Embassy response to TfL's draft strategy for cycling at Nine Elms Development

The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain considers the draft Designing for Cycling [pdf] document to be generally excellent, and we congratulate those involved in its production. Transport for London should look to this document as a guide to producing a cycling-friendly city.

While there is very little we found we disagree with, we are concerned that there are very few mentions of schools and no mention of children at all. Consideration of safety for children and suitable routes to schools would be essential in such a plan, and we would encourage those involved to work safe routes for children into it.

Also, as the time scale is indeterminate for much of the area - for example the Linear Park route, which will be created in stages as individual building site developments are realised -  it is crucial that excellent cycle infrastructure is built into Nine Elms Lane now, so that a culture of cycling is established right from the outset.

That said, we support this Draft, and in particular, we feel that the evidence-based approach to using examples of infrastructure which has already been proven to work well shows that cycling can and must be catered for in the development. Most of the key points which the Embassy frequently raises with such documents are already covered.

Please submit your own comments, however brief, on the Draft - email NESBDesignforCycling@tfl.gov.uk by noon today (Monday 25th November)