Southwark Cyclists response to consultation on Quietway 7, Falmouth Rd to Albany Rd

For consultation details see:

Prepared by Bruce Lynn for Southwark Cyclists

On the specific questions we will support the overall proposal and all the specifics (yellow line extensions, removing parking, banned turns etc).

We will offer a number of comments and suggestions in the open section. It is important to get these on the record as there are clearly still problems and omissions in the current design. The following is a final version submitted 23 October 2015. Thanks to the several people who sent in ideas for improvement of the draft.

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Southwark Cyclists have had two previous discussions with Southwark about this section on Q7 and we have appreciated the chance to comment on designs in advance of public consultation. There are some good features including:

  1. Two way segregated cycle track on Rodney Place and north end of Rodney Rd
  2. Cycle crossing (Tiger, parallel with pedestrians) of Rodney Rd to Content St
  3. Banned turns at Rodney Place/Heygate junction
  4. One way motor traffic on Portland Place
  5. Altered priority at the East St/Portland/Brandon cross roads (give ways now on Portland and Brandon)

We are supportive of the principle of QW7 and some of the proposals in the consultation. However we have concerns that the proposed design is insufficient to deliver the improvements needed for this to be an attractive route to cycle on for a wider range of people. We set out below key issues that need further attention.

The crossing of New Kent Road. This is not included in the consultation. Our guess is that this is because NKR is a red route and so TfL have to agree any design. Whatever the reason, this is a serious omission. This is the busiest crossing on the entire route. It is on the northernmost part of the route and so will have the most cycle traffic. Without a safe and efficient crossing of NKR this route will not be successful. We wish to set out here what we see as the minimum requirements.

For the whole missing section (130m at the south end of Falmouth Rd, 100 m along NKR and the crossing of Rodney Place) the requirements are:

  1. A wider crossing of NKR, closer to the exit from Falmouth, and with more time for cyclists and pedestrians than at present;
  2. A 2-way segregated cycle track at least 3m wide on the north pavement of NKR; located towards the carriageway edge, not as now on the inside of the pavement; this will align with the existing good cycle track on the sectionof NKR east of Rodney Place;
  3. A clearly signed crossing of the end of Rodney Place to get to the proposed 2 way track running along the east side of Rodney Place; this should have priority for pedestrians, then cyclists, then motor vehicles.

The Albany St/Portland St Junction. This is the major change proposed along the route and will be quite expensive to implement. We have previously expressed our worries about the design of this junction to Southwark. It is disappointing to see the design in the consultation unchanged.

The fundamental issue concerns cycle flows. Southwark have good data on this which has been shared with us. The major flows are from Albany St to Portland. Mostly coming from the east (from Wellsway), with some from the park. Very few cyclists, less than 10% of the N-S flow, go E-W along Albany. For the few cyclists going east along Albany there is a big left hook risk. What we have is a design that is great for the few cyclists going west along Albany,not bad for cyclists using the park route,but very poor for the majority of cyclists using Wellsway. We understand that the Wellsway junction was not included in the funding for this project. Nevertheless, coping with those cyclists should be built in to the design for Portland/Albany.

The key issue is timing. Southwark have given us the signal staging and 5 stages are required as 3 stages are needed for motor traffic (as now), one for pedestrians (again as now) and in addition a stage just for cyclists. This arrangement is safe, but will be slow. The light cycle time will be over a minute and the waiting time for cyclists will therefore approach, perhaps exceed, a minute. At present 200 cyclists per hour at am peak turn right from Albany to Portland. Southwark’s Cycling Strategy aims to double cycling over the next 10 years. So we should be planning for at least 400 per hour. That is 7 per minute average. With statistical variation, often over 10 cyclists at the stop line waiting to turn right. The current design will not accommodate this. The effect will be that cyclists will stay to the main carriageway. This may work fine. Less confident, newer, cyclists will wait while more confident, experienced, cyclists will use the main carriageway. To encourage maximum use of the new cycle track we suggest (1) the waiting area for right turns should be widened, and (2)the duration of the cycle phase should be generous (maybe 20 sec) at am peak.

The Falmouth Rd/Harper Rd Crossing. Harper Road can be busy so there is a strong case for providing a proper crossing. One solution would be a Tiger crossing (parallel pedestrian and cycles) on each arm of Harper Rd. There is also a narrowing of the exit from Falmouth Rd on the south arm. Cyclists find these sudden changes in road width dangerous as they force them into the path of motor vehicles. This is particularly unhelpful at junctions. So at this crossing we would suggest (a) keep the geometry stable and (b) put in proper crossings.

Content St contraflow. No detail is given of this on the consultation maps, so we can assume the plan is to keep the existing contraflow cycle lane. This is sub-standard. London Cycle Design Standard requires minimum 1.5 m cycle lane. At present the mandatory lane becomes advisory opposite a small parking area. The lane has to be mandatory, perhaps even lightly segregated, on the whole stretch. The small parking area should be removed and double yellowed.

Parking on Brandon; Buildouts on Portland. The parking on Brandon on the narrow stretch at 100-114 has to go. Road width is only 4.9m and with parking, only 2.9m. There will be continual problems with cyclists blocking cars and vice versa. On Portland the existing build out close to the East St junction restricts vision for approaching cyclists and motorists in an area where the market brings many pedestrians. We previously discussed with Southwark the possibility of moving the Dumpsters back 10-20 metres. This is not on the plan. We hope this possibility is still being pursued as this badly needs to be done. The plan proposes a series of additional buildouts along Portland. These will impede cyclists and appear quite unnecessary. Most of these are in areas with parking. Butparking is not always continuous and inserting the build outs makes future removal of parking, likely to be necessary if Q7 is a success in encouraging more cycling, more costly.

Rat-running – modal filtering of Portland and Brandon Streets. There is still rat running through the back streets parallel to Walworth Rd, including Brandon and Portland. We note that no additional steps are being taken to reduce through traffic. It is possible that these are being considered separately from Q7. Considerable improvement would be produced by modal filtering at East St. Brandon and Portland would become no through roads but still allowing full access. This change could be achieved easily by bollards at the junction. These could be removable to allow through access for market stall holders at certain times. This change would be of considerable value to pedestrians, including the large number of children crossing at East street on their way to nearby schools. It would also provide a better street environment for the East Street Market. We proposed modal filtering of Portland near East St as part of the “Space for Cycling” campaign of the London Cycling Campaign in 2014 and received a lot of support.

Summary

  1. Southwark Cyclists is strongly supportive of the Q7 plan, and supports the specific points raised in the consultation.
  2. We note that the plan for the right turn from Albany to Portland will be unlikely to cope with the expected numbers of cyclists unless more space is assigned and the phasing of the lights gives enough time.
  3. No plans are in the consultation for the crossing of New Kent Rd. We set out the minimum requirements for this and hope plans will be presented soon.
  4. A proper cycle crossing is required for Harper Road.
  5. Pavement build-outs on Portland should be removed and no new ones built.
  6. Active steps should be taken to reduce rat-running, perhaps by filtering Brandon and Portland to stop through motor traffic.