City backtracks on TVP detour after cyclists call it 'unsafe'
The City of London is changing course on a proposed detour during construction on the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP), after the cycling community raised safety concerns.
Initially, the city planned to direct cyclists and pedestrians off the TVP, to a detour north on Talbot Street, across Oxford Street, up to Grosvenor Street, before cutting back west to rejoin the TVP.
“It was just neglect of responsibilities,” says Andrew Hunniford, general manager of the London Bicycle Café.
It was unsafe, he says, because it would have forced cyclists to cross Oxford Street unnecessarily, at an intersection he calls “really dangerous.”
The City of London’s proposed detour route, as seen on its website. (Source: City of London)Through the café’s Twitter account, he proposed an alternative detour that makes use of the Oxford Street underpass on the west side of the Thames, as well as Blackfriar’s Bridge at the south end of Ann Street Park.
Several other Twitter users agreed with Hunniford’s assessment.
“Does that official detour go under Talbot Street Bridge?” one reply reads. “That tunnel is a death trap for cyclists and pedestrians alike.”
Another comment reads, “The city’s detour looks like a plan designed by people who do not cycle,”
The city says it received feedback from cyclists about the detour route, and has made changes. The detour will now follow Hunniford’s proposed route from Blackfriar’s Bridge up to the Oxford Street underpass.
“New signage will be placed ahead of the construction site to show the new route,” a city spokesperson wrote in a statement provided to CTV News London. “We welcome feedback that will help us make improvements.”
The closure is for construction on underground sewer infrastructure. It’s expected to last until Sept. 30, according to the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.