A scheme to revamp Greenwich’s notorious Woolwich Road roundabout to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists does exist, London mayor Sadiq Khan has indicated.
Software engineer Edgaras Cepura was killed while trying to cycle around the junction of the A206 and the Blackwall Tunnel approach in May this year, nine years after fashion website supervisor Adrianna Skrzypiec died at the same spot.
In 2014, it was included in a TfL list of 33 locations for “substantial cycle infrastructure improvements”. But nothing has happened, and the roundabout is not included on a new list drawn up since then.
Now Khan has told London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon that plans to improve the original 33 junctions, which were conceived under previous mayor Boris Johnson, still exist.
The Liberal Democrat asked Khan: “Your predecessor promised to fix 33 of the most dangerous juctions in London in his tenure, and he failed.
“You pledged to complete these in the mayoral [election] campaign, so on what date will these be safe under your watch?”
Khan said: “I’ve got a timeline for those and I can send them to you.”
Pidgeon pointed out that plans for several junctions – including Woolwich Road – were “missing completely” – “no published plans, no consultations, when will you come forward with plans for these?”
Khan responded: “Of the 33, all of them have a delivery start date and completion date as well.”
The London Cycling Campaign has used Woolwich Road roundabout to promote a petition calling for safer junctions for cycling and walking, which was presented to Khan on Tuesday.
Yesterday, we handed in nearly 3,000 signatures on our petition, calling on the Mayor to fix the most dangerous junctions in London, faster. https://t.co/Y5GGHr8ohA Dangerous Junctions #MustEndNow pic.twitter.com/qsmWJvgYrk
— London Cycling Campaign (@London_Cycling) September 12, 2018
Early plans for Cycle Superhighway 4 – which was due to run between London Bridge and Woolwich – would have included the junction, but the scheme has now been shortened to run between Tower Bridge and Deptford Creek Bridge.
Khan’s commissioner for cycling and Walking, Will Norman, told 853 in June that improvements in Greenwich town centre would come before the Woolwich Road roundabout.
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