Richmond Council has announced plans to introduce a new scheme of contraflow cycling routes in the borough.
Contraflow cycling is when cyclists are allowed to ride against the traffic flow on a one-way street.
The council hopes introducing the routes will encourage more people to use bicycles when making local journeys.
The proposed areas for contraflow cycling schemes are:
- St Margarets and North Twickenham: Sidney Road, Kenley Road, Broadway Avenue, Hill View Road, Bridge Road
- North Richmond: Kingsway East, Kingsway West, Shalstone Road
- Hampton Wick: Park Road
The plans have been put out for public consultation, with views sought until 26 July.
Cllr Alexander Ehmann, chair of the Transport and Air Quality Committee, said: “We declared a climate emergency in July 2019 with one of our key commitments being to change how people travel within the borough.
“Cycling trips should be convenient, accessible and safe so that more people adopt cycling as a clean and sustainable mode of transport.
“Contraflow cycling routes will help us achieve this by opening up the street network and providing safe short-cuts for cyclists. It gives cycling an advantage over driving, encouraging people to jump on their bikes when making short local journeys.
“It will also mean less cyclists are tempted to take to the pavements to avoid having to go down busy and longer alternative routes, making cycling safer for everyone.”
Richmond Council says it is continuously working to improve the borough’s cycling provision.
Last year, it installed the borough’s first protected cycle lane on Kew Road and in the last six months, the route has seen an increase in usage of 82% based on the weekly average of cycle users.
Comment on this story