mayors-transport-cycling-strategy-

The 2018 MTS plan for a Londonwide Strategic Cycle Network  (top) is very welcome. But the detail of SE London (centre) shows that it is not even as fully thought-out as my 2016 ‘back of an envelope’ plan for a Cycleway Network in SE London. Seven of the problems with the MTS-LSCN plan are (1) we would have to wait till 2041 to get it (2) the plan is profoundly un-ambitious (3) the plan does not follow the principle of providing superhighway-standard cycleways on most of the TLRN Red Routes (4) the plan is only for a ‘recommended’ network, without either a funding plan, a phasing plan or a benefit cost analysis to support the case for investment in cycle infrastructure (5) the plan is based on a demand survey (of ‘cycling potential’) and does not use supply side data (on where cycleways could/should be built) (6) the plan includes discredited quietways based on the So-Called London Cycle Network LCN+, and I guess the mayor plans to build even more ‘quietways’ as indirect backstreet routes which are too indirect for commuter trips and too unattractive for leisure trips (7) here is an example of the incompleteness of the MTS plan: it does not include Lewisham’s excellent plan for making the A20 both a healthy street and a superhighway-standard cycleway.  The MTS-LSCN does however include Lewisham’s high quality leisure cycle route: the Waterlink Way (which also attracts some commuter use, because it is such a nice place to ride a bike). Conclusion: it’s great to have the MTS-LSCN but IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Mayor’s londonwide cycle strategy