Boris Johnson has given the go ahead for the East-West Cycle Superhighway that will run along the Embankment, despite many objections from taxi drivers, many businesses and business groups and local boroughs including the City of London. It only now needs to be approved by the Transport for London Board.

But there have been some amendments made to the plans to reduce the additional delays on the travel time from Limehouse Link to Hyde Park Corner from 16 minutes to just over 6 minutes. One change has been to increase the originally proposed two lanes to three at pinchpoints such as Tower Hill, Blackfriars Underpass and near Temple Station (it’s currently 4 lanes of course). With a slight narrowing of the segregated cycle track at certain points, this will mean two lanes are retained along all the westbound route. But the east bound route is also heavily congested, particularly in the evening rush hour and that is going to become very much worse. The plans to “hold back” traffic by signal changes and other means from these roads will also still take place, thus affecting a wider area.

Comment: The Freight Transport Association called the announcement “Rushing into delays” which well sums up the speed of implementation of these proposals without proper consideration at the behest of the Mayor before he leaves office, and the likely outcome. It is extremely disappointing that the Major has succumbed to cyclists vociferous promotion of this scheme which will have a very damaging impact on the road network in London. A judicial review has been threatened by some interested parties and it is to be hoped that this will be pursued. It would certainly get my support.

Roger Lawson