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Boris cycle hire station in the City may be blocked
Ruth Bloomfield5 Nov 2009
City chiefs are fighting plans to install a docking station for Mayor Boris Johnson's flagship bike hire scheme near St Paul's Cathedral.
The Corporation of London is poised to refuse planning permission for the 21-bike station, plus payment terminal, at King William Street.
A report on the plan, to be considered by the corporation's planning and transportation committee next week, claims the 25-metre docking station could endanger workers and tourists.
It is the second time the corporation has attempted to block plans for a stand on the site, which is on an approach to London Bridge Station. This summer it refused plans for an even larger stand, prompting Transport for London to scale back its plans.
However, the City still feels the bike stand is a risk.
"The City of London Corporation supports the principle of providing a sustainable transport system through the Mayor's cycle hire scheme," the report states. But it adds: "The proposals would endanger public safety."
The Mayor intends to have 400 docking stations across Zone 1.
Reader views (7)
As a cyclist you can always find somewhere to park but it is good to see more parking spaces.
To improve cycling in central London I'd like to see more segregated cycle paths. The 5metre wide pavements on Victoria Embankment really needs a 1.5m to 2m wide two-way cycle path on the south side from Westminster to Blackfriars along the river side of the Thames. Since there are no junctions on the south side, this offers a far quicker and more scenic, safer, segregated, traffic free alternative to the Strand which can not offer a good cycling environment in the foreseeable future.
Please act TFL, PLA and Mayor of London Boris.
I think one of the reasons TFL don't have any riverside routes is that there are issues over private ownership of the paths and buildings near the Thames but I think local business would benefit as more people would use the Thames for leisure as well as commuting.
- Cyclist1234, London, 11/01/2010 23:23
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Ah, the well-known dangers of bicycle stands. I was killed by one only this morning. What utter nonsense.
- Steffan Davies, London, UK, 06/11/2009 00:13
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He should ask them for their TfL cycling grant back, they do nothing for London's cyclists!
- Steve Who Actually Lives And Works In London..., Hackney, 05/11/2009 16:44
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Mcw, You do realise king william st extends on to London
bridge, where the is plenty of space.
- Alan, London, 05/11/2009 16:42
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The city chiefs have adopted a peculiar posture. How can the proposals for a bike stand endanger public safety? Or am I reading something wrong? Surely, only reckless behaviour by the cyclists themselves would do that.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 05/11/2009 14:55
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Looks like another case of "on your bike Boris."
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 05/11/2009 11:45
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I'm confused as to where you could possibly cram a 25 metre bike docking station in on King William Street! Never mind safety, I bike along there every day and there's barely space for the thousands of other cyclists, pedestrians, buses, vans, cars and lorries that sit in jams along the street every day. There is literally zero metres of spare space let alone 25. Are you sure this is correct? Were they intending to build it underground?
- Mcw, London, 05/11/2009 11:31
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