‘Absurd’ plans to install new cycle lanes at one of London‘s busiest roundabouts have caused fury amid fears they will increase congestion, pollution and accidents.
Transport for London (TfL) wants to alter the Holland Park Roundabout next to Westfield shopping centre to bring in adapted cycle routes, signals and crossings.
The junction – known for its 60ft Thames Water Tower in the centre – is used by those travelling between Shepherd’s Bush and upmarket Notting Hill in West London.
It is also the location where BBC star Jeremy Vine complained he was almost hit by a double decker bus and shouted ‘what the f***’ in a near-miss in March last year.
But campaigners say plans for the roundabout located near Shepherd’s Bush station are flawed and will lead to longer journey times and an increased risk of accidents.
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who chairs TfL, has insisted the scheme should go ahead despite the backlash amid what critics claim is his ongoing ‘war on motorists’, including the Ulez zone extension and push for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.
TfL wants a new two-way protected cycle lane from the east of Shepherd’s Bush Green and along the south of the roundabout, connecting to Holland Park Avenue.
Planners are also proposing separate low-level cycle signals at junctions, new cycle crossings and better connections to other local cycle routes in West London.
A priority bus lane will be installed south of the green, while the existing pedestrian crossing outside the station across Uxbridge Road will be widened and realigned.
But a combination of 44 local businesses and 10 residents’ associations representing thousands of locals are campaigning against the plans and held a protest yesterday.
A group of 44 local businesses and 10 residents’ associations representing thousands of locals are campaigning against the Holland Park Roundabout plans and held a protest yesterday
Holland Park Roundabout is located next to Westfield shopping centre (top left) in West London
TfL wants to alter the roundabout to bring in adapted cycle routes, signals and crossings
They argue there is no need for a new cycle lane running through the middle of the junction when there is already parallel infrastructure for cyclists on either side.
The group also claim TfL’s plans will remove lanes used by all traffic, including buses and emergency vehicles, rather than improving the safe existing infrastructure.
TfL said it wants to get more people walking or cycling in the area, and hopes to improve safety – citing how 59 people, including 14 cyclists and pedestrians, were hurt in 54 collisions in the three years to May 2023, six seriously.
But the protesters have cast doubt on these figures, saying two members of its team went through every accident collated by TfL only to find almost all of them did not involve a cyclist, or were not on the roundabout or were not in the reference period given.
They had a meeting with cycling tsar Will Norman, the cycling commissioner for Sir Sadiq, and claimed TfL officials were ’embarrassed’ by the data errors pointed out.
TfL has also defended its collisions data, saying that it looks at accidents across the scheme area. This is understood to be standard practice to ensure that changes to roads are effective in reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured.
But the campaigners have made their own recommendations to TfL about upgrading the cycling infrastructure that already exists to the north and south.
An outline of TfL’s changes to the Holland Park Roundabout. Full details are in the maps below
Holland Park Roundabout is known for its iconic 60ft Thames Water Tower (pictured, left)
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has insisted that TfL should not propose an alternate scheme
They claim TfL’s plans will push traffic from main roads onto residential side streets, increasing the risk of accidents for cyclists and pedestrians on those quieter routes.
Increased congestion has also been cited as a worry, given TfL is proposing to add four new sets of signals to the roundabout and to remove lanes.
The campaigners also pointed to traffic modelling, commissioned by the Holland Park Avenue Traders Association, which showed queues rose on Holland Park Avenue by 795 per cent in the morning peak and by 159 per cent in the evening peak.
The equivalent increases on Holland Road are 225 per cent in the morning and 296 per cent in the evening.
Increased pollution is also a concern if traffic is running at a slower pace through the junction, while there are also fears that congestion will significantly increase journey times for people who commute by bus or car.
A possible impact on delivery and other vehicles, as well as slower response times for emergency vehicles on the route, is also listed as a fear. There are further concerns of congestion damaging the trade of local businesses, resulting in shop closures.
And the campaigners fear that if cyclists are tempted to shoot red lights on the roundabout, or if the lights fail, vehicles will not be able to see them properly due to the tightness of the corners – therefore resulting in more accidents.
An artist’s impression of TfL’s proposed changes to the east side of Holland Park Roundabout
Changes to the east of side of the roundabout include reducing the traffic lanes reduced from three to two, a new signal-controlled cycle crossing and a wider pedestrian crossing
A petition against the scheme received more than 3,500 signatures, which the campaigners pointed out was 68 per cent more than responded to TfL’s consultation.
Carolyn Arnold, chair of the Clarendon Cross Residents’ Association, said her group was ‘deeply concerned about the impact of traffic displacement’.
She added that this ‘threatens to compromise the safety of cyclists and pedestrians—many of whom are schoolchildren, families, and residents on their way to local shops, friends, and places of worship’.
Ms Arnold continued: ‘We recommend upgrading the two existing cycle routes around the outside of the roundabout, which could deliver TfL’s cycling objectives much more quickly, at lower cost and without jamming up the roads.’
John Cowdry, chair of the Holland Park Residents’ Association said: ‘TfL’s claim of 54 accidents at the Holland Park Roundabout over the last three years belies that there was in fact just one – thankfully only slight – accident involving a cyclist on the roundabout.
‘It is disappointing that TfL seems to have presented data in a way that paints a picture that is not accurate, seemingly to try to justify an unnecessary and expensive scheme.’
Local retailer Kevin Farrow, of Lipp Interiors, condemned the ‘simply absurd’ proposals and said it would ‘lead to more congestion, not less’.
Proposed changes to the west side of Holland Park Roundabout are shown in this CGI image
Changes to the west side of the roundabout proposed by TfL including a new protected two-way cycle lane, with the outside traffic lane removed to make space for this
He continued: ‘We currently have safe existing cycling infrastructure on the roundabout which can be easily enhanced with better signage. This scheme seems extremely bizarre.
‘As a local retailer I feel this would just add further pressure to my business, at a time that is already proving very challenging.’
TfL is however moving forward with the project, which it pointed out is one section of a longer cycleway – known as Cycleway 34 – that will enable more people to travel by bike in the local area.
And Simon Munk, head of campaigns and community development at the London Cycling Campaign, told MailOnline: ‘Every time a new cycling scheme comes along in London, there are those who suggest it will be terrible for businesses, residents, buses.
‘Yet this very rarely turns out to be the case. No scheme that changes roads is ever perfect, but there is clear and widely-accepted evidence on the need for changes for safety and health.
‘We need to learn to respect evidence and listen to communities better, but not let those who will always oppose cycling – as some of those protesting do – slow or stop progress to make London, Holland Park included, safer and healthier.’
Meanwhile TfL has pointed to how 79 per cent of the respondents to its public consultation expected the proposals would mean more people would choose to travel by cycling.
Some 63 per cent expected that more people would choose to walk, while 60 per cent expected the proposals to have no effect on business journeys.
An artist’s impression showing TfL’s proposed changes next to Shepherd’s Bush Green
A section of priority bus lane and wider crossings are among the changes next to the green
TfL also said it agreed to review possible improvements after speaking with locals who highlighted the potential of the existing cycle infrastructure around the perimeter of the roundabout.
Helen Cansick, TfL’s head of healthy streets investment planning, told MailOnline: ‘The Holland Park Roundabout is one of the most dangerous on our road network.
‘We’re determined to make roads in London safer and the changes at the roundabout have been carefully designed to tackle road danger while enabling everyone to travel through the area efficiently.
‘The consultation we undertook last year demonstrated that the majority of respondents thought our proposed changes would support more walking and cycling in the area.
‘We always take congestion, including any impact on bus journey times and air quality, into careful consideration when designing schemes.’
She added that TfL’s traffic modelling had shown ‘any traffic impacts are expected to be minimal, as we have ensured that there is enough space for motor traffic and buses to continue to travel effectively through the area’.
Ms Cansick also said that TfL valued feedback from local residents and businesses and continued to ‘engage with the local community as we move forwards with these important safety measures’.
The next steps for TfL include continuing to work on the design while liaising with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which is the local authority for the scheme.
The issue also came up at Mayor’s Question Time in October last year, when Sir Sadiq insisted TfL should not propose an alternate scheme despite the public backlash.
He said in an answer: ‘This location is on my Safer Junctions list and there is an urgent need to improve safety for cyclists at this location.
‘The high traffic volumes mean this roundabout is dangerous and intimidating for the large numbers of people who already cycle here. The current layout acts as a major barrier to many who would like to cycle.’
Sir Sadiq added: ‘TfL’s assessments showed that the existing toucan crossings and subways are not appropriate for the volume of people moving on foot and by bike through the junction.
‘Many people cycling choose to remain on the carriageway and TfL’s planned scheme will improve the safety for these people.’
