The Open Guide to London: the free London guide - Differences between Version 6 and Version 5 of Cycling
Contents are identical
There are plenty of traffic free or traffic-light cycle routes in London - and knowing the short-cuts can make crossing the metropolis a fun, quick and safe experience.
Personally, I recommend the canal towpaths. They're well maintained and for the price of a stamp you can (and should) obtain a free towpath cycling permit from British Waterways. Cycling along these paths you can get from the outskirts to the centre of town in under an hour (faster than the buses). -- Aegidian
Most people, however, still use the main streets for most of their journeys, and if you are a reasonably skilled and confident cyclist these can be an excellent way of getting from A to B swiftly. The main drawback is when the main roads have been engineered only with motor traffic in mind, eg the big one-way systems like Aldgate and Hammersmith. Fortunately there is now a trend towards returning these systems to two-way working, eg the Shoreditch Triangle.
Why not do something radical and different and have legal lighting on your cycle? All you need is a steady light at the front and a steady or blinking light at the rear. I know this is terminally unfashionable - but you never know, you might start a trend.
Reporting defective roads/pavements is most easily done centrally via Transport for London's Streetfaults service. Most London boroughs have a Cycling Officer who can give advice on local cycling routes (and may have cycling maps available), training and local events - contact the respective borough.
Links
- The London Cycling Campaign has information about maps, bike buddies and the local cycling scene.
- Critical Mass London - "when a lot of cyclists happen to be in the same place at the same time and decide to cycle the same way together for a while"
- Southwark Cyclists
- Transport for London has a cycling maps page, where you can order maps online. (Alternatively order them via London Transport information on 020 7222 1234).
- Transport for London Street Management
- The London Cycle Network also supplies excellent maps of traffic-light cycle routes.
- Environmental Transport Association
- Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, has information on routes that form part of the National Cycle Network.
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