Transport for London reveal final plan for new Woolwich town centre bus and cycle lanes
Transport for London have revealed their final design for a new bus and cycle lane in Woolwich town centre.
Consultation was undertaken earlier this year for lanes linking existing segregated routes from Plumstead to the east and proposed Cycleway 4 extensions to the west.
A number of changes have been made since then including altering a road crossing near the Elizabeth line station. It will no longer be a staggered crossing.
Transport for London are also no longer planning to build out the pavement on the south side of Powis Street between John Wilson Street and Hare Street.
A bus lane will be installed westbound from past the Royal Arsenal Gatehouse to the Woolwich ferry.
As for the cycle lane itself, the route will follow the A206 from Plumstead until Macbean Street where it avoids the direct route and instead heads up towards Powis Street where it turns towards the south circular and Woolwich ferry.
It could be a tight squeeze. It took a bit of time waiting to take the above image due to pedestrians and shoppers getting in the way. Foot traffic can be high with Lidl on the right.
The shop to the left above has outside displays which combined with footfall levels leaves limited space for cycling. Vehicles also head through this area.
Changes to the junction with Burrage Road have also been dropped.
Too expensive
TfL stated that Cycle lanes will not be installed on the most direct route via Beresford Street and Woolwich High Street heading past the Waterfront.
It’s been placed in the “too expensive” category.
That’s impressive given the sheer scale of development in the area and the chance to gain millions in Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy revenue, starting in the east at:
- Armourers Court – 500 homes approved on site
- Woolwich Exchange – 801 homes approved on site
- Student housing block at former Catholic Club. Approved and now underway.
- Macbean Street site (on the left in above image). Revised plans due soon.
- Royal Arsenal. Ropeyards is the next stage here beside Beresford Street comprising 660 homes
- Riverside House – proposals revealed this past week with hundreds student rooms and a hotel.
- Six towers from Berkeley Homes between the river and Woolwich High Street
- Waterfront site. Seen on left above. Due to be demolished upon 2025 closure with new development planned on site.
- Mortgramit Square. Features tower beside Woolwich High Street
No change
Despite the amount of development in this location and resultant revenue, money is apparently not there for improving certain major streets in Woolwich and thus Woolwich High Street will remain an ugly, vehicle dominated space.
When heading east from a future Cycleway 4 at Woolwich ferry, the chosen route via Powis Street will require crossing two arms of the busy roundabout rather than one if using Woolwich High Street.
TfL do state they will add signals in place of zebra crossings on part of the roundabout but the fact is the chosen option is less direct and requires additional road crossings.
Both Greenwich Cyclists and Lewisham Cyclists did highlight this during consultation.
It’ll be interesting to see the funding breakdown and whether Greenwich Council or TfL (or both) are not willing to spend what is required to improve this stretch despite thousands of new homes.
Bus lane
Another problems is that while TfL state they’ll add in a westbound bus lane along Beresford Street and Woolwich High street they will not move bus stands – thus negating benefits of a bus lane.
As anyone who ever travels on a bus west through Woolwich can tell you, buses are forever held up behind those waiting for extended periods at stands in this area. That is not being rectified.
In fact, they’re making them even bigger: “The existing bus stand on Woolwich High Street would be extended to accommodate the relocated stand spaces”.
TfL will “Remove bus stop C on Woolwich High Street and replace it with a bus stand”.
The below image typified the issue. Buses waiting for extended periods on stands mean the bus had to wait and feed into busy queues on the right hand lane.
That will also hamper bus speeds for a planned express route as part of expanded Superloop network.
Is it really that difficult to add move and add further stands in the area thus ensuring Beresford Street and Woolwich High Street isn’t blocked?
It would require removing parking – and even the odd tree – in nearby streets such as Hare Street and Powis Street but the trade off could be quicker bus and active travel journeys for many.
In time certain routes that use bus stands are also expected to extend to Charlton to serve new homes there.
Planning documents relating to Charlton developments have stated routes such as the 301 could head west.
Overall it all seems a bit half baked. A new bus lane that will be hampered by more bus stands shortly after it commences. A cycle lane that offers an indirect route and a pretty dreary street seeing no changes for cyclists and pedestrians due to insufficient funds.
Better than now? Yes, but that’s not too hard. The scale of improvement it could be given the enormous number of new developments and housing in the area? No.
Work is expected to begin in 2025/26.
How does this align with Powis Street changes now underway? It seems they havn’t thought about it at all?
It appears the section from Beresford Street past Lidl, Iceland then along Powis Street to the ferry will be advisory. A few signs perhaps. It’s being done on a budget and avoiding funding changes to difficult areas.
Cyclists could have shared a future bus lane along Beresford Street and Woolwich High Street but all those bus stands near waterfront put the blockers on that being appealing. Can’t some bus stands move onto John Wilson Street? It’s never as busy as Woolwich High Street which gets clogged up. Their current location makes the street environment worse while blocking everything in the road.
Speaks volumes that TfL could find money for Silvertown tunnel but relatively small changes at Woolwich are too expensive blaming topography. It’s a hurdle but not an insurmountable one.
Has there been any consideration for a car drop off space outside the Elizabeth Line? It’s a hub for people travelling towards Heathrow yet it can really be a struggle getting down or entering cabs with luggage’s on that particular road
I agree Abi with people being able to travel to Heathrow on the Elizabeth Line (which was one of the attractions for passengers using the Elizabeth Line) passengers to Heathrow would expected to have heavy luggage so a drop off waiting point for cars and taxis should have been taken in to consideration..
They clearly haven’t taken the Powis Street works into account.
The stretch between Hare Street and Macbean Street hasn’t got space for two way cycling now.
Yes I agree with you