Review of Cycle Superhighway junctions ordered - but LCC says Mayor already knows action required

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has ordered an immediate review of all junctions on the capital’s Barclays Cycle Superhighways following the deaths of two cyclists at the Bow roundabout in recent weeks. London Cycling Campaign (LCC) however insists that the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) are already aware of what needs to be done at Bow.

Yesterday, LCC said that Mr Johnson and TfL had ignored the recommendations of a report they had commissioned from a firm of civil engineers which called for traffic signals specifically for cyclists and pedestrians as well as separate cycle tracks to be put in place at the Bow roundabout.

Mr Johnson, who has come under pressure from cycle campaigners and local politicians in the wake of three deaths of cyclists in the capital in recent weeks, two of them at Bow, ordered the review after he and officials from TfL had met with John Biggs, the Labour London Assembly member for City and East.

News of the review came as a candlelit vigil was held at the roundabout yesterday evening to commemorate the lives of 58-year-old Brian Dorling and an unnamed 34-year-old female Ukrainian national, both killed there recently. It marks the eastern end of CS2, which runs from Aldgate to Bow.

Quoted on local news website wharf.co.uk, Mr Biggs said: "It is important that they look into this as a matter of urgency and the necessary steps are taken to make the Roundabout safe for cyclists.

"All parties need to work together to find a solution and do all we can to avoid any more tragedies on our roads."

Speaking at yesterday evening’s vigil, LCC trustee Mustafa Arif said: "It's vitally important that Boris Johnson acts now. There's no need for any further reviews at Bow; they already know what needs to be done here."