New designs to make London landmarks safer for cyclists

 
On track: new cycle lanes in Stratford High Street could link to the 'greenway' through the Olympic Park
10 April 2012

Radical redesigns of Parliament Square and the approach to the Olympic Park have been proposed to make them safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

The London Cycling Campaign unveiled the schemes as it launched its Love London, Go Dutch campaign to encourage the mayoral candidates to commit to introducing Amsterdam-style walking and cycling facilities.

The campaign's high-profile supporters include DJ Lauren Laverne, band Franz Ferdinand, philosopher Alain de Botton, architect Will Alsop and designer Wayne Hemingway.

It comes as a YouGov survey of 1,376 adults commissioned by the LCC found that more than half a million Londoners cycle at least once a week - with 51 per cent saying they would cycle more if it were safer or more convenient.

The campaign has been launched amid mounting concern at the number of cycling deaths and serious injuries in London.

There were 16 fatalities last year and two already this year, including veteran courier Henry Warwick, 61, who collided with a coach last Friday in Bishopsgate.

The LCC has used computer graphics to show how traffic could be banned from the north and east sides of Parliament Square, turning the central "garden" area into a piazza.

Cyclists would still be able to ride on the eastern side, where a Boris bike docking station would be installed.

The other proposal is to convert Stratford High Street by reducing three lanes of traffic in each direction to one, plus a bus and cycle lane. The cycle lanes would link in with the walking and cycling "greenway" that will run through the Olympic Park.

Last year the LCC helped spark a backlash against Transport for London's redesign of the road layout on Blackfriars bridge when it published similar proposals showing how easy it would be to make cycling safer.

The survey found that concerns about sharing roads with fast-moving traffic was the main reason why respondents said they wouldn't cycle in London, being mentioned by 40 per cent.

LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha said: "There's a real danger London will be left behind by other global cities such as New York, Paris and Amsterdam if the next Mayor doesn't look beyond outdated solutions that always favour motor traffic over cyclists and pedestrians. We're calling on the next Mayor to provide safe and convenient bike lanes on main roads."

To join the campaign, visit lcc.org.uk/go-dutch

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