Transport for London’s plans to build Cycle Superhighway 4 through Deptford have been given the green light by Lewisham’s elected mayor and cabinet.
The segregated, two-way cycle route will run from Tooley Street down to Jamaica Road and onto Evelyn Street before ending at Deptford Creek Bridge, connecting Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Deptford and west Greenwich.
Work on the scheme will begin in the autumn, with the lane expected to be open by the end of 2020.
Councillors hope the scheme should will reduce air pollution levels. It should also make walking and cycling safer, Lewisham’s cabinet member for environment and transport, Brenda Dacres, explained.
While the project is controlled by Transport for London, its impact on Lewisham borough streets meant senior councillors had to rubber-stamp the plans at a meeting last night.
“Air pollution is a public health emergency, with thousands of deaths attributable to toxic air pollution in London each year,” she said.
“We know that around half of air pollution is produced by road transport, while transport is responsible for around a third of greenhouse gases in the UK.
“Therefore we have to encourage Londoners to ditch their cars and pick up their bikes, which is exactly what CS4 aims to do and will improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.
“CS4 will also encourage people to walk more too by bringing benefits for pedestrians, such as improved paving, new pedestrian crossings and tree planting. These improvements will provide Deptford with world class facilities for cyclists and will make it a more a pleasant area to live, work and shop.”
Lewisham Council will now work closely with City Hall, Southwark Council and Greenwich Council to get the project off the ground.
Last month, TfL revealed outline plans for a route from the Greenwich foot tunnel to Hackney, through the Isle of Dogs and Mile End.
Bridie Witton is the Local Democracy Reporter for Lewisham. The Local Democracy Reporter Service is a BBC-funded initiative to ensure councils are covered properly in local media.
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