Quick Fixes: Two-Way Cycling

We campaign for more direct routes to enable more inclusive cycling. We want to see more parents riding with their kids to the shops or school on direct, quiet routes. We don't want our City's cyclists to be the 'fit and the brave', using 'the Knowledge' to pedal longer, less intuitive routes on heavily-trafficked roads.

For several years the Council's Cycling Strategy and TfL Local Implementation Plan funding applications have said that the Council will implement 'quick fix' permeability schemes, such as adding 'Except cycles' exemptions to 'No entry' signs. This should be the easy stuff, with no need for complex traffic studies.

At the Council's invitation we submitted a list of seven streets on 15 April 2020 and a further seven streets on 13 October 2020. Please click on the street names below to view them on Google Street View. The lists included justification of why we chose these streets. The streets are all on the Council's highways (i.e. not TfL Road Network 'Red Route' or Royal Parks roads) and avoid changes to traffic signals.

We said that we didn't expect a 100% success rate, but we did expect the suggestions to be investigated promptly and delivered unless barriers emerge. So what progress has the Council made?

Let the Council know your suggestions for more direct routes for cycling in Westminster.

The Council has proposed and implemented two-way cycling on these streets from our list:

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Douglas Street from Chapter Street to Vincent Square would create a quiet route allowing people from Cycle Superhighway 5 to continue towards Victoria, parallel to the heavily-trafficked Vauxhall Bridge Road.

    Progress: Implemented in March 2024

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Greenwell Street from Cleveland Street to Great Titchfield Street would allow people from the northeast to reach the Council's new Fitzrovia to Edgware Road Quietway 2 cycle route, enabling more people to use it.

    Progress: Proposed by the Council as part of a batch of four two-way cycling proposals on 24 March 2021. The only one to be implemented, on 19 July 2021.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Noel Street from Berwick Street to Wardour Street would allow people cycling eastbound parallel to Oxford Street on Noel Street to continue northbound, rather than being forced southbound.

    Progress: Implemented in March 2024.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Old Compton Street from Charing Cross Road to Wardour Street would open the heart of Soho to people on bikes and address the anomaly that contraflow cycling road markings already exist but have no traffic order supporting them.

    Progress: Implemented in March 2024

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Tavistock Street from Southampton Street to Wellington Street would create a two-way cycle route parallel to the heavily-trafficked Strand, which is currently impossible eastbound.

    Progress: Implemented on 22 November 2021 as part of the Covent Garden Neighbourhood Traffic Management Scheme experimental traffic order.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Carlisle Street from Soho Square to Dean Street would give people a new route out of this area of poor permeability.

    Progress: Implemented in October 2024.

 

The Council has proposed the implementation of two-way cycling on these streets from our list:

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Delamere Terrace from Lord Hills Road to Westbourne Terrace Road would address the current situation in which people riding along the Grand Union Canal cannot continue eastbound towards Paddington without contravening a traffic order.

    Progress: Westminster are currently proposing a traffic order to allow contraflow cycling along Delamere Terrace from Lord Hills Road to Westbourne Terrace Road. At the same time, they are proposing orders to upgrade the single yellow lines at junctions with double ones. This should enable westbound road users and those emerging from side streets to see each other better at all times, reducing the risk of collision.

    To support this much-needed scheme, please email tmo.westminster@wsp.com
    quoting reference 7760-02/HWB, by 23rd October

 

The Council has proposed but deferred the implementation of two-way cycling on these streets from our list:

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Riding House Street from Langham Place to Cleveland Street would create a two-way alternative to Oxford Street through Fitzrovia, requiring no changes to traffic signals.

    Progress: Proposed by the Council as part of a batch of four two-way cycling proposals on 24 March 2021, although only from Great Titchfield Street to Cleveland Street. The Council report states that its implementation is "deferred". Not revived as part of the Riding House Street School Street Experimental Traffic Order of 10 January 2022.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Nassau Street from Riding House Street to Mortimer Street was not on our list but was proposed by the Council.

    Progress: Proposed by the Council as part of a batch of four two-way cycling proposals on 24 March 2021. The Council report states that its implementation is "deferred".

 

The Council has made no progress on implementing two-way cycling on these streets from our list:

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Marylebone Lane from Wigmore Street to Marylebone High Street would give easier access to this attractive, restored historic street, escaping the heavily-trafficked Wigmore Street and Marylebone High Street.

    Progress: No progress

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Tachbrook Street from Rampayne Street would create a two-way cycle route parallel to the heavily-trafficked Vauxhall Bridge Road, which is currently impossible northbound.

    Progress: No progress

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Broadwick Street from Poland Street to Wardour Street would buck the trend of Soho becoming an area where direct cycling is becoming impossible.

    Progress: Progress may be complicated by desire for and opposition against wider improvements in Soho.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Foley Street/Langham Street from Cleveland Street to Hallam Street would create a two-way alternative to Oxford Street through Fitzrovia, requiring no changes to traffic signals.

    Progress: Progress may be complicated by as-yet-unseen Oxford Street District Northern Cycle Alignment route proposals for these streets.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Holbein Place from Holbein Mews to Graham Terrace would break this barrier to riding from Chelsea into Belgravia on the Quietway 15 cycle route.

    Progress: Progress may be complicated because it formed part of the stalled Sloane Square to Belgravia Quietway proposals of 2015. In 2017 signage was mistakenly implemented at the Holbein Mews junction then removed. The Council report for a batch of four two-way cycling proposals proposed on 24 March 2021 states that Holbein Place was proposed but deferred even before consultation.

  • Justification: Enabling two-way cycling on Graham Terrace from Eaton Square to Bourne Terrace would create a more direct route from Belgravia into Chelsea.

    Progress: Progress may be complicated because it formed part of the stalled Sloane Square to Belgravia Quietway proposals of 2015. Westbound cyclists can avoid Graham Terrace, whereas eastbound cyclists cannot avoid Holbein Place.