Streetspace 2019-2021
This is a record of the rapid progress made on the development of the cycle network, the introduction of new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, School Streets and bike hangar provision, all facilitated by the Mayor’s Streetspace initiative as a reaction to the Covid-19 emergency.
Read our account of the Streetspace achievements
Clerkenwell Boulevard
This name refers to the busy cycle route along Old Street, Clerkenwell Road, Theobalds Road and Bloomsbury Way where there have been numerous severe collisions. The alignment follows roads on the Central London Cycling Grid (2016) in Camden and Islington. Andrea Casalotti coined the name Clerkenwell Boulevard as a unifying concept for the e√ntire alignment. We had hoped for progress as part of the post-2016 GRID. LCC Campaign on London Boulevard was launched 24th May 2017 at Clerkenwell Design Festival.
The Holborn Liveable Neighbourhood would have created safe routes for cycling on Theobald’s Road as far as Grays Inn Road; this was approved in 2019 but then frozen by TfL in 2020. Separately in 2020, TfL announced a number of corridors including Holborn to Old Street but nothing materialised (see article in the Guardian). Read about our vision for Clerkenwell Boulevard. In September 2022 a joint protest with Cycle Islington “Hold the Lane” will be held on Old Street to draw attention to the lack of progress.
Regents Park
We have campaigned for routes inside the park and for improvements on the Outer Circle from 2006-17. Until May 2017, Angela Hobsbaum has represented us at the regular meetings of the Royal Parks Cycling Group. In 2010, the Broadwalk north of Chester Road became a permanent cycleway. The campaign to remove through traffic on the Outer Circle was re-launched in September 2013. The consultation on CS11 in spring 2016 proposed the closure of four gates except between 11 am and 3 pm. The majority of responses were in favour, but TfL delayed until summer 2017 to decide and then the whole project was cancelled following a legal challenge from Westminster Council (see Swiss Cottage). More about an early Regents Park campaign.
Tavistock Place Cycle Route upgrade
The Tavistock Place cycle track is part of the main east-west artery through the heart of London. Read more about this campaign launched in August 2013. In November 2015, the Tavistock Trial started: the narrow two-way tracks were replaced by a pair of wide tracks one on each side of the road. A consultation on making it permanent took place September 2016. Go to this page to read about the results. Although the results were very much in favour, LB Camden decided to hold a Public inquiry in October 2017. Following this the layout was made permanent improvements at Byng Place were made in 2021 and an upgrade of the Bedford Way junction is expected in 2022 but there is currently (summer 2022) no funding available for other recommended improvements.
The earlier history of this route is described in Seven Stations Link History.
Swiss Cottage Gyratory
A campaign started in July 2007. A bypass route was signed via Winchester Road following a CRISP study in 2007. We want the gyratory to revert to two-way working. Opportunities appeared from inspections for LCN+ and CSH routes that pass that way. In February 2014 there were hints of a possibility of change because the junction is one of those under review by TfL. CCC position on CS11 and Swiss Cottage, January 2014; CCC evaluation of five options July 2014. Consultation published as part of CS11 Spring 2016 and in Autumn 2016, TfL decided to go ahead with a major change but this was cancelled following a legal challenge from Westminster Council.….Read more about the details of this campaign
St Pancras International
This joint campaign with City Cyclists was launched by a demonstration at St Pancras International on 14th November 2007.
It aimed to get adequate cycle parking, carriage of a bike on the same train and safe and convenient access by cycle to the Station. Read about the background and the outcomes Just in time for the demo, parking for 100 bikes was installed in the Car Park at St Pancras International. Originally you could walk in via the Car Park entrance. But this has no longer been the case since autumn 2008. This campaign will not be complete until we have a proper means of access to cycle parking.
April 2008 – you can take your bike on the same train with you. June 2008 access map on Eurostar website. Camden Council has published cycle safety audit on the roads around the station in April 2008. Almost all of it has now been implemented. Camden Council designed and implemented most of link to the SSL by summer 2008: only two-way cycling in Regents Square remained to be done. Implemented in January 2012. January 2014 looking at improvements at junction Midland Road/Pancras road and Goodsway/York Way.
Euston Circus
Euston Circus is the junction of Tottenham Court Road/Hampstead and Euston Road. The new design has been implemented early 2014 but in spite of our early participation, there are no improvements for cyclists and several left hooks remain. The new scheme does incorporate LCC’s idea for a bus+cycle contraflow from Gower Street – good for buses, but access from Euston Road needs improvements. Further changes took place as a result of Camden’s West End Project but the main problems with this TfL junction were not addressed. Read more about the campaign.
Going Dutch Campaign 2011 followed by Motion 3 at LCC AGM in 2013
LCC members voted for this campaign in 2011 and we decided at our meeting in August 2011 to persuade Camden Council to use Dutch design principles when Tottenham Court road becomes two way in the context of West End Project. Read more about the campaign. The conflict between the needs of bus users and cyclists has been a challenge and the result is not going to provide segregation for cyclists in TCR. But this was compensated in August 2013 by the new design and implementation in Royal College Street which provides space for cycling of a high standard although the details come from a variety of sources, e.g. armadilloes from Barcelona or Seville. At the LCC AGM in 2013 members passed a motion (3) that requires separated space for cyclists when speeds are above 20 mph or motor vehicle flows above 2000 pcus per day. Our subsequent efforts have been directed towards achieving this standard in a variety of projects rather than any idea of copying Dutch infrastructure. Unfortunately the application of protected space at junctions is not well understood.
Hampstead Heath
Our old campaign was dormant from 2001, but was active from summer 2006-13. See the latest news on the Campaign. Camden Council was awarded £30K Greenway funding for 2007-8 to build the shared use path on Spaniards Road. This was completed in 2008. But we decided to drop this campaign in 2013 and to put our efforts elsewhere.
CCC campaigns in the Kings Cross Area
The large area to be redeveloped by Argent and the new stations at St Pancras have kept CCC’s Kings Cross Team (John Chamberlain, Anne Boston and James Brander) busy ever since 2004. The history of this campaign is described in CCC campaigns in the Kings Cross Area
Camley Street link
This campaign started in 2000 and ended very successfully with the link being completed and opened on 7th August 2009. Read illustrated report on the opening. The anti-motorcycle barriers were cut back a bit in 2013. It’s still a great enhancement to routes in Camden
Motorcycles and bus lanes
Before his election, Mayor Boris Johnson pledged to allow motorised two-wheelers to ride in bus lanes; Read our case and supporting research CCC took a deputation to Camden council on 8th September 2008 to persuade them to prevent this from happening on Camden’s roads.
Read our post mortem on the deputation. The TfL consultation on motorcycles in bus lanes closed in Jan 2010. What was remarkable is that you can reply as many times as you like…..TfL says bikes in bus lanes report allows no meaningful comparison.
Bicycle storage in peoples homes
Bicycle storage in peoples homes managed by John Chamberlain.
History
The Highlights of CCC’s campaigns from 1994 to 2003 are described by Paul Gasson.
And the Highlights of CCC’s campaigns from 2004 to 2014 are described by Jean Dollimore
And the Highlights of CCC’s campaigns from 2014 to 2022
Seven Stations Link History of Seven Stations Link
