Major work on the Westminster Bridge cycle lane revamp will cause travel disruption from next week until 2018
Work starts next week to develop two cycle lanes on Westminster Bridge that will cause nearly a year of disturbance, though Transport for London (TfL) has pledged to "minimise disruption".
The bridge will become the fourth Thames crossing to get segregated bike lanes, and the south-side junction will be remodelled to make it easier to cross for pedestrians.
Work has been given the green light to start next Wednesday 29 March and is expected to last until early next year, with "various road restrictions" will be in place until then.
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Traffic will be able to travel in both directions while work is underway, but there will be temporary traffic lights, while buses and cars may also need to share the same lane at times.
Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport at TfL, said: "We have planned the work to minimise disruption, but there will be some impact. We thank road users for bearing with us while work takes place and are asking them to plan and leave more time for journeys in the area, and if possible, use alternative routes.”
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Map of the planned improvements at Westminster Bridge (Source: TfL)
There had been concern raised by nearby St Thomas' hospital about the development leading to a judicial review claim, but Transport for London (TfL) has announced changes to the design so the lanes will include a zebra crossing to give passengers priority over the cycle tracks.
The hospital has dropped its legal challenge as a result of the changes which have nearly doubled the pedestrian crossing point to six metres, "to reflect the special features of their location outside a busy hospital".
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Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, who was appointed by Sadiq Khan at the end of last year, said:
These improvements are going to make a real difference in the area, ensuring the iconic bridge is safer and more pleasant to use.
We are determined to make physical activity a bigger part of Londoners’ everyday lives for the good of everyone in our city, and this is exactly the type of scheme that will help to encourage this.
We’ve also been looking carefully at the disruption caused by the construction of previous schemes and I can ensure all road users that we will be working hard to ensure that this is kept to an absolute minimum.