Transport for London has published a consultation report that outlines next steps for a new Cycleway between Greenwich and Woolwich.
The consultation, which took place before the pandemic, showed that 77% of people responding believed the planned changes would result in more people cycling, while 70% said the same about walking. Enabling more people to walk and cycle is vital to building a healthier and more sustainable transport network for everyone in the capital.
The first section of the route was built using temporary materials in response to the pandemic. These included trial cycling improvements between Greenwich and New Charlton, along with new bus lanes on the A206 between Anchor and Hope Lane and Woolwich Ferry Roundabout.
The proposals for the second section of the route include:
- A two-way segregated cycle way along the A206 from Anchor & Hope Lane to Woolwich Ferry roundabout
- Junction improvements to reduce the risk of motor vehicles turning across the path of cyclists
- Improved pedestrian crossings (conversion from staggered to straight across)
- New signalised pedestrian crossings over the A206
- Footway widening at selected locations to make it easier to walk
TfL and the Royal Borough of Greenwich will decide about making the changes made as part of the first section of the route permanent at the end of an 18-month experimental period. TfL will continue to work closely with local communities on its designs for the second section of the route, with construction expected to begin in spring 2024, subject to funding. Once complete the route will connect into Cycleway 4 to the west and extend through to Woolwich town centre to the east, creating a continuous route from Woolwich into central London.
Helen Cansick, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment, said: “Making the capital’s roads safer and walking and cycling journeys easier is vital to building a greener, cleaner London for everyone. New cycle routes have a major role to play in this and will help to maintain the huge increases in walking and cycling that we’ve seen over recent years. The proposed route between Greenwich and Woolwich will make it even easier for people to cycle around the local area, into central London and beyond. We’ll continue to work closely with the Royal Borough of Greenwich on our plans to ensure everyone can benefit from investment in new infrastructure.”
Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “The Mayor and I are determined to continue building a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone and we know that delivering high-quality infrastructure can make a big difference in encouraging more people to walk and cycle.
“We’ve seen a huge rise in walking and cycling over recent years as more and more Londoners enjoy using sustainable ways to get around the capital, and we will continue to work with boroughs, like Greenwich, to introduce measures to make it easier for people to cycle. I’d like to thank residents who fed into this consultation which showed that a remarkable 77 per cent of people believed the planned changes would result in more people cycling. With their support we can continue to build safer and more appealing cycle routes to travel around London.”
(Picture – TfL)
