TfL to rethink Blackfriars Bridge cycle lane proposal

Transport for London has reopened consultation over the removal of a cycle lane leading on to Blackfriars bridge in the face of anger from the capital’s cycling community, reports the Evening Standard.

The road layout on the northern approach to the bridge was due to be changed as part of an upgrade of the railway station by Network Rail which affects some of the associated infrastructure.

However, cyclists claimed that the removal of a cycle lane outside the station would place them in danger from southbound traffic racing away from a set of traffic lights and attempting to “claim” one of two general traffic lanes before the start of a bus lane on the bridge.

A Transport for London (TfL) spokesperson said:

“As part of Network Rail’s ongoing Blackfriars Station improvement works, a revised road layout is currently being designed by Network Rail, TfL and the City of London to help accommodate the expected increase in passengers that use the station when it reopens later this year.

“Separate to this, TfL recently consulted with key stakeholders and cycling groups about creating a new cycle lane across the Blackfriars Bridge junction, which would allow cyclists to turn right from Embankment onto Blackfriars Bridge more easily. During this consultation, a number of concerns about the more widespread layout changes have been raised.

“TfL is now carrying out further engagement with key stakeholders into the proposed changes to junction design and will feedback any significant issues that are raised to Network Rail’s consultants.”

Blackfriars bridge has previously had a poor safety record with two cyclist deaths in the space of 15 months earlier in the last decade, including that of Vicki McCreery in 2004.

The present upgrade project is a joint venture between Network Rail, Transport for London and the City of London. As for the question of where the buck ultimately stops for the road layout element, road.cc has asked and we are awaiting clarification.