More than half of respondents to a survey on London’s cycling superhighways said they did not feel any safer using the promoted routes.
The first of 12 cycling superhighways went live in the capital in May and users were quick to complain about other road users regularly entering the designated cycle spaces.
Respondents to the London Assembly survey felt that the lanes were too small and just 1% said the routes had encouraged them to start cycling.
A report by the assembly called for greater consistency in the features of the superhighways, including the width of the lanes, advanced stops lines and other junction design features.
Transport for London defended the initiative, citing its own research that users felt safer using the routes. It added that it was not possible to provide designated lanes at all points as roads were too narrow.
However, the report was complementary about Mayor Boris Johnson’s cycle hire scheme. Despite highlighting ‘teething’ problems with registration and charging, the service had attracted over 100,000 users since it was launched in July.
The report called for improvements at scheme operators Serco’s customer service centre and highlighted problems with a lack of bikes and docking points in some areas.
The report also found that information about the precise nature and allocation of Barclay’s sponsorship of the scheme ‘unclear’.
