Lambeth Bridge North Side

Plans to sort out the roundabout here.

https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/lambeth-bridge-northern-roundabout?cid=lambeth-bridge-north

Well you could guess I'm unimpressed. Does very little to improve safety. Typical Westminster anti cycling solution.

Cs8 should start at trafalgar square.
But in this case a clearly defined cycling area is required on the roundabout. Even if it just the blue paint.
Segregation is unlikely here due to lack of space.

Yeah, just seen on twitter that CS8 will be 600m from the Embankment track. Feel like parliament wouldn't much like it going past. Apparently Chris Grayling grimaces when he has to talk about cycling.

Space isn't the problem; TfL came up with a fully segregated option that was tested at the transport research lab, but I think it's Westminster Council that's the sticking point.

Abingdon Street (the road from Lambeth Bridge to Parliament Square) is a disgrace.

Going away from the bridge the road surface is a potholed mess, so you have to take the whole lane.

Going towards the bridge you run the risk of getting caught between the blast barrier and a bus trying for an unsafe overtake.

Given how heavily used it is by cycle commuters they really need to do something about it. The irritating gap between CS8 and the EW superhighway just makes its deficiencies more obvious.

Space isn't the problem; TfL came up with a fully segregated option that was tested at the transport research lab, but I think it's Westminster Council that's the sticking point.

They put that roundabout at Battersea. Many cyclists prefer to stay on the road as it's so much quicker there.

The funny hashed areas on the outside of this roundabout create increased filtering/blind spot problems I think. By requiring all road users to stay within obvious lanes, while slowing vehicles with speed bumps (the raised zebra crossings) I think it will be an improvement.

The most dangerous entrance to the roundabout always feels like when approaching from the bridge as it's downhill, increasing your relative speed as a cyclist compared to the traffic, which is always moving in a strange queue because of the crossings.

On the southside there is some mental cycle lane crossing the middle of the roundabout craziness as a good example of how two much intervention can be unwise. Sometimes a tinker is all it takes to improve things.

Oh no they didn't. The Battersea effort is very different to the almost entirely 'Dutch' plan that TFL had, but Westminster wouldn't accept.

cf https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzfA9iKXUAAgmYX.jpg

How does it help cyclists going straight on from Lambeth Bridge down Horeseferry?

As @Backstop says, the Battersea one is a pretty poor imitation of a Crow manual-designed roundabout. Not least the presence of traffic lights.

The (unfinished) sketch pictured should favour all arms equally, so the bridge to Horseferry is the same as along the embankment. This should be an ideal place to try a roundabout like that, given that it has the zebras in place already.

But how does it help? Do you still have to cut across anyone turning left?

You have a priority crossing, adjacent to the ped's Zebra, known as a Tiger crossing, which is a Zebra for cyclists. There's one just North of London Fields, here: https://goo.gl/maps/YJDqiFKb8uD2, they are very new/rare though.

The sketch is a preliminary drawing, a complete scheme was apparently ready to go, according to Gilligan, who would know I guess.

Here is one that has got the go ahead in CAmbridge: http://road.cc/content/news/211156-cambridge-get-its-first-true-dutch-roundabout

Are you talking about the Queens town one? I used it only once amongst the commuter peloton everyone used it to straight across. Lights were in synch and we didn't have to stop.
They may be some strava junkies on tt bikes saving milliseconds but on the whole it's pointless. Let's use the facilities, it's a matter of life and death for some people.

These council are full of dead wood backward looking employees that twiddle there thumbs doing as little as possible whilst counting the day until they receive their gold plated final salary pension.
We need progessive people there.
Cs9 will only go as far as Olympia because kensington don't want it through the high street.
Hopefully with the west way cancelled they may be some arm twisting by Sadiq.
Don't put any money on it.

This roundabout can get mega congested in the evening and is super popular with cyclists. A priority straight on for cyclists would be insta grid lock at rush hour. (They should really be focusing on reducing central London motor traffic but that's a different debate).

Also, is this safer? It only takes one HGV to not understand the Tiger crossing and you've got another squishing.

Let's use the facilities, it's a matter of life and death for some people.

Let choose whether or not we want to use the facilities rather than just give up our right to use the roads.

A cycle under would be great here. And I'm sure the room is there too.
The Dutch would have done it already.

Lets build roads especially for bikes.

So, brining it back, does anyone else think that the relatively minor adjustments to this roundabout will improve safety?

My opinion unthread is that they may well. It's a busy roundabout, but slowing vehicle speeds and better defining the lanes should help to make it safer. Do we agree?

Would it? Even on the busiest bits of the E-W tracks there are sizeable gaps. Cycling is so efficient that gaps appear even in heavy traffic.

And delaying a motor route into central London is somewhat good policy.

Barely, less space usually means less pleasant cycling, especially as it is two lanes in, therefore taking a lane is technically not possible, there is always room for someone to come around the inside or outside of you...

I think the angles would need to be tighter to slow down anyone, as this basically just fills in the hatches. People barrelling along going straight ahead can carry on as they always have.

The zebra crossings are raises so I'd hope that knocks a bit of pace off those going straight on. Possibly wishful thinking.

Why no traffic lights with cycle phasing?

I reckon it's almost too busy already. It flows pretty well as is. You've just got to have your wits about you.