More than half of cycle routes in London 'unsafe for women to ride at night', warn campaigners

More than fractional of London’s authoritative cycleways see sections that are unsafe for women to usage astatine night, according to caller research.

The London Cycling Campaign recovered that 52 of the 89 cycleways had astatine slightest 1 “socially unsafe” conception aft acheronian and that 7 cycleways were considered unsafe on their full route.

These see the Grand Union Canal cycleway westbound of Scrubs Lane successful Harlesden and the “Greenway” Cycleway 22 route, which links the Olympic Park successful Stratford with Canning Town.

It besides highlighted the portion of Cycleway 10 adjacent Millwall stadium that is connected an isolated way alongside a railway line, with “no flight way and unsighted corners”.

The research, by LCC’s Women’s Network, said: “It is simply a known hotspot for transgression wherever muggings and motorcycle jackings person been reported. The adjacent main roadworthy alternate lacks harmless abstraction for cycling and is engaged and hostile.”

It said that Cycleway 1 “veers disconnected into Pymmes Park – a poorly-lit parkland known for cause dealing and antisocial behaviour –and past crosses the North Circular via an underpass… groups carrying knives and dealing drugs are known to stitchery there.”

The Grand Union canal cycleway runs on the canal towpath for 23km but is “poorly lit, overgrown, not overlooked, has fewer flight routes and immoderate known transgression hotspots”.

A “Women’s Freedom After Dark” protestation thrust is being held connected Thursday evening, calling for TfL to halt backing caller cycle routes with socially unsafe sections – namely areas that are often deserted and are not overlooked nor well-lit.

The thrust volition acceptable disconnected from Marble Arch astatine 6.30pm, and volition instrumentality astir 200 riders connected a circuit of immoderate of London’s scariest night-time routes.

Others said they faced an “impossible choice” betwixt a poorly lit, threatening way and an unsegregated way connected a main roadworthy wherever determination was a greater hazard of being progressive successful a roadworthy collision.

The probe did not see transgression statistics.

Many of the problematic routes walk done parks, specified arsenic Cycleway 23 which takes cyclists done Wormwood Scrubs.

Clare Rogers of LCC told The Standard: “The crushed we person these dreadful, unsafe cycleways is due to the fact that councils tin get distant with it.

“TfL should not beryllium approving and backing these routes. It doesn’t get much radical cycling.

“We privation TfL to beryllium truly wide with the boroughs astir this and marque ‘social safety’ a backing criteria for caller cycleways.”

Kate Bartlett, of LCC Women’s Network, said: “Half of each Cycleway routes person sections which aren’t usable by astir women aft dark, which adhd up to a 4th of the full magnitude of the rhythm network.

“Women marque lone a 3rd of each rhythm journeys successful London – they marque implicit fractional of each cycled journeys successful the Netherlands. Until London has a genuinely harmless inclusive web designed for everyone, we’ll lag behind.”

Emma Barnie, a cyclist from Lewisham, said: “One evening cycling location beside Millwall connected Cycleway 10, 2 young guys tried to artifact the rhythm way that I was on. I instinctively sped up and managed to swerve up onto the verge close circular them and get away.

“Now I’m going the full mode astir alternatively connected truly engaged roads, which defeats the full constituent of the rhythm path. I’m a ace assured cyclist but this has wholly enactment maine disconnected utilizing this important portion of the web aft dusk and I’ve changed my full regular commute and routine.”

Louise Whittle, a cyclist from Lewisham, said: “I’ve been rhythm commuting successful London for 22 years but I would accidental my section cycleway is unusable aft dark.

“There are 3 stretches that are precise isolated. I person witnessed gangs, a radical of men approached my hubby erstwhile connected his bike. This way is similar moving the gauntlet.

“I've been stopped by section police, who specifically warned maine from cycling that way aft dark. I started utilizing the roadworthy alternative, but I've virtually had cars clang astatine the broadside of me, truthful person switched again to different route. I'm caught betwixt the devil and the deep."

TfL said the main crushed for women and girls not cycling was the interest astir roadworthy danger. It said reducing hazard from roadworthy information would enactment the maturation successful cycling crossed each demographic groups.

It said its plan standards already included “social safety” considerations, specified arsenic ensuring wherever imaginable that caller routes are accessible 24/7 and well-lit.

A TfL spokesperson said: “Everyone should consciousness harmless erstwhile cycling successful the superior and we cognize that the information of women and girls, including however harmless they feel, tin beryllium a obstruction to cycling.

“That’s wherefore we’re moving to amended recognize however our schemes impact the safety, and feeling of safety, for women and girls. This includes a proceedings of a caller women’s information auditing process that we are hoping volition assistance america make a much effectual attack to gathering and improving cycling infrastructure successful London.

“We are moving intimately with the Mayor, police, boroughs and different partners who person a shared work and involvement successful making spaces safer for women and girls, including supporting boroughs successful upgrading existing routes, specified arsenic the caller lighting upgrade connected Cycleway 49 successful Ealing.

“We invited this study from the London Cycling Campaign and volition beryllium cautiously considering its recommendations.”