Southwark Council has proposed a new ‘quietway’ cycle route between Bermondsey and Peckam, but cyclists say routes for faster cyclists need to be developed “as a matter of urgency.”
The Transport for London-funded new route will go from Oxley Close in Bermondsey to Peckham High Street, and is part of a London-wide programme of continuous routes on quiet streets.
The proposed cycleway is aimed at easing pressure on the Surrey Canal Path cycle route and can be used by those new to cycling, according to Southwark Council documents.
“Quietways are ideal for less confident cyclists who want to cycle on lower-traffic streets, especially if they are new to cycling in London,” the documents read.
“We design our quietways in accordance with healthy street principles, intended to make our roads healthier and safer for all road users, especially pedestrians.
“The proposed quietway also provides an alternative to the north-south Surrey Canal Path which struggles to accommodate demand from cyclists and pedestrians,” the documents continued.
But a Southwark Cyclists spokesperson said the demand for cycling was increasing in the borough, with more routes needed for faster cyclists.
He said the interest group had devised a route which ran along the western side of the Surrey Canal Path which faster cyclists could use.
“We have been saying for three years what Southwark needs to do is devise a parallel route where cyclists can go fast,” he said.
The proposed route forms part of a longer route running south through Peckham and Peckham Rye, eventually reaching Catford in Lewisham, which will be considered for consultation at a later date, according to the documents.
The scheme is estimated to cost £804,600 which will be fully funded as part of the TfL Quietway programme.
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