Vote for this Sustrans project!

Public vote on four major projects and who should get the 50 million....it's a bit "gameshow" but this lot really should win so please vote and keep this bumped!!

http://www.thepeoples50million.org.uk/projects/connect2

Worthy of being stickied for a little while. It would be great if they get the money.

So they can build more useless and dangerous cycle lanes?

have you been to the sustrans website? do you know what they do?

ah, don't mind me, I'm just being obnoxious.

But yes, I'm well aware of what Sustrans do and a lot of it is very noble, but their promotion of segregated cycle routes is hardly ideal. A knock on effect is the notion that cyclists must be using the lanes. In fact, the other week a van tried to run me off the road because the driver objected to me not using the cycle lane.

By all means, support Sustrans, but I don't feel they represent me at all and I resent the assumption that they are the voice of cycling.

I'm not an expert but my understanding is that Sustrans build as many routes as they can completely away from roads, either purpose built or on disued railway lines etc....who can argue with that! The useless cycle lanes that we all know and hate are generally, designed, planned and put in place by local councils, not Sustrans.

They've also down fantastic work throughout the country by re-opening old cycle ways, opening new cycle ways, building bridges and infrastructure for those, campaigning for additional facilities for cyclists, maintaining existing cycle ways, and an enormous amount of work in mapping it all so that it's not only available but can be found.

Anyhow, this is the bit that I think is very worthy:

By building bridges and new crossings over barriers such as busy roads, rivers and railway lines, Connect2 will connect people to the places they want to go.

How many times have you enthused about cycling to someone, win their opinion, only to have that last nagging doubt come up over how dangerous it is to navigate Shepherds Bush and the roundabout there, or Hammersmith, or parts of Central London. You can't say it's safe, perhaps for you it is safer as an experienced cyclist, but safe it is not. And there in that doubt and fear is a person who won't ride a bike as they look at the possible route and decide that going via one of those perceived killer junctions isn't worth the risk.

So projects that build bridges that are for the exclusive use of cyclists and pedestrians, that can by-pass major junctions and hot spots efficiently. These projects help get people on bikes. Once experienced they can then join you in bemoaning having to leave the road, but let's do what we can to help get them on the road in the first place.

By all accounts, the last 50m or so Sustrans received was largely a sign-posting exercise to existing cycle routes - there was very little actual building. And some of the existing routes were not even complete, leaving the cyclist stranded on an unsuitable path. Now, whilst bridges over busy junctions sounds great, it's not terribly likely that they will be built over somewhere like Shepherds Bush or Hammersmith. And also, bear in mind they will be shared with pedestrians and the cyclist will probably be required to dismount to use them. There's also a lot of evidence that cycle paths are in fact more dangerous then the road (see: http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/sustrans1.html), so wouldn't efforts to reduce the risk of traffic and increase the visibility of cyclists on the road make more sense?

One of the other concerns is that the government and councils pat themselves on the back for invested in cycling and take no further interest, leaving Sustrans as the sole powerful cycling lobby.

I'm actually a member of the London Cycling Campaign and was received a leaflet urging me to vote for this at the weekend, so my back's up about it at the moment...

i think that cycle paths SOUND like a good idea but in practice they generally either put you in the way of pedestrians (like in many parks and commons) or they just paint the side of the road where you'd normally ride green and say its a cycle lane which is kind of self defeating, i'm a bit of a risk taker in that i learned to ride basically on roads so traffic is just something i have learned to accept but realistically theres never gonna be a point where cycling is going to be "safe" as at some point your gonna have to be on the road so in a way its better to get used to it

Here are the London schemes if no one wants to clicky through. More about bridge than cycle lanes....

London - Islington Walking & Cycling Routes
The densely populated London Borough of Islington has very limited green space and an expanding population.

This proposal seeks to thread a route through the north of the borough, linking together some of the finest parks in Islington. Starting at Highbury Corner, the council is working in partnership with Transport for London to investigate if the interchange can be improved, including for walkers and cyclists. Access to the arboretum in the green space in the centre of the gyratory will be investigated as part of the project. The route will then pass through Highbury Fields and on to Drayton Park before making use of the concourse around the Emirates Stadium. It will then enter Gillespie Park, a delightful linear park with an established nature reserve and tremendous views of the new Emirates Stadium. Further on, the proposal considers a new ramp that would them link walkers and cyclists to Station Place at the Finsbury Park interchange, while the path continues into the park itself. This main route would be accompanied by a link west from Highbury Fields into Caledonian Park.

This useful network will link into existing and planned cycling and walking schemes, making journeys easier for local people, students at the London Metropolitan University and the many thousands of visitors to the new Arsenal Football Club stadium.

London - South Bermondsey, Disused Rail Bridge Links

This scheme lies in the heart of a densely populated area of southeast London characterised by major roads and railway lines. Pedestrian and cycle movement is currently difficult and a high accident record on the area's roads is testament to the poor conditions.

This scheme will make use of a disused rail bridge and former track beds. When complete, the local community will enjoy a largely traffic-free connection between Rotherhithe New Road in Southwark and Surrey Canal Road in Lewisham. It will give people pleasant access to South Bermondsey Station and will make possible numerous north-south and east-west journeys by foot or bike.

The local community are embracing the proposal to open up this disused rail bridge. Over 1000 family homes are physically separated from the local transport hub at South Bermondsey.

From the station, it is only a 3 minute train ride into central London but many local residents are reluctant to use the station because the estate lacks access points and the road is very busy. Some have even gone as far as bending open the estate fencing, just so that they can get to the station.

This bridge presents a real chance to open up the opportunities of Central London to the residents of Bermondsey. It will allow them to interact with their local community and will become an iconic feature in London; something that local residents can be proud of and know that they had a hand in creating. It will cement a legacy that will see high quality greenways spreading throughout Southwark, Lewisham and beyond. Connect2 will give us the means to make this happen.

London - Havering, Ingrebourne Valley links

London's Ingrebourne Valley route starts in the Weald Country Park (site of Olympic mountain bike events) and runs all the way from north to south to join the Thames on the edge of the Rainham Marshes, which are now being turned into a huge wildlife and open space area. The route passes through Harold Hill, Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. London Borough of Havering have been working hard to develop a cycling and walking Greenway along the river, with useful links reaching into the local community to sites such as St Georges Hospital, schools and the leisure centre. However, the continuity of the route is broken by a number of major roads which are very difficult to cross and by the suburban railway at Upminster. This scheme aims to overcome these barriers with innovative walkways through existing river bridges. It will result in a useful, direct and attractive network and give cycling and walking priority for local journeys.

London - Paddington, Westbourne railway bridge and links

A narrow, twisting bridge with stepped access crosses the many railway lines approaching Paddington Station. Cyclists and walkers wanting to travel from the Bayswater to Maida Vale areas can risk the bridge or, as many choose, take a considerable detour and use the Great Western Road or the Paddington Basin.

This scheme will see the construction of a new, straight, wider bridge, with ramped accesses that will be at the heart of a network of cycle and pedestrian priority routes, linking in to existing networks. Kensington Gardens, Westbourne Green, Kilburn, Kensal Green and the new City Academy will be connected by routes that prioritise walkers and cyclists. The new railway bridge, and its linking routes, as well as improvements to two existing bridges over the Grand Union Canal, will mean journeys through Westbourne Green will often be quicker, and certainly more attractive, when made on foot or by bike.

London - Bethnal Green, new bridge over Regents Canal to Mile End Park

This scheme will build on the work already done to transform this part of the East End. A new pedestrian and cycling bridge over the Regents Canal in Mile End Park will be the hub of a network of priority routes for walkers and cyclists connecting Bethnal Green to Bow and the Olympic Park beyond. This will allow journeys between these dense residential areas and their schools, hospitals and shops to be made in a pleasant, traffic-free environment, avoiding busy Mile End Road and Roman Road. The local community and students at the University of London campus will have improved access to the green spaces of Meath Gardens, Mile End Park and Victoria Park and an attractive route to the Olympic Games. By developing high quality walking and cycling routes, the residents of Bethnal Green will have increased access to social and economic opportunity. This scheme will truly improve people’s lives.

London - Croydon Park Links

This scheme will link densely populated parts of the London Borough of Croydon to some of the area’s finest green spaces. One part of it uses a former rail line to link the communities of Addiscombe and Woodside to South Norwood Country Park, whilst another builds on the success of the Wandle Trail with a connection into East Croydon and a link beside the Croydon tramline. By connecting people to parks, this project creates the opportunity for local people to make numerous journeys on foot or by bicycle to and through the town centre.

The Sustrans bid does appear to be the only one that's actually national, too. So it seems like a likely candidate to be chosen - certainly it appears to be the only one with any intention of visiting Scotland and Wales.

Plus, even though 'career' cyclists aren't likely to use the facilities, it's not about us. It's about the 2.4 children and their parents going for a walk/ride in the countryside at the weekend without having to deal with traffic.

The London Freewheel was a horrible exercise in frustratingly slow cycling around some grim parts of London, but the kids loved it and the parents seemed relieved to be able to relax a bit.

The cars fucking hated it though, I got more aggro on the freewheel than on an average critical mass! Eyebrows will testify.

stronger laws against bad motoring and more disincentives to even get into a car will make the roads we do have easier for everyone to cycle on. there is no way that every possible route destination can have a greenway alternative for cyclists to use so there will always be a reason for the less inclined to opt for the less sustainable alternatives when they actually need to go somewhere. these cycle routes are about leisure cycling not the everyday A to Bs of commuting etc. sooner or later a cyclists is going to have to negotiate heavy traffic if they want to go A to B as part of a commute and that is where the focus should be. getting us out of the way of petrol heads wont solve the real problem which is cars not bikes. 50m on greenways but i'll still have a hassle finding somewhere to park my bike in town. better to change some laws, put money into training more cyclists to use existing roads and clamp down on the numpties who put signs up stopping us from locking bikes but don't mind breathing poisons that also discolours their fancy architecture and streets chocked with large metal boxes.

dr.oblong stronger laws against bad motoring and more disincentives to even get into a car will make the roads we do have easier for everyone to cycle on. there is no way that every possible route destination can have a greenway alternative for cyclists to use so there will always be a reason for the less inclined to opt for the less sustainable alternatives when they actually need to go somewhere. these cycle routes are about leisure cycling not the everyday A to Bs of commuting etc. sooner or later a cyclists is going to have to negotiate heavy traffic if they want to go A to B as part of a commute and that is where the focus should be. getting us out of the way of petrol heads wont solve the real problem which is cars not bikes. 50m on greenways but i'll still have a hassle finding somewhere to park my bike in town. better to change some laws, put money into training more cyclists to use existing roads and clamp down on the numpties who put signs up stopping us from locking bikes but don't mind breathing poisons that also discolours their fancy architecture and streets chocked with large metal boxes.
hear hear

Tramps and I went to the Eden Project for a cycling getaway. Looked up lots of sh*te about cycling around there and it looked great. Booked our B&B right on the SUSTRANS "cycle" lane that was made to take people in a sustainable way to the Project.

Got about 50 meters on to it and it turned to fist sized rocks. Not pebbles or gravel, friggin' rocks. Perhaps the odd Mountain biker would enjoy riding this path, but even Mr. Mountain Biker probably wouldn't want to ride it to get anywhere. Now obviously our track bikes weren't made for this, and someone could make an easy argument about us riding Cornwall on track bikes, but that argument doesn't really matter. The path was to get cyclists from point A to point B, and if you are SUSTRANS you should probably make sure that that means all cyclists. The only other vehicle we saw on the path was a motorbike/atv thingy.

We ended up having to back out and ride with cars around busy back roads and blind corners. The trip was roughly 6 miles and ended up taking Tramps and I over an hour and a half of getting lost, back tracking etc...

I complained to Eden Project about the lack of signage on the roads (there's a point to meet up again with the cycle path from the road for the last mile), and they said the council won't let them hang signs in the road pointing to the cycle path. Certainly it's worth SUSTRANS time to put pressure on them considering the amount of tourists that go to the Eden Project and it's sustainability stance (i.e. bikes = good)

I also complained about the so-called cycle path, they said that they too are disappointed and that it was a SUSTRANS project.

So between that experience and the absolutely insulting and dangerous cycle paths on the London roads I'm not really sure SUSTRANS understands what cyclists need.

To be considered a cycle path I would say it needs to have three main attributes; It won't destroy your bike, it takes you out of the path of danger, and you can get somewhere useful by riding it. I know that SUSTRANS were very proud to hit the 10,000 miles of cycle paths mark in 2005, but I know of lots of miles that they consider cycle paths that most people wouldn't.

However they are competing against the EDEN PROJECT'S THE EDGE Project, which sounds pretty frickin' cool, and is looking towards a sustainable way of living.......
http://www.edenproject.com/2752.html

50 Million is such an incredible amount of money and I think that it'd be amazing for that to go towards taking England's cycling forward. I may even vote for SUSTRANS but I would hope that they take a pretty huge step forward with it, because so far I'm really unimpressed.

The plans above look frickin lame besides the Westbourne/Paddington one (I hate riding around there).
And while I agree with Mr.Tom saying that whatever wins should be more national, I disagree that the plans should be about kids and casual cyclists. They can have the parks to peddle around in for fun. Cycling as commuting is imperative for the future of London. It needs to be taken seriously as a form of transportation and not as simply a fun thing to do on the weekends. Making a few pretty paths does nothing to make it safe and easy for Joe Bloggs to ride his bike everyday to work and to the shops.

Dr. Oblong, has an awesome point that the paths are already there, they are called roads, and drivers need to be given the rod when it comes to their terrible treatment of cyclists. It would be great if we could get with lots of the great cities in Europe and make completely separate paths for cyclists, cars, trams, and peds, but that takes revolutionizing how urbanites think about cycling first. Make it so that the average motorist understands that more cyclists means he can get to work faster in his car and you got your first fight won.

hello all :-) yes i have come to the darkside... or is it the other way round? either way mt sucks lately.

anyways just waiting for my email so i can vote for sustrans.

Guardian article about Sustrans and Nazis!!

'a largely traffic-free connection between Rotherhithe New Road in Southwark and Surrey Canal Road in Lewisham.' Not that I won't vote but these two are about 400m apart and hardly dangerous already.

Winning so far

Winning? It's won it.

It's won, hasn't it?

I do echo some of the reservations stated above, about Sustrans but I am stll chuffed it won. Any new cycling initiatives have to be a good thing.

(unless they blow the whole lot on deathtrap cycle paths under buses - which seems unlikely)

It has won, but having worked for two organisations that funded them before, I'd be interested to see how they deliver and what they measure delivery on.

I'll not bore you with outcome funding and all that, but (depsite Sustrans winning) I'm not exactly thrilled / convinced by public voting on lottery projects at that level (£50m isn't small change anymore) per se. Eden Project shouldn't have been in the list in the first place (its meant to be self sustaining by now) and the others were all too regional for me... anyway desptie my gripes, I hope it gets more people on bikes.

oops, should read before posting.

Glad they won, anything to encourage people out of their cars. I'm not an eco-nut, but I've been to Houston and it's horrible. You literally can't walk/cycle anywhere except the centre of downtown.