Last week, cycle campaigners up and down the UK, choked on their morning cup of coffee, in sheer shock, as TfL revealed their plans for extending Cycle Superhighway 2.

The plans provide a glimpse in to the future of cycling in London. A future that cycle campaigners have been screaming for.

It has to be noted that these are currently just plans. For them to happen, people need to show their support, which they can do using the online survey here.

What it will be like to cycle in London in future

Currently, to cycle in London you need to be prepared to mix with traffic. You have to be aware that vehicles will overtake you at speed, at the bare minimum passing distance. At times you’ll be able to reach out and touch those vehicles. You also need to know how to navigate tough junctions, designed for cars. As Boris Johnson said: “you need to have your wits about you”.

That’s all well and good for those of us who’ve become accustomed to this environment. However, it makes cycling in London inaccessible to new cyclists, who are scared off by the conditions.

In future, bike rides in London will feel very different. Instead of battling it out with traffic, you’ll be able to cycle in separate safe lanes. These will provide enough space for faster cyclists to overtake.

This is the kind of infrastructure that has made cycling in countries such as the Netherlands become mainstream, as opposed to leaving it in the sidelines.

There are some improvements of course, such as the need for angled kerbs, as covered on the Alternative department for transport blog. An angled kerb would provide easier access for wheelchair users and makes it less likely a cyclist will clip the kerb.

Also, we now have our very own first ever cycling commissioner

Further to the announced plans by TfL, it has been revealed that Andrew Gilligan will be fighting the corner for cyclists, as the first ever cycling commissioner.

There’s a great post on the Cyclists in the City blog about Andrew Gilligan’s views on cycling that I recommend reading.

Over to you!

What do you think of the potential redesign of Cycle Superhighway 2?

Leave a comment below!

Further reading: