The Royal Borough of Greenwich and Transport for London have confirmed plans to make improvements to a cycle route between Greenwich and Woolwich, following a successful initial trial period.
The council says the temporary cycle lane was installed during the pandemic to help people get around the borough by bike more easily and safely.
Following feedback from cyclists, residents and road users, the Council and TfL have decided to improve the layout of the scheme, responding to their concerns about safety, the impact on traffic, bus routes, local parking and access for emergency vehicles.
Amendments to the scheme include:
- roadways will be wider to ensure emergency services have safe access
- improvements at key turning points to protect cyclists and pedestrians
- bus lanes will operate from 7am to 7pm and will be closely monitored by TfL
- some bus stops may be relocated to provide easier, safer access for passengers
- new parking and loading provision for businesses
Councillor Danny Thorpe, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich said, “This is a crucial route for the borough and the wider southeast region. After the trial started, there were up to 1,400 cyclists on Trafalgar Road and an estimated 13,700 vehicles on Woolwich Road on an average weekday. It’s vital we improve safety for all road users – pedestrians, cyclists, buses and motor vehicles. We’ve been working closely with TfL and listening to the feedback from local people to ensure we can deliver a high quality scheme that really works for the borough.”
Councillor Sarah Merrill, Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainability and Transport added, “Delivery of the Greenwich to Woolwich cycle lane is a long-standing aspiration for the Council and TfL. As well as providing a cycle lane that will allow many more cyclists to use the roads safely, the scheme will help to improve safety on the Angerstein Roundabout and on Woolwich Road, which we know are areas of concern for local people.”
Will Norman, London’s Walking & Cycling Commissioner commented, “A high-quality cycle route between Greenwich and Woolwich is a key part of our London-wide ambition to create a comprehensive cycling network. The joint work between Greenwich and TfL on the first section of this, particularly to make the Angerstein Roundabout safe, is already making a huge difference to thousands of journeys each week. I’m really pleased to see the progress being made with this route and welcome the changes being made having listening to feedback from Londoners.”
The new layout will now be trialled for up to 18 months using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), before taking a decision on whether to make the scheme permanent.
During the trial period, local people and road users can give their feedback on the scheme, and further changes can be made during the trial if necessary.
At the end of the trial period, Greenwich and TfL say they will review the comments and data collected, and take a decision on whether to make the scheme permanent. The final decision will be subject to formal consultation and advertised through the Council’s website, publications and social media channels.
(Picture – Yay Images)
