This is a major cycle route. But the contractors have done nothing at all to ensure that cyclists and pedestrians aren't unnecessarily delayed or endangered.
Below you see the temporary lights at the end of Este Road. The cycle route goes onto the pavement just a couple of yards beyond the lights, before the main junction, but they've sited the lights so you are blocked off. Also, you can see on the left of the picture, the contractors have dumped a load of crush barriers right on the cycle path, completely blocking it.
A few yards further on (below), there is a toucan crossing to help you cross Falcon Road. The contractors have hooded the lights and provided no replacement safety measures at the crossing. So children walking to the nearby Sacred Heart Primary School have to take their chances with the traffic.
Apparently, it is TfL's policy to do nothing when light-controlled crossing is out of order. They'll put up temporary lights, diversion signs and so on for motor traffic, but they regard pedestrians and cyclists - the most vulnerable road users - as not worth wasting their time or resources on.
I had no idea there was even a cycle lane to the left of those temporary lights and I've been cycling through that junction for the last 3 years! (I turn right there and then left past lidl) so thanks for pointing it out. Talking of blockages on cycle lanes theres a great big green container dumped on the cycle path at the south end of Wynter Street at the moment.
ReplyDeleteanyway I followed the cycle path tonight as far as Latchmere Road... I haven't missed much, although the narrow cobbled bit under the railway was "interesting"