Can you believe it, but the police in Hyde Park managed to speed camera a cyclist doing 27 mph in Hyde Park! This was not on a road, it was on a small narrow cycle path next to pedestrians. Many people will cycle down Rotten Row in Hyde Park on their daily commute. However, how many of you know that the speed limit is 13 mph? No? Nor did I as the Royal Parks in their wisdom prevent speed signs being put up. How are cyclists meant to know a safe speed?
Rotten Row is an excuse of a cycle path, and the route is shared with pedestrians. Admittedly there is a small white line demarcating pedestrians from cyclists. However, many pedestrians decide the whole pavement is for them. In fact there is hardly enough room for two bikes to pass on the cycle path. There needs to be a large, wide dedicated cycle path linking the West End to West London. With no pedestrians on it, with proper signage, and where appropriate pedestrian crossings.
It is obvious that the current cycle paths in Hyde Park were designed for the leisure cyclist, having a slow and leisurely bike ride through the park. However, the reality is that cyclists have made it into one of the main cycling arteries in London. Why is this case? Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are surrounded by roads that are lethal and dangerous for the commuter cyclist. To the north we have Bayswater Road (A402) and to the south is the lovely roundabout at Hyde Park corner leading onto a dual carriageway of Knightsbridge and Kensington High Street (aptly named the A315). Park Lane is almost a motorway to the East with the rat run route of Kensington Church Street to the West.
Hyde Park is an oasis of safe cycling in London. When will the Royal Parks wake up and serve the needs of the parks users; people just trying to get to work without being treated like cattle on an underground train; people who don’t wish to be killed on dangerous roads; people who are cycling to work and just trying to scrape a living in our great city, London.
Are cycle lanes in London too narrow. What do you think?
Take a look now, and have a laugh at the cycle lane markings ! 5/10 points for repainting the lines, however -5 for painting them alternately showing a LH lane, then a RH lane, LH lane, then RH lane again.
Presumably, those from overseas will think that maybe only cars drive on the left in UK ?? I know, I’ve already met someone head on that was determined to pass on the right of me, because the new markings showed that driving on the right is required.
Lordy lordy – wonder what our “cycling mayor is making of it ??
Very interesting article. Keep us posting dude !