London Routes, Shortcuts and Traffic Free Tips - Share Your Knowledge People !

I found the other day that if you need to get from Westminster to Moorgate then, provided you hit the ligths on the Embankment right, you can cane it all the way along the river without stopping. Only downside is that it's a bit more tiring than stopping for lights, dodging peds etc

for four months i used a cunning "shortcut" from kilburn to southwark (NW6 to SE1) that avoided maida vale and edgeware road by cutting along residential streets, up past lords and cutting though regent's park, down oxford street, the strand and over waterloo bridge.

then a couple of weeks ago on a whim i went back to most obvious as-the-crow-flies main road route of: maida vale - edgeware road - marble arch - park lane - hyde park corner - buckingham palace - green park - westminster square - westminster bridge and along upper ground. not only is it at least 15 minutes quicker than the "shortcut" but there are far fewer pedestrian crossings and traffic lights and (this is the crucial bit) it's way more fun.

i initially thought i wanted to avoid the traffic but the thing with a commute is that even with occasional variations it's still the same basic route day in day out. i was starting to get bored with racing the same traffic lights on the same nearly empty roads day after day. there's definitely something to be said for spinning down park lane at full pelt changing lanes with the busses and cabs as opposed to slogging round the outer circle chasing down nodders on their bromptons.

been riding the new old route for about three weeks now.

if i think of any decent genuine nuggets of wisdom i'll pass them on though. i'm sure i've plenty, it's just hard to visualise them from a desk.

Share your wisdom here. Sometimes we all need help getting around and this forum is chock full of boys and girls who make it their business to know every grimy nook and cranny of London's sprawling London. Let's hear your insight... starting with my new query:

I've just moved to Leyton. I like it I think... It's bat shit and it doesn't know what it is as a place but that's what's good about it. If you're a tube lover - it's the business, there's an overground trundling over the top of the city from North of Leyton and the Central Line zipping in via Stratford at the South. But I hate public transport and I ride bikes. As far as i can tell the massive railway line and its sidings combined with the Olympic Park and the Canal beside the Wick all serve to act as a massive barricade for a cyclist wanting to emerge from Leyton's clutches. I imagine that the Olympic Park once re-opened and resplendent may offer a range of new routes, but as it stands I can only really spot three:

Over the top via the Lea Bridge Road and then down through Clapton / Hackney. That would be ok but it's not exactly the shortest route when I'm inevitable late for work.

Down into Stratford and then along the A11.

Or down onto the Eastway via the array of shitty 'bike path / not bike path / pedestrian crossing / now you're walking / now you're traffic bullshit (my least favoured form of urban cycling) and across to Victoria Park via the Wick.

There must be another way Forum??? How to I get the wind in what's left of my hair without becoming road jam. Show me a route. What's the secret?

there is another routes database or tips for riding around london expect merga-trude to be along shortly

If anyone can answer op's question I to would be very happy as I currently need to get to/from stepney and whipps cross. same exact issue... right now viccy park seems to be best but even then there is the bollocks around a12/westfield/this is or isn't a cycle lane.

when they had the worlds largest sporting event it wouldnt have been hard to put in a cut through for cycles.....surely.....

^^I had a look and there isn't actually. There's a really old one about spotting fluid lines around London compared to NY. There's also a routes data base for getting out into the country, but ther isn't a "how do I get from Old St to Marble Arch without hating Oxford St" type thread anywhere. Link me to it if there is.

^This S785! That's my point. I don't mind road riding... I like it, but Dual carriageway stuff is a bit hairy and I hate that stuttering bike lane / no lane / bike lane / shared path / bike lane bullshit.

the whole olympic park is blocked at the minute but if you just wait another two years there'll be lovely cycle lanes all the way through westfield olympic park and it's environs
currently mile end road / or A106 Eastway are the only options north and south of the log jam ... sadly

just two years to wait for elegant lovely cycling through landscaped gardens

The fucking Olympics fucked us.* Quelle surprise*.

I would move if I were you.

Ha!

More generally you're right Wrongcog in that bicycle travel in East London is often hindered by significant physical barriers and a lack of permeability. It's a pain as it does restrict your route options.

Where are you trying to get to? Pardon me if I missed it, but I can't see where...

it will only fuck us for 5 years, after that we will be left with the cycle routes and the £3-5bn debt

Is there an existing thread for route discussion? maybe this could be an improve-my-route thread?

Here's mine - http://goo.gl/maps/34V8r - i take the cycle bypass at E&C, but won't take it on google maps.

Think I've sussed it. Just after the canal as you leave Leyton and hit the Eastway, cross the road and join Homerton rd... Up into hackney that way and then down. Maybe adds a mile in total but it looks much less frustrating.

Fox - in answer to your question I'm talking generally about getting into town, although I often head to Kennington or Stepney Green for work.

I'd go with that, as popping up there gives you more options: stay north-ish (Graham Road: access to Islington and beyond) or go south along Mare St (gets you to Bethnal Green, Old St, Tower Bridge, London Bridge) efficiently.
Dunno why you'd need the canal though- surely Ruckholt Rd/ Eastway/ Homerton Rd covers you?

Share your wisdom here. Sometimes we all need help getting around and this forum is chock full of boys and girls who make it their business to know every grimy nook and cranny of London's sprawling London. Let's hear your insight... starting with my new query:

I've just moved to Leyton. I like it I think... It's bat shit and it doesn't know what it is as a place but that's what's good about it. If you're a tube lover - it's the business, there's an overground trundling over the top of the city from North of Leyton and the Central Line zipping in via Stratford at the South. But I hate public transport and I ride bikes. As far as i can tell the massive railway line and its sidings combined with the Olympic Park and the Canal beside the Wick all serve to act as a massive barricade for a cyclist wanting to emerge from Leyton's clutches. I imagine that the Olympic Park once re-opened and resplendent may offer a range of new routes, but as it stands I can only really spot three:

Over the top via the Lea Bridge Road and then down through Clapton / Hackney. That would be ok but it's not exactly the shortest route when I'm inevitable late for work.

Down into Stratford and then along the A11.

Or down onto the Eastway via the array of shitty 'bike path / not bike path / pedestrian crossing / now you're walking / now you're traffic bullshit (my least favoured form of urban cycling) and across to Victoria Park via the Wick.

There must be another way Forum??? How to I get the wind in what's left of my hair without becoming road jam. Show me a route. What's the secret?

When I used to live in Stratford/ West Ham, for travelling to work (farringdon) I favoured the leyton/ lea bridge/ clapton/ hackney downs/ islington essex road route.

Like this. Here's my contribution.
Open to enhancements to my commute. First section is "parky", green and fast and then I go past some nice major monuments so that's why I don't go the north route.

Paddington to Liverpool St
Paddington - Lancaster Gate - W Carriage Drive - Serpentine - Hyde Park Corner - Constitution Hill - Birdcage Walk - Westminster Bridge - London Eye - Upper Ground - Southwark St - Lon Bridge - Gracechurch - Bishopsgate - Liverpool St.

(Don't like Vic Embankment so I go south, but tradeoff is Lon Bridge yuck)

Sorry dearies.. dicki was right.

the whole olympic park is blocked at the minute but if you just wait another two years there'll be lovely cycle lanes all the way through westfield olympic park and it's environs
currently mile end road / or A106 Eastway are the only options north and south of the log jam ... sadly

just two years to wait for elegant lovely cycling through landscaped gardens

not long at all though

for now i'm just taking mare st (etc) up to the roundabout then lea bridge road all the way. it's much longer than a "direct" route would be but at least I know what i'm riding on won't suddenly run out at a 5-lane roundabout with all the lorries like honk honk get outta da way

Think I've sussed it. Just after the canal as you leave Leyton and hit the Eastway, cross the road and join Homerton rd... Up into hackney that way and then down. Maybe adds a mile in total but it looks much less frustrating.

urgh. that's not much better than going north round all of this anyway. a bit, but not much.

so is the canal towpath itself actually shut right now? that goes by the olympic park perpendicular to eastway? cos otherwise that looks like a nice bypass for some of it

I didn't mean ride the canal (I hate that as much as the on off cycle lane thing) I just meant use the canal as a landmark after which you turn off.

Cheers to Katie and Cakes for the feedback. Sorry Hippy - I promise I looked. Dicki I beg your pardon.

I didn't mean ride the canal (I hate that as much as the on off cycle lane thing) I just meant use the canal as a landmark after which you turn off.

yeah I got you - you're suggesting (going W) to turn right just after the canal

I was just wondering if the towpath just there is currently open for use? I'm willing to give it a go, cars make me so angry I can barely think in the morning, for some reason I let them off in the pm

not that anyone cares but this is my plan for getting there to watch some babies come out at 8am tmo http://tinyurl.com/b3w5uvb

i figure if there is any towpath blockage issues I can just go up to the NE corner of the park and hit eastway from there