London 2012: Campaigners criticise cycling plans

Here's an extended TV piece on the problems some might face trying to cycle to the London 2012 Olympics.

I was shown around Stratford by local cyclist Arnold Ridout. He outlined a number of issues with cycle lanes and the mayor's cycle superhighway which stops some way short of the Olympic Park.

The cycle superhighway stops right in the middle of the Bow roundabout.

Of course, some of the work hasn't been finished yet, but the London Cycling Campaign already has concerns that Stratford High Street, in particular, isn't cyclist-friendly.

This is what a Transport for London spokesperson said about the curtailed cycling superhighway: "Our original proposal was for Route 2 to run all the way from Aldgate to Ilford. However, the London Borough of Newham requested that we defer the section east of Bow Roundabout until after 2012 due to a number of projects planned in the Stratford area this year, including significant urban realm improvements as part of the Stratford High Street 2012 project. We hope to be able to resume construction of the remainder of the route after that time.''

Newham Council has yet to comment.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) says: "There are enough spaces for 7,000 bicycles to be parked across three sites around the Olympic Park. This can be broken down to the following: 4,000 spaces at Victoria Park, 2,000 at the Northern Spectator Transport Mall and a further 1,000 at the Southern Spectator Transport Mall."

The ODA adds there will be designated routes created solely for the Games as part of the overall cycling strategy.

The details for those routes are:

Cyclists will still be able to travel along the High Street section not included in the cycle superhighway two route, although the ODA has worked with TfL and Newham Council to create preferred routes which offer safe passage to the Southern Spectator Transport mall from the south (Bow area) and north (Stratford area).

The preferred routes, include:

• Heading north-east along cycle superhighway two and turning right at Tomlins Grove (just south of Bow Church DLR) and following the route crossing the A12 via an underpass, going past through 3 Mills and heading north under the Greenway onto Abbey Road, Rick Roberts Way and into the southern spectator transport mall;

• Heading north-east along cycle superhighway two up to the Bow roundabout. Dismounting here and using the access ramp onto the floating towpath in the north-west corner of the roundabout heading back under the flyover/roundabout using the new floating towpath. Heading south on the Lea Navigation towpath to the road bridge into Three Mills. Following the same route as outlined above to reach the cycle parking on the southern spectator transport mall.

North

• Head south on A11 through Stratford town centre gyratory, onto Stratford High Street, left onto Cam Road and onto Channelsea Path to Abbey Lane. Onto Rick Roberts Way and into the southern spectator transport mall.

East

• Greenway from Beckton direction towards the southern spectator transport mall.