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@Oliver Schick
OK, as has been said by others, no, no cycle facility in this country is compulsory. One of the big benefits we have in this country is that we've retained the political freedom to use the carriageway where there is a parallel cycle 'facility'--this right has been taken away in countries like the Netherlands or Germany.
This is also how I tend to formulate it when challenged by carengers. Putting it in terms of your freedom does tend to make them understand your POV better and more readily.
The other arguments--such as that the segregated farcesillyty in Bloomsbury is badly constructed and hazardous, etc.--tend to be too complicated for a snatched conversation in mid-traffic.
Always stay calm when speaking to drivers about this. Many of them are very poorly informed about traffic law and need education. It is good fun to have your copy of the HC on you to show them the relevant rule that they have just got wrong. They tend to respect that--I was once offered a pint by a random cabbie (had to decline, unfortunately).
To clarify some of the other points that have been made upthread:
(1) The HC is not law. It is written by the Driving Standards Agency and merely references traffic law (the 'MUST/MUST NOT' bits). However, the advisory bits, which are not law ('should/should not' or 'do/do not') can still be used as evidence in court proceedings.
(2) This is why the CTC ran a successful campaign to prevent the 2007 revision of the HC from including advice that would have required cyclists to use facilities 'where provided'. The wrangling over the eventual wording was quite something to behold. It was a massive battle. Threats like this are going to come back and we can't be complacent.
(3) You may also want to look up the case of the 'Telford One', Daniel Cadden, who was prosecuted because he didn't use a parallel sidepath on the opposite side of the road on which he was travelling. He was convicted but the silly judgement overturned quite quickly.
So, yes, take the lane in the carriageway when you need to--you have every right to, unless you're just about to try getting onto a motorway--where the key clue is in the word 'motor'.