City’s Contra-flow Cycling
Programme
Project Manager: Albert Cheung
albert.cheung@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Contents
1. Cycling in the City
2. Two-way Cycling Programme
3. Approvals/Design/Consultation/Acceptability
4. Narrow Streets
5. Monitoring
6. Learn from Experience
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Who is the City?
 Historic Centre of London – “Square Mile”
 8,000 residents
 400,000 workers
 Banks
 Insurance
 Professional
Services
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Cycling in the City has doubled in 10 years
Cycling on some streets represents 50% modal share
Barbican
Liverpool St
Chancery
Lane
Aldgate
Bank
Blackfriars
Cannon St
Tower Hill
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
 improve safety by providing alternative routes to
some of the busiest City streets;
 improve local access for cyclists;
 reduce journey distances and times for cyclists; and
 Provide more route choices
Two-way Cycling – Chancery Lane Benefits
Two-way Cycling – Little Britain Benefits
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Programme
Pre-2009
Phase 3 (2013)
Phase 1 (2009)
Phase 4 (2014)
Phase 2 (2012)
Phase 5 (2015)
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Approval Required
 Early 2009, Committee Approval for Phase 1
 Report Monitoring Outcomes to Committee
Safe
Positive feedback
60% cycle flows increase
Recommendation
 Deliver further improvements as funding allows
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling - Process
1. Site observations
2. Traffic surveys
3. Design
4. Road Safety Audit – Stage 2
5. TMO Consultation
6. Implementation
7. Road Safety Audit – Stage 3
8. Monitoring
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Design
Q: Do we need cycle lanes?
A: Not required if:
 85th%ile is less than 25mph AND
 Less than 1,000 vehicle/day
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Design
Partial segregated cycle lane
Mandatory cycle lane
Advisory cycle lane
No cycle lane
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Design
Contra-flow Signage
TSRGD Dia.960.1
TSRGD Dia.960.2
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Design
Contra-flow Road Markings
City – 2 x cycle logos
Paris – 3 x cycle logos
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Design
Temporary Stickers
Perth – Australia
Phase 1 & 2
Phase 3 & 4
Phase 5
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling Consultation
Communication
 TMO advertisement in press
 Letters to occupiers
 TMO Street notices
 Website
 Informal posters – A4 and A-boards
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling on Narrow Streets
 Narrow streets (less than 3.0m wide)
 Local access streets
 Very low traffic flow
 Useful routes for cyclists
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling on Narrow Streets
 Informally consulted with - Cycling Groups
- DfT
- Police
 Phase 3 – Ironmonger Lane
350 vehicles / day
<2.5m wide
 Road Safety Audit: Said No
 Designers’ Response and Risk Assessment
 Experimental TMO
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling on Narrow Streets
Brussels
 =+3.0m wide should be made contra-flow
 2.6m-2.9m can be made contra-flow
 Less than 2.6m should be avoided
Research Paper - “Contra-flow cycling does not constitute a
road safety problem but rather a road safety solution”
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
 Site observations
 Record Public Comms.
 Collision data / TADS
 Video traffic surveys
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Cycle Contra-flow schedule
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Video Survey
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Copthall Avenue – Cyclist giving-way
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Whitefriars Street – slowing down to let vehicle through
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Whitefriars Street – Taxi giving way
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Cloth Fair – passing at wider section
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Bouverie Street – Cyclist slows before cycle hire
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Moor Lane – cyclist giving way
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Lombard Street – Pedestrians and cyclists mixing
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Carter Lane – pedestrians and cyclist mixing
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Monitoring
Cycle Count 7am – 7pm (March 2014)
Street
Copthall Avenue
Ironmonger Lane
Bouverie Street
Whitefriars Street
Moor Lane
With-flow
176
100
132
126
463
Two-way Cycling
Contra
Total
81
257
66
166
97
228
64
190
278
741
Ratio
0.32
0.39
0.42
0.34
0.38
Total Cycle Flow Increase = 33%
Average Contra-flow proportion = 37%
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Two-way Cycling – Learn from Experience
1. Political Support
2. Consultation – A-boards
3. Experimental TMOs
4. Temporary footway stickers
5. Restrict parking / loading
6. Risk assessment
7. Monitor operation
Contra-flow Cycling in the City
Questions
albert.cheung@cityoflondon.gov.uk