News from Darren Johnson (past staff): Mayor will complete fewer than half of his promised superhighways

Darren Johnson AM has reacted to this morning’s Mayoral announcement that TfL are consulting on plans for three new sections of cycle superhighway.

The public are being asked to comment on

• a western extension of the east-west route that would run along the A40 Westway flyover
• an extension of the existing north-south route that would run via Saffron Hill and Bloomsbury to King’s Cross
• the inner section of the proposed cycle superhighway 11 that would run between Swiss Cottage and central London

The Mayor promised Londoners 12 completed cycle superhighways by the end of his term of office. TfL’s recent progress report states that just five superhighways will have been completely finished by the end of Boris Johnson’s stint at City Hall (2).

Darren will table a motion at the London Assembly plenary meeting this Wednesday calling on his fellow Assembly Members to work with the Mayor to build on the existing consensus around the need for Boris Johnson’s successor to see through the cycle superhighways programme (3).

Darren commented,

“I’m pleased that Londoners are being asked for their views on three new sections of cycle superhighway but these bits of cycle lane will be of most benefit to people cycling in inner London. It’s not good enough that that the Brent Cross to Swiss Cottage section of CS11 is being kicked into the long grass by the Mayor because of his failure to work with the boroughs to come up with a high quality route. He has had eight years so it is a shame he has left so much to the last minute.”

“We must have fast, direct routes running from the suburbs into central London. The Mayor should seek powers from government to take over local roads where borough objections are scuppering these schemes. We need to cater for the huge numbers of cyclists we hope to see on the roads in the years to come.”

“I therefore call on the Mayor to work with Assembly Members to ensure his successor builds on the consensus on cycling programmes that has been achieved within the Assembly in recent years, with a view to continuing these programmes in his or her Mayoralty.”