The background

Back in 2018, Portland Place was due to get protected cycle tracks as part of Cycle Superhighway 11 - famously blocked by Westminster City Council, who successfully took Transport for London to court. Then during Covid, the council chose Portland Place as one of 11 cycle routes to receive temporary cycle lanes, in paint only. When the council consulted on making them permanent, we ran a local campaign and the results showed massive support - including from Westminster residents - to make all the ‘Covid lanes’ permanent and to upgrade them to protected tracks.

Fast forward to 2022, and after this group worked hard on a ‘Climate Safe Streets’ campaign in the run up to the local elections, a new administration took over the council. It was led by Cllr Adam Hug, who had taken our pledge to build a network of safe, high-quality cycle routes. Since then, we’ve seen a series of plans come out for consultation for protected tracks. Cycleway 43 designs have stepped tracks on George Street, Abingdon Street’s have a wide protected northbound cycle track, and so on. And now these plans for Portland Place would turn temporary painted lines (running perilously between parked cars and moving traffic) into permanent, protected cycle tracks. 

Please support this latest significant step in the right direction for Westminster! Let’s help the council hold its nerve when they hear from the naysayers. We also look forward to seeing spades in the ground - two years on from the change in administration, no major cycle scheme has yet been approved in the borough.

For a quick response to the Portland Place consultation, here’s our main take:

The good bits

• Protected cycle lanes, using car parking or kerbs between cycles and general traffic, will be much better than the current painted lanes in the door zone of parked cars

• A new crossing for pedestrians & cycles at Park Crescent is a big safety improvement

• The bus stop bypass design with a zebra crossing will be safer, both for bus passengers and people cycling.

Not so good

• The junctions along Portland Place only have advanced stop lines (ASLs) and 'two stage right turns'. Much better treatment is needed at all of them, such as cycle gates or separate phases for cycling, to make this route inviting and accessible for less confident riders.

• The junction with Cycleway 27 on Devonshire Street especially should be made safer for cycling.

And in more detail…

Much of the cycle lanes will be protected by ‘floated’ parking, where car parking forms a barrier between moving motor traffic and the cycleway. We think this will be, and feel, much safer and encourage more people to cycle. But note that the plans show a ‘buffer strip’ between the parking spaces and the cycle lane. This will be level with the road, not a raised kerb, and there is a risk that drivers will park within the buffer strip - which means people could be cycling in the ‘door zone’. This will need to be enforced, and another measure like wands added if needed.

We’re pleased to see that protection for cycling doesn’t give up at the bus stop! This bus stop bypass has been designed to meet the highest TfL standards, with tactile paving for visually impaired bus passengers and recommended widths for the cycle track and the bus stop ‘island’. Bus stop bypasses have come under fire from the Transport Secretary recently, and we can expect to see opposition to this one. So be aware that Transport for London studies find no evidence that they are dangerous for visually impaired people. On the other hand, failing to provide separate space for cycling at bus stops is not safe or inclusive for those who want to cycle, especially children and people with disabilities.

Westminster needs YOU!

We need your help at this exciting time of change in attitude towards active travel! You don’t have to live in Westminster to join our local campaign group. If you cycle in or through Westminster, or wish you or your loved ones felt safe to do so, we could use your help. We need more active members to help with whatever you enjoy doing - creating flyers - writing content for our newsletter or website - social media - organising events or meetings - marshaling bike rides - and much more.

We meet on the first Monday of the month at 6.30pm, usually online, and would love to welcome you! Sign up to our newsletter to find out more: