Plans for a cycle superhighway from Deptford to Downham through Lewisham and Catford which will 'make people want to cycle to work, shop, rest and play in Catford and Lewisham' have been approved.

The pathway through the borough, called the Lewisham Spine, has been proposed by Lewisham Council in an attempt to cut down on the number of cyclist casualties there are each year.

Cycle superhighways are segregated cycle routes that run alongside main roads, reducing the number of people hit while out on their bicycles.

Work on another cycle superhighway from London Bridge to Greenwich, approved by the London Mayor’s office earlier this year, is being built and includes 1.7km of track through Lewisham.

This track covers five out of the top six junctions in the borough with the highest number of casualties, but Lewisham Council is looking to make the rest of the borough safer for cyclists.

The route will connect with the already-in-progress Cycle Superhighway 4 between London Bridge and Greenwich at Deptford, then follow the A21 through Lewisham and Catford until it reaches the southern border of the borough at Downham.

The number of people injured in cycling crashes on the roads in Lewisham rose every year from 2006-2014, reaching a high of 153 in 2014, but has dropped slightly since then.

The scheme was approved by Lewisham Council last week and the next step is to secure funding for the project from organisations such as TfL.

The report said: “These improvements are not just about movements, but also about places to linger, such as improving the piazza type environments.

“Improvements will be for people that make being there, not just moving through there, that much more enjoyable.

“This will in turn create an environment that makes people want to cycle to work, shop, rest and play in Catford and Lewisham.”