PUBLIC REALM + STREET DESIGN |
Bethnal Green Strategic Cycling Route Design | LB Tower Hamlets
Transport for London, as part of its Strategic Cycling Analysis, identified a ‘high potential demand cycling corridor’ between Bethnal Green and Shadwell (2.5km long). However, this work stopped short of recommending how appropriate infrastructure could be introduced or even a specific route alignment. Therefore, Urban Movement were asked by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to firstly justify a preferred alignment for the route and then to develop proposals for this corridor to RIBA Stage 3 (Spatial Coordination).
The corridor is a strategically important link within the wider cycle network, connecting the existing east-west routes of Cycleway 2 (A11), Cycleway 3 (Cable Street) and Old Bethnal Green Road. However, it is also a key local and sub-regional bus corridor that has several sections of bus lane. So, a key challenge of the project was to balance the often-conflicting requirements within Transport for London to provide high quality cycling infrastructure at the same time as maintaining (or improving) bus journey times along this busy, strategic general traffic route.
At the same time, there was also significant political pressure to retain as much of the existing on-street residential car parking as possible. The corridor also contains Bethnal Green Underground Station and Cambridge Heath Overground Station, necessitating the accommodation of significant existing levels of bus-tube and cycle-tube interchange. Furthermore, the corridor is also one of a limited number of Abnormal Load Routes within the Borough.
The project also needed to be compatible with parallel projects in the area that included a number of adjacent Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and School Streets, which were aiming to reassign currently rat-running general traffic on to this strategic corridor.
The options considered for the corridor were each tested using the Cycling Level of Service Assessment, Cycle Route Quality Criteria and Junction Assessment Tool, in-line with the latest guidance contained within Local Transport Note 1/20. From this a preferred alignment and generic cross-sections were selected, and design drawings were developed. Opportunities to enhance the public realm were identified and articulated through more detailed design explorations and existing precedents. From these, a cost estimate was produced, traffic signal requirements were identified and photo-realistic visualisations were created. The Council are now in the best possible position to bid for the limited funding opportunities that existing, which will hopefully see this important infrastructure delivered in the near future.
The corridor is a strategically important link within the wider cycle network, connecting the existing east-west routes of Cycleway 2 (A11), Cycleway 3 (Cable Street) and Old Bethnal Green Road. However, it is also a key local and sub-regional bus corridor that has several sections of bus lane. So, a key challenge of the project was to balance the often-conflicting requirements within Transport for London to provide high quality cycling infrastructure at the same time as maintaining (or improving) bus journey times along this busy, strategic general traffic route.
At the same time, there was also significant political pressure to retain as much of the existing on-street residential car parking as possible. The corridor also contains Bethnal Green Underground Station and Cambridge Heath Overground Station, necessitating the accommodation of significant existing levels of bus-tube and cycle-tube interchange. Furthermore, the corridor is also one of a limited number of Abnormal Load Routes within the Borough.
The project also needed to be compatible with parallel projects in the area that included a number of adjacent Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and School Streets, which were aiming to reassign currently rat-running general traffic on to this strategic corridor.
The options considered for the corridor were each tested using the Cycling Level of Service Assessment, Cycle Route Quality Criteria and Junction Assessment Tool, in-line with the latest guidance contained within Local Transport Note 1/20. From this a preferred alignment and generic cross-sections were selected, and design drawings were developed. Opportunities to enhance the public realm were identified and articulated through more detailed design explorations and existing precedents. From these, a cost estimate was produced, traffic signal requirements were identified and photo-realistic visualisations were created. The Council are now in the best possible position to bid for the limited funding opportunities that existing, which will hopefully see this important infrastructure delivered in the near future.
