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Given buses are the biggest threat to cycling safety
This oft-repeated claim is not true.
I'm not sure if you appreciate quite how sensational this initiative is. I've worked on this stuff for seventeen years as a volunteer and I never thought I'd see something like this. It's the Bank junction, one of the most historic and iconic places in the world and certainly in London. If it gets adopted, it will be by far the most transformative traffic scheme that London has seen since Congestion Charging.
The lobbying by interest groups that is currently going on is an inevitable part of the process and a lot of options will have to be examined before a final decision is taken.
Also, it's important not to always think 'what's in it for cyclists'. That's not how successful street design works. (I'm obviously fully aware of people claiming the opposite--as it happens, there is absolutely zero potential for kerb nerdery here, so it's irrelevant in any case. Not that this fact will stop them trying. :) )
Oliver Schick-
I'm not going to be excited about a heavily used 5-way bus junction as a cycle route. Thinking that removal of 15-25% of motor traffic is good news doesn't wash with me.
And I am far from thinking, what's in it for cyclists only, decent cycle tracks offer people a viable alternative to dangerous and polluting busses.
Backstop
hmmm, very little offered to cyclists there. Given busses are the biggest threat to cycling safety and the numbers involved through there it seems a reasonable scheme for bus and peds but of little benefit to cyclists.
Not too mention it's a free for all after 7pm, and they're already talking about allowing taxis in as well...