Cycle Highways? Cycle Super Highway

I think this country is really suffering from this mentality of Tory = bad. They are no worse than another party really but this skepticism does not help. You need to take every idea on it's merits. Otherwise it's equivalent to political racism.

FWIW I am not a Tory voter I just don't think an instant dislike or negative feeling about an idea just because it comes from one particular party is helpful.

yep, we'll just have to wait and see wont we.... roll on cycle super highways :) who ever enforces it i am happy.

I think this country is really suffering from this mentality of Tory = bad. They are no worse than another party really but this skepticism does not help. You need to take every idea on it's merits. Otherwise it's equivalent to political racism.

FWIW I am not a Tory voter I just don't think an instant dislike or negative feeling about an idea just because it comes from one particular party is helpful.

+1

I'm (just) old enough to remember quite how shit they were in the 80s and early 90s and how much my parents and other adults I respected hated them (and these were not people generally prone to hatred). When 1997 rolled around I could vote for the first time and was delighted to vote Labour. The last eleven years have been... disappointing to say the least, but if nothing else they've taught me that the "party A good, party B bad" view of politics is a non-starter.

I think this country is really suffering from this mentality of Tory = bad. They are no worse than another party really but this skepticism does not help. You need to take every idea on it's merits. Otherwise it's equivalent to political racism.

FWIW I am not a Tory voter I just don't think an instant dislike or negative feeling about an idea just because it comes from one particular party is helpful.

+1

Especially given the scale of financial mismanagement of the country by the labour government over the past 10 years.

Personnaly I'm not a fan of segregated bike lanes. If they had right of way over all traffic crossing it I might re consider. The fact is though that it's just hot air that will be badly implemented.

(by the way, it was originally Ken's idea)

Although as i do the A24 to city route anyway it might be of interest.

I think it's a little erroneous to think of this idea as a segregated cycle lane as much as one might think of a motorway as a segregated driving lane.

The principle here is the same as that use for motorways and some dual carriageways. Identify a corridor of probably travel and provide people with the opportunity to travel along it in as free and unhindered a manner as possible. Now unfortunately a proposition to supercede all other modes of transport would be counterproductive to the aims of the scheme (reduced congestion etc) unless large volumes of fly-overs and under passes were built. A major civil engineering project that is impracticable in a city like London.

However, there is a real opportunity for designers to come up with creative solutions such as redeveloping dual carriageway embankments, rail embankments, unused sidings, disused tube sections and so on. Hopefully the designers and developers will look closely at the maps to work out if something is possible rather than why it'd difficult. For those who think that this is a good idea, regardless of whether you would use it or not, pay attention to the process. There will be planning meetings and consultations. Putting an intelligent opinion forward and debunking the nonsense of local nimbyists will be important.

I think it's a little erroneous to think of this idea as a segregated cycle lane as much as one might think of a motorway as a segregated driving lane.

The principle here is the same as that use for motorways and some dual carriageways. Identify a corridor of probably travel and provide people with the opportunity to travel along it in as free and unhindered a manner as possible. Now unfortunately a proposition to supercede all other modes of transport would be counterproductive to the aims of the scheme (reduced congestion etc) unless large volumes of fly-overs and under passes were built. A major civil engineering project that is impracticable in a city like London.

However, there is a real opportunity for designers to come up with creative solutions such as redeveloping dual carriageway embankments, rail embankments, unused sidings, disused tube sections and so on. Hopefully the designers and developers will look closely at the maps to work out if something is possible rather than why it'd difficult. For those who think that this is a good idea, regardless of whether you would use it or not, pay attention to the process. There will be planning meetings and consultations. Putting an intelligent opinion forward and debunking the nonsense of local nimbyists will be important.

This is the way it will be in my imagination..... lots of un-used spaces for super highway cycling heaven.......... zooooooooooom...........

That would be great... as a kid i used an alleyway between wimbledon and raynes park, was great, could bomb along it's near emptyness with only one interuption... then they went and put lights cameras and made it accessible and now it's full of peds!

I'd like to point out my sceptisism is by no means limitted to the tories (although I was brought up Labour and doubt I would ever vote tory... )

one will be going from central london to the bottom end of the lea valley / river lea
which in turn feeds into the olympic park
most sensible

2' South Wimbledon to Bank

isn't that simply following the Northern Line?

maybe they are replacing the tube with a more efficient speedy service

i.e. cycle yourself

Why is everyone So cynical?? He's the Mayor of London, he has some power and say over what goes on, and he's fully backing the cyclists of the city.
Yes, most people on here are confident and capible enough to ride in amongst the traffic, but you as mentioned are not the target audience.

I think he's doing great things for cycling in the city, even if he is a Tory, but then so what, it's not like Labour are any fucking good either.

Props to Boris for trying to do something good.

Why is everyone So cynical??

one word; bloomsbury.

That would be great... as a kid i used an alleyway between wimbledon and raynes park, was great, could bomb along it's near emptyness with only one interuption... then they went and put lights cameras and made it accessible and now it's full of peds!

I'd like to point out my sceptisism is by no means limitted to the tories (although I was brought up Labour and doubt I would ever vote tory... )

what you talking about ' Middle - class ' boy !

;)

maybe they are replacing the tube with a more efficient speedy service

i.e. cycle yourself

Yup, thats it .

Ed, are you promoting the tube ??

Why is everyone So cynical?? He's the Mayor of London, he has some power and say over what goes on, and he's fully backing the cyclists of the city.
Yes, most people on here are confident and capible enough to ride in amongst the traffic, but you as mentioned are not the target audience.

I think he's doing great things for cycling in the city, even if he is a Tory, but then so what, it's not like Labour are any fucking good either.

Props to Boris for trying to do something good.

Do you think it had anything to do with his near lorry miss the other week ? That must have shat him up ! That car was totalled.

one word; bloomsbury.

+1

+1

Especially given the scale of financial mismanagement of the country by the labour government over the past 10 years.

Not wanting to get into a party political debate, but who was it who set about de-regulating the financial markets in the first place? You can trace the current credit crisis back directly to the policies of the Thatcher government in removing regulation from the banks and other financial institutions.

To blame Labour solely for this is laughable.

Because Bloomsbury is shit and was intalled many years ago should we give up on trying any other systems? I know Bloomsbury is shit but I would be very surprised if they hadn't learned from that mistake.

isn't that simply following the Northern Line?

Could we have an escalator like belt system running along the tops of tube lines, powered by tubes, cyclists could go on and off the belts at stations for an even more speedy version?

one word; crossrail.

two words; millenium-dome.

one word; wembly.

two words; olympic-village.

Because Bloomsbury is shit and was intalled many years ago should we give up on trying any other systems? I know Bloomsbury is shit but I would be very surprised if they hadn't learned from that mistake.

We shouldn't give up trying but see above for learning from mistakes...

what you talking about ' lib - dem ' boy !

And proud :-)

Do you think it had anything to do with his near lorry miss the other week ? That must have shat him up ! That car was totalled.
According to the story he was out scouting routes at the time and if there had been the super mega high ways it would never have happened.

That was a fucking close call! Amazing how that parked car was picked up and swung round like it weighed nothing! Could have been anyone, just amazing it was BJ and no one was hurt.
That being said, the problem with THAT situation was the big fuck off lorry being driven by a fuckwit!

That was a fucking close call! Amazing how that parked car was picked up and swung round like it weighed nothing! Could have been anyone, just amazing it was BJ and no one was hurt.
That being said, the problem with THAT situation was the big fuck off lorry being driven by a fuckwit!

I watched Kung-fu panda with my boy last night and the wise old turtle in it, had this little saying that he kept using ( I love all these old chinese proverbs stuff )

' There are no accidents '

:)

you reckon that was an assasination attempt on Bozzer's life ?
i blame red ken

I blame you.

you reckon that was an assasination attempt on Bozzer's life ?
i blame red ken

no i didnt mean that.... but i wonder if that had an impact on Boris realising how fragile cyclists are and that they need to be funded and backed..... funny how it happened and was all caught on camera.... perfect.

( actually ... yeh i did think that too..... )

i'm a huge boris fan i wouldn't dream of attempting to murder him ( i would have suceeded if i had wanted to ( the sas training doesn't fail )
his appearances on have i got news for you had me laughing longer and louder than pretty much anything else over the last 5 years

i'm a huge boris fan i wouldn't dream of attempting to murder him ( i would have suceeded if i had wanted to ( the sas training doesn't fail )
his appearances on have i got news for you had me laughing longer and louder than pretty much anything else over the last 5 years

He just cant help being a Wally can he !? Awwwww