OpenChiswick

This proposal by Southwark Council in South London takes the breath away. It plans to close off Walworth Road, Wyndham Road, Southampton Way, and load traffic onto Old Kent Road and Camberwell New Road - bad for business and deeply inequitable.

And the bus driver losing his job and his licence.

Literally this afternoon.

Ruth, I blocked the two people who are engaging with you in this thread some time ago. I've argued that we need a debate about cycling in London given the downsides of current policies to benefit cyclists: the deep injustice of LTNs which push traffic on to already busy routes; the reversal of decades of progress on accessible buses by the introduction of floating bus stops; the replacement of some bus lanes by cycle lanes, thus contributing to bus speeds being at a record low; the introduction of cycle lanes on main routes into London, contributing to less road space for essential vehicles and London becoming the most congested city in Europe. All measures backed by the LCC and at a time when less than 5% of trips are made by bike. Despite the knee-jerk reaction of far too many cyclists, it is not anti-cycling to ask these questions. I'm increasingly of the view that we should be encouraging local cycling on side streets (with appropriate safety measures in place) and not catering for long-distance, often commuter cycling, trips best done by train or tube. That may or may not turn out to be the answer but a debate needs to be had involving all Londoners and not just the cycle activists who dominate current policy.

They said it would ruin Oxford St, and it unlocked MORE growth 😂😂😂😂 This is precisely why we need to stop listening to people or even having consultations… just do it!

This cannot be possible. We were so reliably told by the professional right wing bore commentariat on this website that people will simply not use shops if they cannot drive up to the front of them.

Telling everyone to wait for each scheme to "bed in" was the patronising mantra, assuming locals had no intelligence. But as I consistenly say it is all part of the plan: the zealots do not like (other people's) cars and do not understand or care about their importance to retail.

I know this area well and it is disgraceful what has been done to pedestrians in the name of cycling - well highlighted here. A busy walking route between Vauxhall and the Oval - schools, council estates, cricket fans. Shame on you TfL!

You can have protected cycle lanes without floating bus stops. We have them in Toronto. And you can have floating bus stops with more accessible design than what's common in London. We also have many of these. You are not limited to your current design. It can be improved.