Segregated Cycle Superhighway extension opened

Mayor Boris Johnson today officially opened a new segregated extension to Cycle Superhighway 2 and promised “a major upgrade” of other Superhighways.

The new section of CS2, between Bow and Stratford, is physically separated from traffic for most of its 2 mile length. It also has “bus stop bypasses” to protect cyclists from buses.

Its opening comes just a day after a cyclist was killed on the route and on the same day the Transport for London (TfL) board received a report showing the number of deaths and serious injuries involving vulnerable road users has increased.

Mr Johnson announced “a major upgrade of existing Cycle Superhighway routes” including segregation where it’s possible, and the creation of a new north-south segregated cycle route through Central London.

TfL says more than 100 additional designers, engineers and traffic modellers will be recruited to help deliver new routes and other improvements across London.

Both the Mayor and TfL have been criticised for failing to tackle the issue of cycle safety.

Mr Johnson said he shared “people’s impatience for change” but insisted it had been right to take time “to ensure that it is done properly”.

The Mayor’s announcement that all Cycle Super Highways will be reviewed was welcomed by Val Shawcross, Labour Transport spokeswoman on the London Assembly.

Ms Shawcross said the review must be carried out “as swiftly as possible” in order to avoid further casualties or deaths.

She added: “There have been too many tragedies and a lot of public money has been spent on the existing Cycle Super Highways that could have been used for segregation. We now need the Mayor to follow through on today’s commitment and make London’s roads as safe as possible.”

Green Party Assembly Member Darren Johnson said the Mayor was still failing cyclists by not making the needs of pedestrian and cyclists “the top priority” when designing roads.

He called on the Mayor “to get tipper trucks and other heavy vehicles off roads used by cyclists during commuter hours” and for extra protection for cyclists at junctions and side turnings, “where it is needed most.”