Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad Sustrans respnse t Transprt fr Lndn Summary Sustrans welcmes the cnsultatin n prpsals fr changes t Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad, and supprts the ambitin t imprve and increase space and quality f prvisin fr pedestrians, cycles and public transprt users. Hwever, Sustrans has strng reservatins n the verall prpsal, which fall shrt f these ambitins, particularly cncerning safety and cmfrt fr pedestrians and cyclists, as well as permeability with prpsed and existing infrastructure. In light f these cncerns, Sustrans nly partially supprts this scheme. Nine Elms Lane and the eastern part f Battersea Park Rad are strategic arteries fr the area. With significant changes t the area well underway and ver the cming years, including tw new Nrthern Line Extensin undergrund statins and a future cycling and walking bridge cnnecting Nine Elms/Vauxhall t Pimlic, these rads are key gateways. As such, they play an imprtant rle fr all rad users, and the existing layut particularly favurs mtr-vehicle mvement at the expense f safety and cnvenience fr peple n ft r cycles. Changes t Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad are an pprtunity t prvide a transfrmatinal scheme f high-class cycle infrastructure f the standard seen at the East-West and Nrth-Suth Superhighways t really encurage uptake by cyclists f all abilities and create a pleasant, attractive pedestrian space. Pedestrian facilities and crssings Sustrans supprts the ambitin t widen ftways t imprve pedestrian facilities. Hwever, this aspiratin is unfrtunately nt apparent in the design f much f this scheme. Alng almst all frntages between Wandswrth Rad and Prince f Wales Rad the already narrw ftway is prpsed t be further reduced. Sustrans hlds cncerns abut the cmprmised safety and ease f use fr all pedestrians while nt prviding cycle lanes f adequate width r prtectin. Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad 1
Pedestrian cmfrt and safety shuld be safeguarded thrughut the entire scheme by ensuring that adequate ftway widths are retained, and new publicly-accessible spaces prvided alng sites still in develpment. It is unclear frm designs hw much public space will be available frm the new develpments and hw these will link int the prpsal. Hwever, Sustrans finds that this prpsal falls shrt f the Healthy Streets visin, and will nt encurage peple t walk alng these rads, as it appears that, in additin t an envirnment that cntinues t be nisy and busy, the ftways will be narrw and therefre unsafe and uncmfrtable at many pints: The prpsed ftway in frnt f Embassy Gardens and the American Embassy (sectins 6 and 7) have been narrwed. Althugh the designs d nt include measurements, Sustrans is cncerned that these appear narrw and may impact access fr wheelchair users t pass in bth directins, particularly arund the bus stp; New signal crssing frm Riverlight develpment t access New Mill Rad (sectin 6) des nt accunt fr the existing clumns frm the develpment n the suth side f Nine Elms Lane. This and the reductin in ftway width creates a severe pinch n the ftway fr pedestrians. It is als unclear if that signal crssing will als be used by cyclists, which culd cause further cnflict n the ftway; Ftway appraching the (new) New Cvent Garden Market (sectin 5) will be narrwed and the resulting width appears insufficient fr pedestrians t use it safely, particularly arund the crssing pint. Wherever there are pprtunities t negtiate mre ftway width t cme frm the develpments yet t be cnstructed, this shuld be raised with develpers t avid cnstraints n the public highway. Agreements shuld be put in place t ensure that privately-wned ftway space is safeguarded fr public access in the future t avid the widths being diminished by later develpment. At unsignalised junctins, raised crssings shuld be prvided ver side rad entrances t slw turning vehicles, imprve pedestrian cmfrt and reduce vehicular dminance. Sustrans recmmends the intrductin f linked signals n staggered crssings, reducing the waiting time fr users. At Riverlight, the prpsed pedestrian crssing near Cringle Street and the narrwed ftway t accmmdate the cycle lane appears t be in cnflict with the existing TfL Cycle Hire statin. The design shuld ensure that cycle and pedestrian facilities prvide adequate cmfrt and avid cnflict between users while retaining Cycle Hire prvisin in the vicinity. Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad 2
Cycle facilities Sustrans believes much mre needs t be dne t prvide cntinuus prtected cycle facilities f adequate width thrughut this scheme. The ptential f usage in the area is high and these prpsals fall shrt f prviding safe, cntinuus and permeable facilities: The narrative text fr sectins 4 t 7 indicate the use f stepped track cycle lanes, which Sustrans welcmes. Hwever, it is unclear frm the drawings precisely where and hw these tracks will be incrprated. This prpsal is unlikely t encurage new and less experienced cyclists t use the scheme, as it will feel unsafe given the high vlume f traffic, the prprtin f heavy vehicles using these rads and the limited use f segregated tracks. The eastbund bus stp utside Elm Quay Curt (sectins 6 and 7) merging with the cycle track puts cyclists at significant risk f cllisin with buses and wuld be very intimidating fr cyclists. A segregated slutin, such as a bus stp bypass, shuld be prpsed. Sustrans is very cncerned that cycle lanes and shared bus-and-cycle lanes in Sectins 1-3 d nt prtect cyclists and d very little t prvide a feeling f safety. Taxis using these bus lanes will add t the danger psed t cycles. Sustrans supprts the remval f traffic lanes t create cycling and walking space, e.g. at Battersea Park Statin and Queenstwn Rad (sectin 2). Hwever, unsegregated cycle lanes d nt prvide adequate prtectin frm the high vlume and heavy traffic here. Segregatin shuld be prvided n links and at signalized junctins. Sustrans is cncerned by cyclists being required t share minimumwidth bus lanes at several sectins and t enter general traffic lanes t pass bus stps, e.g. under the railway bridge at Battersea Park Statin (sectin 2); ver the bridge by Battersea Dgs and Cats Hme (sectin 3); and ppsite Cupar Rad (sectin 1). This is intimidating fr cyclists having t take the lane when being fllwed by buses and puts them at risk f cllisins with general traffic when mving ut. It shuld be explred whether these bus stps can be relcated t lcatins where there is mre space t prvide segregated cycling facilities arund them. While Sustrans supprts cycling permeability t and frm Thessaly Street, and the benefits t public transprt usage f allwing buses t use this rad, it is vital t ensure that the current clsure t general traffic is maintained and prperly enfrced in the future t prevent this quiet rad and cycle link thrugh t destinatins at Wandswrth Rad becming a rat-run fr thrugh-traffic. Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad 3
Sustrans supprts the prvisin f tw-stage right turns, and lw-level, early cycle release at signalised junctins. Hwever, Sustrans is very cncerned that the scheme prpses ptentially very dangerus infrastructure at junctins, failing t prtect cyclists: Fr mst f the scheme there is a lack f segregated prvisin at signalized junctins. While sme junctins may have early starts fr cycles, Sustrans hlds cncerns that this still leaves cyclists vulnerable t left hks. At Queenstwn Rad/Battersea Park Rad junctin eastbund n the west arm (sectin 2), the cycle feeder lane between tw traffic lanes frces cyclists t mve ut acrss left-turning traffic and t take the lane when appraching n a green light. This puts cyclists at significant risk f cllisin and is a very challenging maneuvre which will discurage new and less cnfident cyclists frm using the scheme. At Prince f Wales Drive/Battersea Park Rad junctin westbund n the east arm (sectin 3), the bus lane ends sme way befre the cycle lane, putting cycles at risk f cllisin frm vehicles, a high prprtin f which will be merging left t enter the straight-ahead and left-turn lanes. At the Savna Street/Prspect Way/Battersea Park Rad junctin (sectin 4), it appears cyclists turning right ut f Savna Rad will be in cnflict with vehicles turning right frm Prspect Way. Sustrans hlds cncerns that an early start fr cyclists is insufficient t remve the cllisin risk. The design shuld prtect cycles frm hk cllisins at this and all junctins. If Savna Street and Prspect Way are released in tw separate stages this may remve cllisin risk, but this is nt made clear frm the drawings. Several f the prpsed ASL s are 5m deep r unspecified. An ASL depth f 7.5m shuld be prvided thrughut. Segregated feeder lanes and separate cycle signal phase shuld be prvided at all signalised junctins alng the scheme t prtect cycles frm cnflicting mvements and clse passes. These shuld tie int segregated cycle lanes alng the links. Sustrans strngly supprts the prvisin f segregated cycle tracks which ensure safety and facilitate use. This culd be achieved thrugh the prvisin f a bidirectinal segregated cycle track thrughut the scheme t achieve the desired level f cycle prtectin. This may be mre space-efficient than ne-way cycle lanes each side. This may require: remval f sme prpsed and existing bus lanes, which still appear t be piecemeal thrughut the scheme; further remval f central islands and turning pckets; negtiatin with develpers t prvide mre available space fr pedestrian and cycle facilities; relcatin f bus stps away frm narrw pints; and reductin in the number f general traffic lanes at junctins. Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad 4
Waiting and lading restrictins are in place at multiple lcatins. While sme clearly restrict waiting r lading during peak hurs, drawings are unclear whether they prhibit lading during peak hurs (fr example by Alfreda Street n sectin 1, multiple lcatins n sectin 2, and by Battersea Dgs and Cats Hme n sectin 3). Only in sectin 2 des the accmpanying text suggest lading restrictins during peak hurs. Lading restrictins during peak hurs shuld be in place thrughut the scheme t minimize the risk f cycles being frced ut int traffic t pass vehicles. This wuld be slved if segregated prvisin were prvided thrughut. Sustrans is the charity making it easier fr peple t walk and cycle. We cnnect peple and places, create liveable neighburhds, transfrm the schl run and deliver a happier, healthier cmmute. Jin us n ur jurney. www.sustrans.rg.uk Sustrans August 2017 Registered Charity N. 326550 (England and Wales) SC039263 (Sctland) VAT Registratin N. 416740656 Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Rad 5