What is the best cycle route to Blackfriars?

[lotte]

Hi, I'm planning to start cycling to work from ED to Blackfriars, and wondered if anyone could share a good route. Is Denmark Hill- Camberwell- Elephant the fastest? I wondered if going through Burgess Park might be better?

Appreciate any thoughts, thanks Charlotte

[ratty]

Down Bellenden to Peckham then across the main road and up through sumner road / trafalgar ave / burgess park to old kent road (a little busy)

Right at the big roundabout up Great Dover St

Straight across the lights at Borough Tube then left along Marshalsea Rd, right onto Southwark Bridge Road and left down Southwark St

Takes about 15 - 20 mins and is a great little ride!

[snoozequeen1]

ratty Wrote:

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> Down Bellenden to Peckham then across the main

> road and up through sumner road / trafalgar ave /

> burgess park to old kent road (a little busy)

> Right at the big roundabout up Great Dover St

>

The big roundabout...that's the one people call the Bricklayer's Arms? Thing is Ratty, I know that cyclists love their bicycles and want to spread the benefits to all the world, but isn't that route one for those who can instantly sprint away at the lights and out of trouble?

The whole of the Old Kent Road is roulette for anything on 2 wheels to start with. 60mph is common outside the rush hour, and at all times just before the roundabout large nos of motorists screech to a halt on suddenly sighting the speed cameras coming up. Half also realise at this point they are in the wrong lane and swerve across without warning to avoid having to go straight on to the Elephant. I can't imagine trying to change lanes on a bike coming up to the roundabout, it's bad enough in a car.

The TfL Journey Planner website (sorry don't have link to hand) routes cyclists straight across the Old Kent Road, not along it, then runs you parallel but well out of your way, then back over Southwark Bridge, and left down to St Pauls and Blackfriars. Yes, you end up practically being sent to Rotherhithe, just to get to Blackfriars. However I suppose their reasoning is that a delayed cyclist is better than a dead cyclist.

[ratty]

I honestly always found OKR to be a doddle when I cycled up that way! I am not trying to get anyone killed honestly! ;)

[Mellors]

I go up to Peckham, down the canal path at the back of Peckham Pulse, up through Burgess Park to Portland St (diagonal across the park). From there follow the cycle path to New Kent Rd, where you go across at the peedestrian crossing and round the back streets to Southwark Bridge Rd. Up Southwark Bridge Rd and over then along the NOrth Side of the river to Blackfriars.

Pretty much all low traffic/off road is you are a scaredy cat like me! I am slow and it takes me 25 mins.

[snoozequeen1]

Ratty, I am envious of your ability to take direct route but also harbouring suspicion you may poss. be more by way of 25ish bloke person and understandably unfamiliar with cycling speeds of ancient females who risk falling off when signalling. (Not that am suggesting Lotte ancient).

Mellors' route sounds like what used to be on London Cycling Campaign maps many years ago, can't remember truly but got impression that new London govt sponsored maps are a bit more official re routes and a bit less useful. Poss old maps had an element of the not=entirely-official route in them?

[Klaus]

snoozequeen1 Wrote:

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> The big roundabout...that's the one people call

> the Bricklayer's Arms? Thing is Ratty, I know

> that cyclists love their bicycles and want to

> spread the benefits to all the world, but isn't

> that route one for those who can instantly sprint

> away at the lights and out of trouble?

Negotiating the roundabout is easy because traffic lights on the roundabout itself, meaning all the traffic tends to be heading in the same direction as you. The tricky bit is getting out of the bus lane on OKR - into the right hand lane where cars wait to join the roundabout. A prolonged, obvious hand signal tend to do the trick though.

60mph?! ha ha

[Mellors]

I am an ancient lady who risks falling off when signalling hence I take the back routes - I would never dare go on the OKR or round the roundabouts, Peckham High St is enough of a rollercoaster for me!

I got the route from the free cycle maps that you get from TFL (you can order them online) - very helpful indeed.

[djw]

I go down the OKR everyday. Dont seem to have a prob. Do have to keep your wits about you though with the coaches/lorries mainly.

[CamberwellOz]

Mr. CamberwellOz knew a great way to avoid Elephant and Castle roundabout all together. I'll send him a mail.

[taper]

Mellors has nailed the way of avoiding the Elephant double-death roundabout. I would change his view on what you should do when you get to Southwark Bridge Road. In my view you should cross it, take the road alongside SouthBank University, cross the road at the end of that, and find your way onto Blackfriars Road (dismouting to uise the path for 10 yards if you want). Then straight up that Road (which is a fairly safe) and over the bridge.

[kidder]

First post, so be gentle, I have feelings.

I have been cycling past Blackfriars for the last year, anyway have tried many routes but this one seems the best so far.

One thing annoys me are the fair weather cyclists, look over your should before pulling out, idiots.

[snoozequeen1]

Mellors Wrote:

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> I am an ancient lady who risks falling off when

> signalling hence I take the back routes

Am very impressed by your 25 mins then Mellors. That's only 5 mins slower than car. Am a total wreck but finding cycling actually easier than walking and often, public transport, as long as there's no hill.. I am going to have a go at cycling all way in on v quiet day, whether I get back again is another question. If you come across ancient female corpse along route, pls leave flowers.

Mr Klaus - sadly, when you wrote that: A prolonged obvious hand signal tends to do the trick - you see that is prob. for us girlies, as we tend not to have as much brawn, it is harder to control and manoeuvre bicycle at speed with one hand while changing lanes at peak mad-motorist location. (By the way you will see the 60mph brigade on the OKR between about 23:00 and 06:00, wacky races, especially coming up to midnight and coming up to 6. Have an idea this is sleep-deprived shift workers trying to beat the clock).