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Transport for London (TfL) confirmed today that construction work on a major new segregated cycle route will begin on 5th July.
Work is starting on the first section of Cycleway 4 between Tower Bridge and Rotherhithe Roundabout and includes new pedestrian crossings along Tooley Street and Jamaica Road, as well as the overhaul of Rotherhithe roundabout.
TfL has been working closely with Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich Councils on plans for the new high-quality route which, when complete, will connect neighbourhoods between Tower Bridge and Greenwich to London’s growing network of high-quality cycleways and will enable thousands more journeys in south-east London to be made more safely. Overall, the scheme involves £54 million of investment from TfL’s Healthy Streets budget.
The Mayor and TfL are working to double the number of cycle journeys across the capital over the next six years as part of a shift towards more efficient, healthier and less polluting forms of transport. TfL has doubled the amount of protected space on London’s roads for people cycling since 2016 and is on course to triple this by 2020.
Major upgrades planned as part of the route include:
– A four-kilometre two-way segregated cycle track on Tooley Street, Jamaica Road, Evelyn Street and Creek Road, which will keep people cycling separated from motor traffic
– Five new signal-controlled pedestrian crossings and upgrades to more than 20 existing pedestrian crossings
– An overhauled Rotherhithe roundabout as part of TfL’s Safer Junctions programme
– A new eastbound bus gate on the Jamaica Road approach to Rotherhithe roundabout, giving buses priority and easier access into Lower Road
– New and improved street layout at Deptford High Street and Rotherhithe roundabout, including new paving and trees
Work will start in July on an initial 1.8-kilometre section of segregated cycle route. Construction work on further sections of the route, including Evelyn Street and Creek Road, will begin next year. Overall, TfL is investing £2.3 billion in ‘Healthy Streets‘ to enable more walking and cycling in London.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted that work is about to begin on this major new cycle route in south-east London. High-quality segregated cycle routes greatly increase the numbers of people who feel confident cycling on our streets, and with new pedestrian crossings along the route, road danger will be substantially reduced for thousands of pedestrians too.
“Boroughs like Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich really understand the huge benefits of investing in high-quality walking and cycling infrastructure. With record investment from TfL, we will continue to work with boroughs who share our vision to tackle London’s inactivity crisis, reduce road danger, and get more people out of their cars and into cleaner greener forms of transport.”
Gareth Powell, TfL’s managing director of Surface Transport, said: “Cycleway 4 will transform streets for local people between Tower Bridge and Greenwich, making walking and cycling much safer and easier for thousands of people every day, as well as making local streets more pleasant places to spend time.
“We’d like to thank local residents, visitors and businesses for their patience whilst construction work takes place and would encourage people in the area to plan ahead while work to create the route is underway.”
Simon Munk, infrastructure campaigner, London Cycling Campaign, said: “The arrival of Cycleway 4 is fantastic news. This is a major step towards the Mayor’s commitment to the London Cycling Campaign to triple the mileage of protected space for cycling on London’s main roads.
“When complete, this route will bring safer cycling to many more people of all ages and abilities, than currently ride on these hostile streets. We look forward also to the upcoming Southwark Lower Road scheme to fill the gap in this scheme and to future extensions to Woolwich and London Bridge.”
