Your voice for a cycling city

TfL want to hear what you think about their plans for the extension of Cycleway 4, with the consultation on the route announced yesterday. The proposed 2.5km section from Charlton to Woolwich will link up to the section of Cycleway 4 in construction through the Greenwich town centre Liveable Neighbourhood, eventually giving South-East London a major cycle route that stretches from Tower Bridge (and eventually London Bridge) all the way to Woolwich.

The current phase tackles a lethal stretch of the A206 Woolwich Road with continuous cycle tracks and six new pedestrian crossings including to/from schools and the Woolwich Ferry. The road was site of 215 collisions in 2017 & 2018 alone, including 3 fatalities. And in 2017 in nearly 20% of those the victims were cycling.

Anger at Angerstein

The consultation also includes initial concept sketches of the plan for the infamously lethal and dangerous “Angerstein” roundabout, as above, which is just to the west of where this first phase of consultation ends. Our local group, Greenwich Cyclists and LCC as well as others have long campaigned for the Angerstein to be tamed. The concept looks exciting, and it’s refreshing to see TfL’s video clearly demonstrating the issues with Angerstein embedded on the consultation page (and below).

How to respond

TfL says Greenwich Council will consult on its plans for Greenwich town centre in spring, to compliment these proposals and connect to Cycleway 4 that is already in construction from the edge of Greenwich, through Southwark along Lower Road and up to Tower Bridge.

The current consultation runs until 16 February. And we will be providing a list of key points for anyone who wants to respond quickly to the consultation soon. Meanwhile, we have a Cyclescape thread up and running where you can ensure your thoughts on the consultation are fed in to our response. Or you can go straight to the consultation here – and we urge you to primarily be supportive of the scheme!

Quotes from the release

TfL also issued a press release on the new scheme. The following quotes are from it:

Simon Munk, Infrastructure Campaigner at London Cycling Campaign, said:

It is wonderful to see plans moving forward to tackle the infamous and lethal Angerstein Roundabout, something we have long campaigned for. These plans promise to deliver a major route for South London, eventually linking Tower Bridge to Woolwich, taming hostile and dangerous roads. This should not only help save lives, but also enable far more people to walk and cycle, cutting air pollution and climate emissions.”

Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said:

I'm delighted that we're pushing ahead with these bold plans - part of a new high-quality cycle route from Tower Bridge all the way to the heart of Woolwich. With additional pedestrian crossings and a new bus lane, the route will be made better and safer for everyone. The area around Angerstein roundabout has seen two fatalities in recent years, and we will continue to work closely with Greenwich Council to deliver these vital improvements as soon as possible.”

Cllr Denise Scott McDonald, Cabinet Member for Air Quality, Sustainability and Transport at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said:

We welcome the plans to build a cycleway that would run between Greenwich and Woolwich. This is a great opportunity that will make it easier and safer for people to travel on foot, by cycle or public transport. These proposals will also support the Council's commitment to reducing air pollution and vehicle congestion.”

Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of Greenwich council, said:

This is great news for Greenwich as the proposed cycleway will make cycling and walking a much safer and convenient way for residents to travel in the area.”