uk or via the web at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/contact
The quiet cycling route behind Whitechapel Station that connects Vallance Road to Brady Street, Durward Street has been closed for the next four years. I spoke to the Crossrail site supervisor and he said the pedestrian/cycling route has closed so that they can dig trenches for the new station. The irony was lost on him when I said that 100 years ago trenches were also being dug for four years.
An alternative route has been signposted down Fulborne Street onto the Whitechapel Road but this is unsuitable for cyclists that are not confident using a main route however, this route will also close early next year for the continuing expansion of the station. Cyclists will then have to use the Whitechapel Road between Vallance Road (a junction that has claimed a cyclist's life 3 years ago) to Brady Street.
There was local success at the annual London Cycling Campaign awards announced on 16 July 2014. Tower Hamlets BMX Club was chosen as Youth Section Cycling Champion. Based in Mile End Park, they meet at the pump track every Saturday. Non-members and those without a bike welcome.
On Wednesday, 14th May at 7pm Tower Hamlets Wheelers will hold our first Mayoral Cycling Hustings. Ahead of the local elections on 22nd May we have invited all the declared mayoral candidates to come and speak about how they would improve cycling in the borough. Each candidate will have the opportunity to make a short speech followed by an Q&A session and then informal discussion.
With a close election forecast this is your opportunity to urge candidates to support improved cycling facilties and to support the LCC's Space4Cycling campaign. The event is open to all and refreshments will be provided.
For full event timings see our diary page.
