Westminster Bridge urban landscape design and pedestrianisation – TfL consult on cycle lanes

Westminster Bridge needs cycle lanes – and it also needs to be pedestrianised
Westminster Bridge needs cycle lanes – and it also needs to be pedestrianised

TfL are consulting on the creation of superhighway-style cycle lanes on Westminster Bridge, as discussed in the video, below, by Robert Holden and Tom Turner. The consultation period ends on 22.12.2015. Our conclusions are:

  1. TfL and Lambeth Council should consider the urban landscape design aspects of Westminster Bridge, as well as the traffic and highway engineering aspects
  2. The 2.3m wide cycle lane is a better option than the 1.8m wide cycle lane. It is less-protected from vehicles but is less of a hazard to pedestrians.
  3. Pedestrians are not considered in the current design and the volume of the pedestrian flows were not counted
  4. We estimate that pedestrians are about 50% of the Bridge’s users but that pedestrians only have 30% of the street space
  5. On summer weekends pedestrian usage may be 80% of Westminster Bridge’s users
  6. In the short term the bridge should be pedestrianised on Sundays
  7. In the medium term Westminster Bridge should be fully pedestrianised

Tom Turner