A New York-style elevated cycle route over the Thames and a pontoon-style cycle path along the river are among ambitious ideas being floated in a scheme to make Kingston more bike-friendly.
A ‘Superskyway’ over the river from Kingston railway station to Hampton Wick and a fixed 700-metre boardway from Anglers Green to Thameside are two of several possible projects in a bid by Kingston Council for a share of £100m from London’s Mayor.
Other ideas include:
The aim is to make the borough’s town centres ‘mini Hollands’, as cycle-friendly as Dutch equivalents, and to get more people of all ages and abilities cycling by creating local infrastructure that makes going by bike more appealing.
Kingston is one of the capital’s Biking Boroughs and was a cycling hotspot last summer when Sir Bradley Wiggins was cheered through the town by huge crowds on his way to Olympic Gold.
Improved cycling facilities and links between Kingston and other town centres across the borough could see new segregated cycle lanes along major routes and new secure cycle ‘hubs’ which would offer members services including guaranteed parking spaces, lockers, showers, repairs and cafes.
Council transport chiefs looked at schemes across the world while coming up with ways to make the borough even better and safer for cyclists. Kingston has one of the highest rates of cycling in London and some of the lowest accident rates for cyclists and pedestrians.
