Cycling News

LCC demands Cycle Super-highways not 'Cycle Superficial-highways'

The London Cycling Campaign wants Boris to stick up for bikes more and, to keep him on message, has created a manifesto

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged to create '12 safe, fast, direct, continuous and comfortable' cycle commuter routes from the suburbs into central London by 2012. These so-called Cycle Superhighways are part of the package of measures designed to deliver the mayor's promise to increase the model share of cyclists in London from two percent to five percent by 2026.

At the weekend, 50,000 London cyclists will enjoy truly cycle-friendly streets, and the London Cycling Campaign is inviting Mayor Boris Johnson to set clear cycle-friendly quality standards for his 12 Cycle Superhighways.

LCC has laid out Cycle Superhighway quality standards in the form of a manifesto and is asking London cyclists to sign up and demand these standards for the Cycle Superhighways.

Chief executive Koy Thomson said, "It's high-quality cycle routes not a wash of blue paint that'll attract occasional cyclists into regular cycle commuting. We're concerned at a weakening of commitment to such quality on the proposed Cycle Superhighways. The mayor needs to step in and make clear that he's aiming for standards that'll be the envy of Europe. We'll be inviting the Mayor to sign our manifesto."

The manifesto says:

I want Cycle Superhighways that...

1) Make my journey a pleasant experience and not a daily struggle for space.

2) Give me and other cyclists priority over motor traffic.

3) Include sections free of motor traffic.

4) Stop buses, lorries and cars passing too close and too fast.

5) Keep my path free of parked cars and the danger of opening car doors.

6) Enable me to cycle at the speed I prefer.

7) Don't force me to cross lanes of fast-moving traffic.

8) Do away with hazardous or difficult one-way systems and roundabouts.

9) Are continuous and don't stop and start.

10) Allow me to stop at red lights ahead of other traffic and move off first.

Published Friday 18 September 2009