Freedom of Information request - Closure of Cycle Superhighway 3
Request ID: FOI-0324-2223 Date published: 09 June 2022
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
Cycle Superhighway 3 will be closed between Birdcage Walk and Hyde Park Corner for approximately 6 weeks this summer due to the preparation for the Jubilee.
I am interested to understand the steps that your organisation went through to determine that this closure was appropriate, whether any notice was provided and what considerations you gave to the needs of cyclists.
1. When was your organisation made aware that this closure would be necessary? When did you communicate this to the public?
2. What considerations did your organisation give to the needs of cyclists and how these would be impacted by the closures? Please provide relevant documents outlining any impact analysis you undertook or received.
3. Did your organisation consult with local community or cycling groups ahead of agreeing to this closure?
4. Was any consideration given to providing alternative cycling routes during the time of the closure? If so, why did you decide not to implement any alternative provisions?
We answered
TfL Ref: 0324-2223
Thank you for your request received by us on 11 May 2022 asking for information about the closure of Cycle Superhighway 3 during the Jubilee Weekend.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for the following information:
Cycle Superhighway 3 will be closed between Birdcage Walk and Hyde Park Corner for approximately 6 weeks this summer due to the preparation for the Jubilee.
I am interested to understand the steps that your organisation went through to determine that this closure was appropriate, whether any notice was provided and what considerations you gave to the needs of cyclists.
1. When was your organisation made aware that this closure would be necessary? When did you communicate this to the public?
2. What considerations did your organisation give to the needs of cyclists and how these would be impacted by the closures? Please provide relevant documents outlining any impact analysis you undertook or received.
3. Did your organisation consult with local community or cycling groups ahead of agreeing to this closure?
4. Was any consideration given to providing alternative cycling routes during the time of the closure? If so, why did you decide not to implement any alternative provisions?
Transport for London was advised of an impact to the Cycleway in November 2021, however, we didn’t know the duration or impact to the Cycleway at this point. It became apparent in March 2022 that the cycleway was to be closed for up to six weeks. Multiple meetings took place between the key stakeholders to try to find a solution but unfortunately a suitable alternative cycleway option was unable to be found. The Royal Parks, Westminster City Council, the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the BBC, TfL, as well as engineering consultants Arcadis, which has worked with TfL on various cycling proposals, worked on a communications plan which was implemented ahead of the closure. We specifically advised on 4 May: The road including the cycleway on Constitution Hill alongside Green Park will be temporarily closed from 3 May until after the Jubilee celebrations in mid-June.
The closure of Constitution Hill was implemented by Royal Parks, the highways authority for this area, rather than Transport for London, to facilitate preparations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Transport for London were advised by Royal Parks that due to the considerable volume of both plant and vehicle movement occurring during this period, it would not have been safe to keep the Cycle Superhighway open. The movement of vehicles between working areas would have made the option of keeping a route clear for cyclists difficult and unsafe. Several large installations were constructed for events and media broadcasts to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee. which would have impacted upon the cycling environment.
In terms of alternative cycling routes, diverting cyclists onto Green Park paths was not deemed to be a safe alternative. The installation builds would have also caused some footpaths to experience heavier footfall, which was further cause to not divert cyclists onto those paths. There was also the risk of creating pinch points where public and cyclists converge, such as at Queen’s Walk.
Rather than the regular changing of cycle routes, which was considered far from ideal, a consistent and single solution was sought to enable a more manageable event for the welfare of the public, as well as operationally given the aforementioned logistics and from a communications perspective.
Therefore, TfL advised ‘anyone travelling through the area to dismount from their bike and walk though Green Park, which should take approximately eight minutes. Full travel information, around the closures for the Jubilee, including alternative travel advice, can be found on TfL’s website at: https://tfl.gov.uk/platinum-jubilee’.
We have worked with all of our partners to ensure that people were able to travel safely around the area despite the closure. TfL also continued to work with our partners to reopen the road and cycle route as quickly as possible following the celebrations.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
