The Mayor of London’s proposals for major new bike routes across the capital must consider the impact on all road users says the Freight Transport Association (FTA).
Swannells – Warehousing Cambridge
Consultation began last week on a package of cycling, pedestrian and road improvements design to reflect the fact that cycling in central London has trebled over the last 15 years and the number of people who cycle around London will soon overtake the amount of people who drive in London.
Among the latest proposals are plans to allow cyclists to travel on segregated tracks or low-traffic roads from Acton and Swiss Cottage to central London, Elephant and Castle and Canary Wharf.
Warehousing Cambridge – Swannells
The FTA supports the principle of safe bike route that would be segregated from traffic – both to improve safety for cyclists and to encourage car users to switch to bikes, however this must take in to consideration the needs of all road users.
Natalie Chapman, FTA’s Head of Policy for London, had this to say about the proposals: “These schemes must be well thought out so they not only serve London today, but for decades to come.
“We are already seeing massive delays on Lower Thames Street due to the construction of the East-West Cycle Superhighway. This is resulting in some companies putting more vans and lorries on London’s roads to deliver the same quantity of goods, either to comply with the maximum shifts required under EU Drivers’ Hours rules or to maintain customer service levels.
“This is not good for emissions, congestion, transport costs or indeed safety. And this is not a temporary situation – the loss of capacity will be permanent.”
The new cycling schemes currently under condtruction were rushed through and the FTA is calling on the next Mayor of London to work with the freight industry and the businesses it serves to ensure that future schemes are better planned for the benefit of all road users.
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