Hi all,

I've just moved to ED and will be cycling to work from next week, so wondered if anyone had any suggestions for the best route to take. I'm a pretty confident cyclist, but still don't reeeealy fancy E&C gyratory - any suggestions for how to avoid this?

And what bridge would you say it the best to use to cross the river?

Thanks!

I go...

Camberwell green
Oval
Vauxhall
cross at lambeth bridge
westminster
trafalgar square
regents street

I do the same as cidered but find going further round Trafalgar Square, up Charing Cross Road and thru Soho a bit less bendy-bussy.

My route - others are available

If you're around the Plough (or south), then heading down to Dulwich and via Herne Hill/Brixton/Stockwell to get to Vauxhall works well. It's less hectic that Camberwell New Road - and means you can avoid Dog Kennel Hill.

I used to go over Lambeth Bridge but now just go over Vauxhall since once you figure out the best way round the gyratory and get the lights timing, it felt better than the narrower Lambeth Bridge and going out of my way. I'd think about going over Vauxhall and round Victoria, through St James Park up the Mall to Trafalgar Square and then as above depending on where near Oxford Circus you are going.

I know you say you are quite confident but living in ED, you're entitled to a free cycle lesson from Southwark council. When I was first hunting the perfect route to work (through rush hour traffic), my cycle lesson was made up of my instructor helping me figure out a route and then cycling it with me so she could give me top tips round any tricky junctions.

There is a nice separate cycle path round elephant and castle. Do try tfl.gov.uk for routes and get them to send you cycle maps too.

Or from Lambeth Bridge go up to wiggle through to St James Park and through st james and bond street area, bit wiggly but less traffic and the park is nice.

Hope this link works, but this is a map of the route I do as far as Waterloo, which is basically what TFL recommended for me a few years ago. For Oxford Circus it maybe easier to go over Westminster Bridge instead. This may not be the quickest way, but is a nice quiet route through the old canal path and Burgess Park and back streets all the way until after E&C (where I use the cyclist's bypass around the north side). That said, Burgess Park is part closed now, so am having to figure out a new route for that bit. Anyway, hope this is useful [maps.google.co.uk]

Thanks everyone! I think I might try a few different options, but didn't realise there was an Elephant & Castle bypass!

Great to know about the Southwark Council lessons, I might do one as you say, just to practice the route

The E&C north bypass is great, you even have your own cycle lane traffic lights. Don't know why anyone would cycle round the roundabout proper, been too many accidents.

katanita - I go to Waterloo as well and I take Southampton Way rather than going up near Peckham Hill Street, then turn into Wells Way, Albany Road and then into Portland Street to continue on your route. Its pretty quiet and I've had no problems doing that route. It may be an alternative for you if your Burgess Pk route is closed.

I back the Southampton Way route too, I ride to Oxford Circus everyday and take Soton Way then cut through Addington Square and Bethwyn Rd to Kennington and then Lambeth Bridge to Parliament Square and up Regents Street.
There's no traffic apart from the Regents Street bit.

Thanks Jimmah - I'm going to try your route tonight, so will see how it goes!

I'd choose E and C over Vauxhall any day.

I cycle E and C straight through twice a day and don't think, if you're a confident cyclist, that you'll find it too bad.

Alternative would be to use the cycle loops around E and C, which cut out the main junction.

The walking routes option on Google Maps is quite handy for planning bike routes. For SE22 to Oxford Circus you can avoid both Vauxhall and E&C roudabouts with this route. If you use the walking option remember to zoom in and check for grey one-way arrows and adjust accordingly (hence the white pins).



If you want to avoid any main roads, just drag the route off them and see what alternatives pop up.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was 2011:08:18:10:47:20 by benmorg.

I go:

Peckham Rye,
Old canal path
Burgess Pk
Round the back of the Elephant
Borough
Waterloo Bridge
Covent Garden
Oxford St

Takes 35 minutes.

Thanks for suggested routes around Burgess Park. The Southampton Way route is probably quicker than my normal one, just not as pretty

My tip would be to leave as early as possible, the traffic is much lighter before 7.30am and hence journey much more pleasant and quicker. 8.30 is a nightmare.

I cycle to Victoria every day and have found a great (and safe) route to Oval which takes me 10/15 minutes from Rodwell Road and avoids Camberwell New Road
Map

I used to work in OC but fortunately lived in Bethnal Green, cycling between the two was a breeze and I haven't really cycled since living here as I now work in Acton (hate it).

Whilst living in Bethnal Green I used to cycle to Kennington Park too and I always found the the E&C a challenge. Everytime "shit, shit, shit" was my internal monologue and Vuaxhall is much easier due t the cycle paths that help guide you round the junction and onto the bridge. Anyway, I digress, if I was to cycle that way I'd go along LL and up Dog Kennel Hill (or round via Peckham for flatness), through Camberwell, Vauxhall, turn right by the River and past the Tate Britain and New Scotland Yard. Through Trafalgar square, up Charing Cross and through Soho.

You've got me all nostalgic for my days of working near civilisation now...

You can order free cycle maps from TFL [www.tfl.gov.uk] They are brilliant - showing all the best routes etc. Hugely helpful!