Route advice: City to Richmond park

Confident male cyclist seeks ideas on safer routes.

Have been riding Surbiton <> city for a while and alone this is fine but my partner has started to join me and some sections make me nervous.

There are 3 phases to the ride when heading home (feels less safe in this direction)

1. Protected lanes
   
2. K&C, putney - ffs.
   
3. Richmond park and protect lanes
   
   

Distain for K&C embankment and Putney bridge/high street is marked with the get in the sea emoji.
Thumbs up to a new cut-through I've added in the new Hammersmith and Fulham clean air neighbourhood that avoids all of New Kings Road heading home (which can be faster than dealing with the football & Putney bridge traffic).

Am I missing anything, south of the river or side roads that make the middle phase feel safer? Can always ride the shared path along K&C embankment when really snarled up.
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1042464552

Perhaps cross the river and through battersea Park and on towards Wandsworth, although not segregated its quite wide and I personally feel quite safe, with some blue paint cyele and bus lanes.
Wandsworth one way just past Southside is not pleasant, but the rest is OK.

Perhaps cross the river and through battersea Park

Thanks, will give it a try!

If you're looking to go as traffic free as possible but will be slower....you can follow the river on the Thames Path all the way round from Kingston round to Hammersmith then through Holland Park-Hyde Park - Buckingham Palace - Embankment. Not one for the dark but nice in the summer if you have time

Yeah, I would've thought maybe crossing at Hammersmith Bridge and doing Hyde Park > Buckingham Palace route could be a bit friendlier?

Something like this.
Although you'll be wanting Earl's court & Kensington to get in the sea.

You could also check out the route that Jon reccomends, but personally I hate the shared thames path.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSbrUnMcjbY&t=885s

Through Putney, a wiggle to get to the nice run of Clarendon Dr, Dryburgh Rd, St. Mary's Grove is well worth it.

Great video, very interesting routes I didn't know about as I mainly use the roads.

Crossing Chelsea Bridge and heading into Battersea Park will get you onto the riverside path that you can take all the way to Putney High Street (more or less). It's shared with pedestrians for lots of it and has a few irritating sections/crossings, but it's interesting and largely feels safe.

Stick to the thames path from wandsworth bridge all the way to battersea park and cross the river at chealsea bridge, all traffic free. Where the A3 converges in Wandsworth you can go side roads to the river avoiding the heavy traffic

I use this route. okay it starts as you cut off Embankment but uses quiet back roads to get to Putney Bridge and then along LRR to RP

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Thanks for all the ideas, first run at something new. Thames path on a warm sunny evening, lovely but I don't like shared spaces, my partner enjoyed it.
Quiet streets of Putney and Roehampton, real nice.

Journey time was the same as fighting through traffic on K&C Embankment and Putney bridge but stress free and so much less agro than New Kings Road, Lower Richmond Road, Priory lane, etc.

Still bored of the inward ride along Lower Richmond Road, riding the entire section down the middle, navigating the mile long que of traffic. Waiting for something to go wrong, either that or the pollution will get me.

Why doesn't anyone ride into St Marys Grove, the private road after the railway bridge? Perhaps the back streets are full of rat runners(?), will find out tomorrow. I guess this is a reason to pay for Strava, heatmaps.

Hope they finish Putmey bridge soon and it's an actual improvement, what a cluster fuck not leaving a lane for cyclists (southbound) during the works. /rant

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I think that’s a nice route.

I often ride West > East along clarendon > chelverton > Werter (Disraeli > Norroy in the other direction.)

It’s quiet, but not sure what it’s like at commuting hours, there is a school.

I think one bit is one way so it gets a bit fiddly, but otherwise I suspect just lazyness for the most part

I suspect just lazyness for the most part

Can relate.. it's been 7+years and have never tried those back streets.

Those back streets are fine, a lot quieter but cars do take advantage and zoom along there.
I'd skip that extra zig zag off the high street and just take the turn at Lacy Road Lidl and maybe do the full Hotham road - Lacy road stretch to avoid the narrow street and the school on Charlwood road

St.Marys Grove has got a foot bridge across the rail track. Bit annoying with a bike but doable.

I do this fairly regularly, but turn onto felsham and then cut through the housing estate next to the bricklayers arms. Puts you onto lower Richmond Road after the worst bits.

Think I spyed you and your misses today at Kingston Gate? Ebike and you in a blue jacket?

Ebike and you in a blue jacket?

Yup!

Thanks, will try tomorrow, getting back onto LRR has got to be better than joining the high street.

felsham and then cut through the housing estate next to the bricklayers arms.

Yeah this was much more pleasant than dueling with oncoming traffic down LRR!

Good to hear.

Just praying for the end of the clusterfuck that it is Putney bridge southbound now. Feels incredibly dangerous with three lanes smerging into one and cyclists everywhere trying to make some progress in a sea of buses and flashing indicators.

In general, I find city cycling with anyone else significantly more complicated. Trying to judge junctions and navigating filtering while also trying to stay with someone else can just lead to worse decisions for both. I've been doing Putney>Westminster and now Kingston>Westminster for 15 years I think. Have developed quite the sixth sense for what other road users are going to do at any given moment - so generally find the commute pretty chill. Riding through other bits of London without that deep road knowledge feels much harder.

In general, I find city cycling with anyone else significantly more complicated.

I don't know what formation you spyed us in but agree, we'll seperate in a blink and do our own thing. On strong head wind days, I'll also have to jostle with the roadies for her wheel 😂.

Just praying for the end of the clusterfuck that it is Putney bridge southbound now.

Is it just me... or Northbound, Lower Richmond Road, left turn onto the bridge, they've built an ASL/box with no way to filter into it?!

If a car is as the stop line, the new kerb blocks cyclists from getting in it.
Women and kid in a cargo bike had to go through the right turn lane to turn left this morning.

Slow clap for Wandsworth council, though maybe I've missed something, as it is not quite finished.

Yeah - that new island between left and right lanes is bonkers. I've been taking the right lane and turning left as loads of room on the outside / can be safer than getting squeezed on the inside.

The whole thing seems an absolute mess. No idea what the end game plan is, but my bet is worse for everyone.