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Two new London Superhighway routes open for business

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No doubt carefully stage managed to conincide with the first anniversary of the first Barclays Cycle Supererhighways opening last year, Transport for London (TfL) opened two new cycle superhighways for business this morning.

The two new routes are CS2, which runs from Bow to Aldgate along the Whitechapel Road, and the CS8, which takes you from Wandsworth to Westminster. More detail on the new routes can be found at Transport for London’s Cycle Superhighways dedicated website. Though opened today, parts of these routes have been operational for some time.

The CS2 route had to be truncated from what was originally intended as Robin Wale, the mayor of Newham Borough, stopped the route coming through the area.

Route improvements

On the Wandsworth to Westminster route dedicated cycle only lanes have been introduced along Grosvenor Road and Millbank and a new off-road cycle path has been created alongside Wandsworth Bridge roundabout.

On the Bow to Aldgate route major improvements have been made to the junction of Cambridge Heath Road and Whitechapel Road to make the area easier for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians to use.

Significant improvements have also been made at Bow roundabout and a number of other junctions to assist cyclists and to provide a continuous and navigable route along the Superhighway.

Are the superhighways a success?

TfL have been at pains to promote the idea that the superhighways have been a runaway success. New research from the transport authority indicates that since the pilot Superhighways were introduced, cycling has increased by 46% along the Merton to City (CS7) route, and by 83% along the Barking to Tower Gateway route (CS3).

On some sections of the route cycling increased by more than 100% and over three quarters of cyclists on the routes use them for travelling to and from work.

Counts of cyclists were taken at points along each route (11 locations on CS7 and 7 locations on CS3) pre launch in June, August and October 2010, and post launch in August and October 2010 and June 2011.

No new routes for a while

No further new superhighway routes will open now until 2013. There are a further eight routes planned to open from 2013 to 2015.

See also

Copenhagen’s bike industry shows its worth

Belgians propose running red lights law

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