Cycling in the area, general chat about routes and possible improvements

[malumbu]

Let's keep this on the subject please. I have been cycling particularly in Southwark for many years.  I think generally the roads are good for cycling.  Avoiding some of the issues with road management in recent years it would be good to hear from other cyclists.  Starting off - Lordship Lane is OK, generally not having speeding drivers.  You have to adopt an assertive position coming down to Court Lane and make use of the bus Lane coming up to Toolstation.  Underhill can be busy but going down the hill you can get to around the speed of free flowing traffic and up the hill past the cemetery there are no parked cars so room for cars to pass.  Roads around Dunstan's can see impatient drivers.  Forest Hill road can be a bit chokka and not convinced you need the lights by the Rye.

Going further down towards Peckham it can be horrid during rush hour with no easy way of passing stationary traffic. Four roads  I don't like but have to use are Sydenham Hill poor surface and not space for cars etc to pass with proper clearance.  Really needs a bike lane up hill, but not sure who owns the verge. Honor Oak Road, a race track with some narrow sections.  Brenchley ditto.  Honor Oak Park from the hill towards the station in both directions awful surface, narrow road.  Need to get rid of parking on one side and bike lane going up the hill.

So other cyclists, what are your faves and which roads should be improved?  Beyond Greendale are there other offers road routes or could we have more?

And do you like the hills?  We have our own Cols 😊

Edited November 13, 2024 by malumbu

[malumbu]

At least two of you who are angry about LTNs also profess to be cyclists.  It would be wonderful to have your views on cycling in the area.

[Rockets]

Malumbu - I love how you say let's keep it on subject and then start mentioning speeding drivers! 😉

Anyway, my two-penneth worth.

- I love the burn of starting and finishing a ride with Col du Dog Kennel Hill or Col du Sydenham Hill - the joy of getting to the top and free-wheeling down the other side (and making good use of the bus filter at the bottom of DKH).

- the thing I love about cycling in the area and across London is that there are so many routes you can take - there used to be a website where it would plot a route that avoided the busiest roads and it was great. I would cycle to Hammersmith and hardly see a car as the route would use backstreets via Loughborough Junction, Battersea, around the back of Queen's Club - although I once had a pedal shear off in a torrential downpour in Battersea and had to wheel the bike home.

- The fact there are some great backstreet routes into central London

- I hate floating cycle lanes next to parked cars - just a badly designed accident waiting to happen. Hunts Slip is an awful example of this and the ludicrous cycle lane across the top of Sydenham Hill has one too - we should not be putting cycle lanes in as a traffic calming measure which is why Sydenham Hill is so awful and actually increase dangers to cyclists

- I tend to try to avoid roads like Lordship Lane and use the backstreets to navigate around them but Underhill and Crystal Palace Road have become awful due to displaced traffic from the things I will not mention but I get an immense sense of satisfaction cycling around Hindmands and Oakhurst to get to Balfes and not seeing a car.

[Guest]

Today at Dulwich Village junction there were a crowd of children being taught to ride their cycles at DV Junction.  Great I thought.

They were then instructed to cycle across DV from the lights on Turney Road, straight over to Calton Avenue,  The pedestrian light was green for those crossing from Old Burial Ground to Harold George and the whole lot of cyclists just went straight through.

I think there must be some sort of problem, either the lights need improving or the instructors do.

[malumbu]

Thanks Rockets,  I'm not scoring points, if a road is hazardous due to the layout, infrastructure, behaviour of some motorists, pot holes and the like then it is not pleasant riding on it.  Going down into Peckham is where I often have electric delivery bikes overtaking on the inside.  I look out for them but it is a hazard I can do without.

Kathleen, you clearly don't like cyclists.  This is a thread for cyclists to discuss where it is good, and less good to cycle and maybe some ideas on how to make it better for riders.  There is enough negativity elsewhere on this site.

[alice]

😀😀

[Spartacus]

But @malumbu As you are so fond of doing "what about the car drivers" ? 😅

We cant have a thread about cycling without mentioning cars (your rules 😉) 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Spartacus

[first mate]

Mal is so transparent and predictable, exhorts posters to stay on subject but allows himself the freedom to get in all his usual digs:

Posters that dare say anything critical about cyclists are "angry",  then in virtually every other line we get the following "cars speeding, speeding drivers, freeflowing traffic speeding, the behaviour of motorists, the need for more bike lanes, cars speeding, parked cars blocking". 

It is almost like brainwashing.

So really this is a thread about Mal's favourite subject...cars.

12 hours ago, Kathleen Olander said:

Today at Dulwich Village junction there were a crowd of children being taught to ride their cycles at DV Junction.  Great I thought.

They were then instructed to cycle across DV from the lights on Turney Road, straight over to Calton Avenue,  The pedestrian light was green for those crossing from Old Burial Ground to Harold George and the whole lot of cyclists just went straight through.

I think there must be some sort of problem, either the lights need improving or the instructors do.

Wow, if the cycling instructors cannot get this right, then we have no hope. Were these private or Southwark Council paid instructors?

As a cyclist, I would like to see more fellow cyclists stopping at red lights and dismounting when they get to pavements. I would also like to see those using e-bikes take more care when they overtake slower cyclists at speed and mire care when they finally park the bike. These things would make cycling better, as far as I am concerned.

 

[Guest]

13 hours ago, malumbu said:

Thanks Rockets,  I'm not scoring points, if a road is hazardous due to the layout, infrastructure, behaviour of some motorists, pot holes and the like then it is not pleasant riding on it.  Going down into Peckham is where I often have electric delivery bikes overtaking on the inside.  I look out for them but it is a hazard I can do without.

Kathleen, you clearly don't like cyclists.  This is a thread for cyclists to discuss where it is good, and less good to cycle and maybe some ideas on how to make it better for riders.  There is enough negativity elsewhere on this site.

You are all over every thread on this forum.  It's hard to avoid you, but I will probably foe you.

I couldn't care less about cyclists on the road, I DO care about cyclists on pavements and going through red lights.

In the title you asked for possible improvements.  Clearly the lights at DV Junction need to be improved,  As you spend your life at DV junction you might care to take a look!

 

 

[malumbu]

This is not a Trojan Horse to get my political agenda over. This is a thread to talk about cycling.  I think it is rather sad to resort to criticism.  There are other threads where you take every opportunity to do this.  Not this one please.  A bit more respect is welcome across the forum.  

[Guest]

On 15/11/2024 at 08:00, first mate said:

Mal is so transparent and predictable, exhorts posters to stay on subject but allows himself the freedom to get in all his usual digs:

Posters that dare say anything critical about cyclists are "angry",  then in virtually every other line we get the following "cars speeding, speeding drivers, freeflowing traffic speeding, the behaviour of motorists, the need for more bike lanes, cars speeding, parked cars blocking". 

It is almost like brainwashing.

So really this is a thread about Mal's favourite subject...cars.

Wow, if the cycling instructors cannot get this right, then we have no hope. Were these private or Southwark Council paid instructors?

As a cyclist, I would like to see more fellow cyclists stopping at red lights and dismounting when they get to pavements. I would also like to see those using e-bikes take more care when they overtake slower cyclists at speed and mire care when they finally park the bike. These things would make cycling better, as far as I am concerned.

 

I have checked this out today.  The problem is that there are pedestrian lights from DV Burial Ground which is to enable pedestrians to cross the cycle lane safely, so green man shows and you walk out.  However, if you are cycling from Turney Road and going straight across there is nothing to indicate that the pedestrians have the green light.  Really badly planned and dangerous.

[malumbu]

Shame that this thread that was supposed to look how routes could be improved for cyclists just turned into complaint about cyclists.  Sad really.

If you would be interested to hear about one supporter of cycling has to say about improving infrastruture Rachel Aldred is giving a free lecture on Monday at the University of Westminster 18.00 start :

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inaugural-lecture-professor-rachel-aldred-tickets-1038776527557?aff=eivtefrnd&utm_share_source=listing_android

[first mate]

Was it though? It could also be read as just another very thinly disguised way to complain about motorists. If it really was purely about improving cycling routes then I am simply amazed you have not really addressed road surfaces, other than a brief mention of Sydenham Hill (too steep for me I'm afraid; I have to get off and walk). I find potholes and uneven ridges at the edges of roads one of the greatest hazards when cycling and this makes me very nervous cycling in the dark.

[malumbu]

@Rockets  As you are very interested in the Sydenham Hill cycle lane, what do you reckon to Brenchley Gardens?  I think it is awfully designed, the narrowing, which is intended to slow motorised vehicles down, is a hazard to cyclists as there is not enough room for vehicles to pass cyclists with appropriate room if there are vehicles coming the other way,

Cyclists should therefore adopt the primary position, although this seems to p some motorists off.

Surely you will agree that Southwark has got this wrong, and on this occasion a dedicated cycle lane, or alternatively shared footpath, would be appropriate.  This is about the design of the road irrespective of how motorists use it.

[SE22_2020er]

I would welcome a segregated cycle lane along East Dulwich Grove from Lordship Lane to Half Moon Lane.   I really worry about the safety of my children cycling along this road with the level of speeding and bad driving (3 drivers on their phones in the space of 200m this morning!!!) that takes place along this road.   There is plenty of width along the road for a cycle lane albeit with the removal of some on street parking places.

Failing this, just some speed cameras and signs telling people to turn off their engines when they are idling would be a step in the right direction.

 

 

[malumbu]

Sorry to hear.  I was surprised by some of the vehicles on Half Moon Lane itself, cutting you up and then turning left rather than simply waiting a couple of seconds for you to pass the junction.  And due to being so wide the odd car hammers along Burbage.  There are huge swathes of London where the traffic is fairly predictable and happy to share road space.  And then you get the occasional road like the ones above.  It tends to be wider roads that are relatively free flowing.  Or the ones where there are sometimes a race to get through the lights - Herne Hill Road being a good example.  Red Post Hill is so traffic calmed it can be a pain in whatever mode you are in, 

[sunbob]

On 20/03/2025 at 19:25, SE22_2020er said:

I would welcome a segregated cycle lane along East Dulwich Grove from Lordship Lane to Half Moon Lane.   I really worry about the safety of my children cycling along this road with the level of speeding and bad driving (3 drivers on their phones in the space of 200m this morning!!!) that takes place along this road.   There is plenty of width along the road for a cycle lane albeit with the removal of some on street parking places.

Failing this, just some speed cameras and signs telling people to turn off their engines when they are idling would be a step in the right direction.

 

 

I would rather leave earlier and take a longer route, using some of the quieter side roads.

[Earl Aelfheah]

4 minutes ago, sunbob said:

I would rather leave earlier and take a longer route, using some of the quieter side roads.

So would I, but it shouldn't be necessary to do this to feel safe.

Edited March 25 by Earl Aelfheah

[Spartacus]

Did my eyes deceive me this afternoon, or was there someone zipping around on a PennyFarthing bike ? 

Curious what happens when the bike stops as I am not convinced the rider can reach the floor with either feet 🤔 

[exdulwicher]

43 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

Did my eyes deceive me this afternoon, or was there someone zipping around on a PennyFarthing bike ? 

Curious what happens when the bike stops as I am not convinced the rider can reach the floor with either feet 🤔 

They occasionally have Penny Farthing races, exhibitions, demo days etc at Herne Hill Velodrome, there's at least a couple of people fairly locally who can occasionally be seen riding around on one. Stopping - you just sort of step off the back of it. 

As a general rule, to ride one of them you have to be pretty experienced anyway - to my mind someone on a PF is less of an issue than pretty much any other cyclist cos at least you know they're never going to be caning down a hill or jumping off a kerb or skidding to a stop outside the shops.

[Nigello]

When does investing money into cycling - the routes, the planning, the advisory campaigns, etc. stop being cost effective? There has to be a percentage of people who will ever cycle, but what is that? How does one know it can be best achieved? When does the effort stop? Has the money spent already achieved desired results, or is it all a bit “finger-in-the-air” well-meaningry? I am sceptical that numbers will ever exceed what would only ever be a modest amount of cyclists (as a cycle-and-motor-vehicle-free pedestrian). 

[malumbu]

You have other threads to complain about cyclists and cycle routes.  This thread was intended to be a constructive one.

[QueenMab]

On 20/03/2025 at 19:25, SE22_2020er said:

I would welcome a segregated cycle lane along East Dulwich Grove from Lordship Lane to Half Moon Lane.   I really worry about the safety of my children cycling along this road with the level of speeding and bad driving (3 drivers on their phones in the space of 200m this morning!!!) that takes place along this road.   There is plenty of width along the road for a cycle lane albeit with the removal of some on street parking places.

Failing this, just some speed cameras and signs telling people to turn off their engines when they are idling would be a step in the right direction.

 

 

I agree, it's a horrible section of road, not helped by a few bends which make it hard to see ahead and where the relative narrowness of the road forces drivers to endanger cyclists by passing too close. 

[Earl Aelfheah]

I would love to see the 'Southwark spine' turned in to a proper, safe, south / north corridor.  The worst parts of that route currently are the crossing with Peckham Road travelling North to south, and Crystal Palace Road - which is too narrow (cars get impatient, especially travelling up the hill, and make dangerous / close passes). The turn off of Chadwick Road to Lyndhurst Road is super dangerous. Many cars plough through that turn, whilst the bike lane curves round to the right. There have been a lot of collisions there.

[Earl Aelfheah]

14 hours ago, QueenMab said:

I agree, it's a horrible section of road, not helped by a few bends which make it hard to see ahead and where the relative narrowness of the road forces drivers to endanger cyclists by passing too close. 

There is plenty of room for a segregated lane and it would link to the Railton Road LTN, and onwards to Brixton tube.