The Scoop

Cyclists' fury at TfL's Blackfriars Bridge plans

Darryl Chamberlain | Friday 15 April, 2011 12:51

Cyclists and politicians from across City Hall are making a last-ditch appeal to Transport to London to scrap plans to remove part of Blackfriars Bridge’s cycle lanes.

Cyclists make up over 35% of all rush-hour traffic crossing the bridge, while cars and taxis make up just under 32%.

At present, cyclists entering the bridge southbound from the City can use a wide cycle lane alongside two vehicle lanes.

But under TfL’s proposals, the lane will be removed – and replaced with a third vehicle lane.

The plans have been highlighted by the Cyclists In The City blog, which says the bridge is being handed over to a “motorway design”. It is appealling to its readers to respond to a TfL consultation, which closes later today.

London politicians have also weighed in, with Labour assembly members Val Shawcross and John Biggs joining forces with Green mayoral hopeful Jenny Jones to criticise the plans.

Shawcross and Biggs have said the scheme will leave Blackfriars “ very unsafe “ for cyclists, while Jones said changing the arrangements on the bridge to favour cyclists would be ‘cheap compared with the tragedy and the expense of even one road death’.

Conservative Andrew Boff joined the furore yesterday, calling the plans “inadequate”.

TfL’s consultation on the scheme remains open until later today.

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