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Boris Johnson has written to transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin to urge the Government to simplify regulations holding back progress in improving cycling infrastructure.
The Evening Standard reports that Johnson has proposed a ‘Super Corridor’ spanning Embankment from Westminster Bridge to Tower Hill, among other improvements, yet the Department for Transport is accused of ‘holding things back’.
Whitehall regulations are said to be halting progress on commiting to ‘Dutch’ style infrastructure shifts. The issue of safer routes remains a thorn in the mayor’s side, himself a regular cyclist in the city, much thanks to the 2012 tally of cyclist deaths on London’s roads rising to 12 last week.
Later on this month, the mayor’s office is to publish a ‘Cycle Vision stategy’ paper, which will propose a radical overhaul of the east to west network inside the next four years, including the proposed ‘Super Corridor’ link. Furthermore, it is expected the paper will review the direction of 12 cycle superhighways, which channel riders towards ‘Zone 1’ of central London where the lanes suddenly stop.
Transport for London’s chief operating officer in charge of the streets told the Standard: “If you are to make cycling effective you must join the network up and have dedicated high-quality facilities that take routes from A to B, not just three-quarters of the way.”
Read more on the proposals, including a trial programme on ‘mini traffic lights for cyclists’ here.
