Mansions to muddy lanes

I used viaMichelin and Bikely to plan and plot my GPS led route from south west London to Dunstable.

Everything was going so well until I was instructed to turn off Kensington Road (A315) into Kensington Palace Gardens.

It has a police barrier and doesn’t look like its open to through traffic.

It turns out that this street contains some of the grandest and most expensive houses in the world and you can ride up it.

A few private residents occupy the mansions that line the street but most are either an embassy or the official residence of an ambassador.

In the 1940s it was also the home of the London Cage, an MI19 “interrogation centre” for German civilians and POWs that was kept secret and hidden from the Red Cross.

My GPS had a few problems keeping up in central London but viaMichelin took me north on some wide and quiet roads.

I was expecting Saturday morning chaos so the emptiness was quite eerie.

viaMichelin did send me down a lane signposted as a no through road however.

To be fair, you can get through on a bike, although not easily.

It could be a lovely rural cycle route between Watford and Hemel Hempstead if it wasn’t a muddy track (and the tunnel under the M25 had better lighting).

Towards the end of the ride there were wonderful views out over the Vale of Aylesbury and Chiltern Ridge from the Dunstable Downs visitor centre despite the weather.

It is one of the highest points in the east of England at a massive 243 m (797 ft).

The centre has a good sized undercover bike parking area and according to the National Trust site, its cafe “serves chips and the famous Dunstable Downs Bacon Roll”.

I didn’t want to spoil my appetite so I managed to resist this tempting fare.

Maybe next time.

New free London cycle maps

Transport for London launched the third edition of its free bike maps this week.

The 14 maps cover all 33 London boroughs and show the 500km of signposted London Cycle Network Plus routes along with 3,500km of other quiet routes, both on and off road, that have all been ridden and recommended by experienced cyclists.

The maps can be requested online or by calling TfL on 020 7222 1234.

I found the previous edition very handy when exploring a new area but hopefully these will be as hard-wearing as claimed in the TfL press release.

The previous edition was printed on magazine grade paper which meant the maps got very shabby very quickly.

Ghost bike tribute to killed cyclist

Came across this piece in yesterday’s London Lite:

I was really touched by this story and hopefully others who pass this white bike in Greenwich Park will pause and reflect on why its there.

Celebrate the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in London

Cycling clothing label Rapha is hosting a party to celebrate the start of the Tour de France in London on Saturday, July 7th.

Organisers are hoping more than 500 people will join a planned ride from Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park to the party at London Fields.

At London Fields there will be a barbecue, drinks, music, a roller race and screens replaying the Prologue.

The route will take in Primrose Hill, Highgate and Crouch End and a map should be available on the Rapha site shortly.

UPDATE [June 30]

A map of the 13 mile (22km) route is available as a pdf from Rapha here.

It is also on Bikely here.

Online route planning for cyclists

Cyclemaps.net has two very useful journey planners which are handy for looking up trips in and around London using either the direct route or via the London Cycle Network and minor roads.

However, I need to get to Reading tomorrow morning and figured I would ride there if I could find a decent route.

I could catch a train but as it is only three weeks until the British Cyclosportive, I need as much time in the saddle as I can get.

Searching online for journey planners throws up useful options from the RAC, the AA and Green Flag, all of which allow you to avoid motorways, but the most useful is ViaMichelin which has a cycling option.

The 68km route it suggested from my home to Reading station looks fairly direct and most importantly, not only avoids motorways but all major A roads too.

I’ve now plotted the route into Tracklogs so I can load it to my GPS and with tomorrow’s forecast of good weather, it should be a pleasant two and a half to three hours of riding.

So many more people are commuting by bike in London

These past few weeks of good weather have encouraged a lot of bikes out of their winter hibernation.

You can’t help but noticed how many more squeaking chains, low saddles and under inflated tyres there are amongst these returning commuters.

I am also noticing one or two more shiny new bikes with their riders virtually glowing in crinkly new hi-viz jackets.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone announced a couple of weeks ago that the number of cycle journeys in London has increased by 6% in the year to March and are up 83% since 2000.

What makes this particularly good news is that despite the increase, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured in this city has fallen by 28%.

Cycling in London is becoming safer because more people cycle.

It is as simple as that.

And the nice thing about cycling becoming safer is it encourages even more people to cycle.

London’s Evening Standard recently published a twelve point charter for safer cycling which Nic Price has detailed here.

1. A real cycle network across London
2. Better cycle lanes with proper segregation
3. Enforcement of special advanced stop lines for cyclists
4. HGVs to be fitted with special cyclist safety mirrors
5. Compulsory cyclist awareness training for all bus drivers and new HGV drivers
6. Make safe the Thames bridges: some of the most dangerous places for cyclists
7. Cycle-friendly streets: fewer one-way systems which funnel cyclists into the middle of traffic
8. More cycle parking across London
9. A police crackdown on bike theft
10. Campaign to urge the self employed to claim a 20p a mile cycling allowance against tax
11. Better cycle-bus-rail coordination: adequate parking at all railway stations
12. Cycle training for all schoolchildren and any adult who wants it

This looks like a decent list that will get more people riding but while I support it, I can’t see how the tax allowance is making cycling safer.

No bikes on Southeastern trains during Tour de France

The train operator is offering both one day (£18) and three day tickets (£34) for unlimited travel across its network from July 6-8 but is reported to have banned bikes from all services during the event.

That seems a rather strange decision but it may not be entirely true.

The company’s site says it will only allow folding bikes on services too and from the event which I presume means bikes are still free to travel on the the rest of the network.

Given that the Tour is one of the world’s most popular sporting events, bikes on trains are bound to be just as welcome as during peak commuting times.

My commute in pictures

Inspired by Treadly and Me, this is my 15km ride in to work. It usually takes me around 45 minutes.

Ellison Road

The start of my run in from Streatham to Soho.

London’s shortest cycle path

This is at the end of my road and I can’t resist a wry smile every time I go past.

Crossing Greyhound Lane

This is the most unpredictable part of my route as it is always busy and although traffic lights have been installed, they aren’t active yet.

Estreham Road

Normally quiet once you get past Streatham Common station.

Railway tunnel

This links Estreham Road to Potter’s Lane.

Conyer’s Road

The continuation of Potter’s Lane past the historic water pumping station.

Crossing Mitcham Lane

Can be busy. You’re crossing into Riggindale Road which is one way (against you) for cars.

Riggindale Road

Usually this quiet.

Bedford Hill

Runs through Tooting Beck Common towards Balham.

Balham

Traffic starts to build up as you approach Balham.

Clapham South

Quite a busy intersection at the southern tip of Clapham Common.

Clapham High Street

Cycling in bus lanes is great until a bus comes along.

Stockwell

Bit of a choke point for cyclists before they split up for routes into the City and West End. Notice all the cycle racks on the left outside Stockwell station.

Vauxhall

Clubbers still coming out of Fire at 8am on a Tuesday morning.

Vauxhall Tunnel

A nice short cut through the bus station that avoids the crazy traffic at this notorious black spot for cyclists.
[Please excuse the poor quality]

Albert Embankment

First view of the Thames and Big Ben.

Lambeth Bridge

Tiny cycle lane that often gets ignored by trucks and taxis.

Tufton Street

A quick , almost traffic free run behind Westminster Magistrates’ Court. It was swarming with armed police when the people charged with plotting to blow up US-bound airliners were brought to court last year. It’s often full of prison vans waiting near the loading bay at the rear of the court.

Great Smith Street

Usually quiet despite leading to Westminster Abbey.

Broad Sanctuary

Suddenly you pop out into a bit of space and see Westminster Abbey in front of you, Big Ben a bit further on and the London Eye in the distance.

Little George Street

A short cobbled section past the Methodist General Hall Conference Center (and cafe).

Horse Guards Road

Runs along the eastern edge of St James Park past the memorial to the Bali bombing victims and the rear entrance to Downing Street. You regularly get delayed here as motorcades with outriders sweep in or out. Also, this must be one of the darkest streets in Central London at night. Maybe they dim the street lights due to the security cameras.

The Mall

A nice wide stretch of road running down to Buckingham Palace.

Crossing into St James’ Street

This can be busy as its funneling a lot of traffic from Pall Mall out of the West End onto Piccadilly towards the A4 and west London.

Crossing Piccadilly

From St James’ Street into Albemarle Street (past the notorious Albemarle Club).

New Bond Street

Past Cartier, Chanel, Tiffany, Ralph Lauren and the like.

Burlington Gardens

Where drivers like to cut in front of you at the last minute.

Crossing Regent Street

Notice one of our 18 metre long bendy-busses speeding up towards Oxford Circus.

Golden Square

My home away from home at work in Soho.