A top London hospital today sparked an angry row with cycling campaigners after launching an unprecedented campaign against a proposed bike lane on Westminster bridge.
Bosses at St Thomas’s hospital fear the design of the segregated lane - placing it between bus stops and the route to the hospital’s main entrance - will put patients at risk of colliding with cyclists.Ooh, the popcorn's going to be coming out for this one!
Similar “floating” bus stops have already caused a major headache at Elephant & Castle, where Transport for London officials have been patrolling daily to prevent passengers stepping into the path of cyclists.What a fabulous job creation scheme!
But cycle campaigners say the “floating” designs are being used safely on the CS2 cycle superhighway near the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, and avoid forcing cyclists to divert into moving traffic to pass bus stops.So why aren't they having the same issue at Elephant & Castle? It's a puzzle.
And the big beasts are starting to get involved.
MP Kate Hoey, whose Vauxhall constituency includes the hospital, called on Mr Khan to intervene. She said: “TfL’s plans for so-called ‘floating’ bus stops are potentially dangerous.
"Every day thousands of patients – many of them elderly, pregnant or with sick children – use the bus stop outside St Thomas’. The present plans ignore this vulnerable population and I do not believe that adequate thought has been given to their needs.”*munches popcorn* How will the cyclists respond?
One tousle headed blonde cyclist, I name no names, but it rhymes with Doris, will no doubt be looking forward to a few more notches on his bicycle pump, will hospital patients count double?
ReplyDelete"...I do not believe that adequate thought has been given..."
ReplyDeleteOf course not: why should this case be different to any other?
As London cyclists already ignore the safety of pedestrians, it certainly looks like a dangerous plan, unless a railway-style crossing is installed (with an actual barrier - cyclists do not obey traffic lights).
ReplyDeleteBut conversely, many pedestrians alighting on those "islands" will walk in front of speeding bikes, unaware of the cycle lanes. The hospital will be much busier!
The cycle lane at the Elephant & Castle is a bloody joke. Halving the pedestrian space for 3 bus stops that covers 17 northbound routes is absolutely ridiculous. What makes this even more galling is there was already a cyclepath that cut out this section of the road for them, but they rarely use it because it was slower. So now we have to have eyes in the back of our heads to deal with this silent but deadly tossers.
ReplyDelete".. will hospital patients count double?"
ReplyDeleteHeh!
"Of course not: why should this case be different to any other?"
Good point!
"But conversely, many pedestrians alighting on those "islands" will walk in front of speeding bikes, unaware of the cycle lanes. The hospital will be much busier!"
Maybe it's a scheme to drum up trade for when 'The Toreez' finally privatise the NHS?
"What makes this even more galling is there was already a cyclepath that cut out this section of the road for them, but they rarely use it because it was slower."
Cyclists in 'refusing to cooperate' SHOCK! :/