This is the video that really encouraged me to cycle in London - though really it's your whole channel! Thank you for showing how easy these routes can be. I'm now really excited all the future cycling infrastructure that's coming to London over the next few years.
Another brilliant video. Some cyclists can sometimes lack the confidence to tackle these routes but you are showing how accessible many places in the capital have become. And of course the more people that use these routes, the better they will become.
I ignore those signs when I cycle that way. I normally take the more scenic route following the Thames path around the O2, or many other route options.
This is my every day cycle route up to Greenwich park and i love it although i do get a little freaked out when other cyclists try to overtake me on some of the tighter turns but its better than riding through the Old Kent road New cross and Deptford . All the Best New subscriber
"If you've made it this far"...lol...it's not the length of the video, it's all the *incredibly fascinating* parts of the south docks that would have me stopping every few minutes, just to gaze and digest. I opened Google map just to get a satellite view of the area the route goes through. It offers a perspective a vid alone can't capture. Angerstein's Wharf and area, although 'the pits' for many, is intriguing to me. Other than the few scary spots with on-road traffic, I absolutely loved this.
Green or Blue should probably only be used for New Bike Lane surfacing, and not red since many initial bus lanes were painted red which could in theory cause confusion. I believe green was only used in London on painted bike paths up until the Barclay's sponsorship of the Superhighways scheme although I might be wrong.
Great video as always!! It's always really nice to see improvements to cycling infrastructure in London, and that bit along C4 really shows how a busy, wide road can easily be made much more pleasant by building a cycle lane. I wish more councils would follow suit (cough cough RBK&C).
@@Londoncycleroutes There is at least one study here in Canada, showing how business INCREASED when cycling lanes were put in on St Denis Street in Montreal. So any of that argument the business people and residents have used is false. There is a lot of propaganda promoted by the "powers that be" and people believe it. One being that cycle lanes cost money. No, they don't, because the roads get repaired anyways and adding a cycle lane is no more expensive that redoing the pavement. The governments are not "spending money on cycling", they are spending money on a varied transportation system that works for more people than only those with cars.
I have cycled this identical route both ways a few times in recent months, with the exception of the first couple of hundred yards up to Union St, and yet watched the entire thing, rapt. I think that's a good review!
Just rode this: thanks! If you like 'Industrial Thames' I'd like to recommend riding under the Dartford Crossing (south side path) to Swanscombe Marshes, then take the Gravesend to Tilbury Ferry (it takes four bikes and is the BEST way to cross the Thames). Then ride around Tilbury Fort, along the river path to Coalhouse Fort. It's a bit of an adventure, and I appreciate too far from Central for your series, but it is an eye-opener. Keep up the good work. Watching your videos also gives me a chance to 'look around' and see what I am missing when I am concentrating on the road. And I endeavour to follow your example of being calm and courteous at all times. Have a revolutionary weekend!
Thanks very much for this -- I have walked from Dartford to Gravesend, and thought about cycling along the Thames, but couldn't work out a decent route to Dartford from London. Did you cycle to Dartford and is there a way to do it?
@@jonners7061 Hi, I live in Hackney and got the train from Cannon St to Greenhithe, then back to London from Stanford-le-Hope. NB riding around Tilbury is not 100% 'quiet streets and protected lanes' as per LCR routes and taking a spare tube is prudent.
Just to note that unfortunately the Gravesend to Tilsbury ferry is currently not running because of funding problems: essentially, the local councils only wanted to pay for short-term extensions to the contract, while JetStream, the operator, wanted a longer term deal to provide security to their staff. Kent County Council says it is seeking another operator, so hopefully the lack of service is only temporary (not least because it means people needing to get from one side of the river to the other now face a two-hour trip via the Dartford Crossing). I believe a service is required by law -- a Royal Charter.
I do think that there should be a stricter set of national guidelines for building cycle lanes just as there is for roads, including the fact that every bike lane should be painted green, everywhere, with the only exception being if it spoils the visual charm of a street in whatever way. Here in Manchester some of the more recent ones are green and I feel the clash of colours is a psychological tactic to discourage pedestrians from walking all over them. It's so simple yet there is still so much inconsistency about bike lane planning in the UK!
Yeah there are national standards to an extent (local transport note 1/20 and the London cycle design standards) but I think they’re pretty flexible on colour
It's really pretty good (especially creating a safe route through Angerstein roundabout, which was one of the most dangeous junctions in London), I use it often. The backroads links towards towards Cutty Sark are great to link up with the main part of C4 too.
27:23 You’re correct its called No 1 Street because of its military past. Several of the residential buildings in the complex are also numbered, eg Building 22, Building 50, etc.
thanks for this, I recently did a similar route into work, only from Abbey Wood, it's still a bit sketchy around Plumsted but choosing side streets made it manageable.
Fabulous video. I've done the bit along the Thames and you show it well. One useful thing for people to know is the Woolwich Ferry is FREE! As for No1 Street, you could do a video from No1 St to the house called No 1 London at Hyde Park!
@@stephensaines7100 The problem with the ferry is on the north side the safe cycling is poor at two crucial bits Head towards Barking and there's nothing much until you are over the bridge to the George V dock. If you go east there is a wiggly cycle route towards the Docklands Airport but it then gives up for 1/2 mile at the A112 by the Travelodge. Get past those gaps and things are fine. Or just go for the cruise both ways for free. When the ships go sideways it's quite fun and the big magnets instead of ropes are cool too!
Thanks for another great video. After coming through the old navel collage at Greenwich and going down Old Woolwich Rd, I’d be inclined to take a left down Merchants Row, back to the river. Here you pass the Cutty Sark pub (another great one for a pint) and you pick up the Thames Path at the end of Ballast Quay. It’ll take you around the peninsula but it’s traffic free.
I might ride this next week. I'm very familiar with Woolwich to Greenwich, I ride cycle routes 136, route 13, cut down to Gallions Reach to North Woolwich and cross via the foot tunnel and then hug the Thames Path even round Greenwich Peninsula. I normally stop at the Cutty Sark but I want to ride the new Jamaica Rd lanes and this will fit nicely. Thanks You can takes bikes onto the ferry but you have to stand on deck in little siding with it. The ferry is short but fun to do.
I ride both C4 and C10. Both are great and also have their minor issues. C4 is slow passing Surrey Quay Station where the cycle lane has to negotiate busy roads and long hold at the traffic lights. C10 has an isolated section from Bermondsey Station to Millwall football ground where robberies have been reported at night. There was a graffiti warning on the path!
Great video! You’ve basically covered my exact commute! Can’t wait until they finish cycle way 4 though as I find the Thames path parts of this route to be pretty slow
Cool video, thanks for making!! The giant Environment Agency roundel might be a later addition as EA was founded in 1996 and the barrier was completed by Greater London Council (and originally had big GLC logos on the piers) back in 1984. After GLC was abolished it eventually became EA's responsibility... and maybe had a 'rebrand'? 🌊
@@Londoncycleroutes ... was feeling equally curious. So I found some 1980s footage and at 9.20 in this video it shows a blank elevation! The roundel is definitely a great addition as it gives the barrier a real graphical, scientific feel. Deserves more recognition!! ruclips.net/video/0VP7cmwztFg/видео.htmlfeature=shared
Quick update! Today I cycle along the Thames path from Thames Barrier towards the O2. The whole area of Southern Park @19:17 with the contradictory signs has newly painted C14 along that sesction of path. Those no cycling signs are deffinately not official, in my opinion. The path was always a shared path, long before the estate was constructed. Also the estate has separate paths almost parrallel to the shared paths. I think the estate tried to take the original shared paths and ban cycling, but the authorities have kicked back, which is great! Now the authories need to remove those 'illegal' no cycling signs.
Great intel thank you! Thats good news that C14 is biting back! The no cycling signs never made any sense but clearly if TfL are signposting routes down there they’re not valid
@@Londoncycleroutes I took photos of the new C14 paint on the path, the shared path signs and on the path, and the illegal No cycling signs, from different angles. As I said, the shared path was there years before the estate was constructed!
Great video! You should try the Woolich ferry. Its the nicest way to cross the Thames East of Tower Bridge. Check it is running. If it isn't, there is a foot tunnel or you could use the DLR between Woolich DLR and King George V during off peak. The Elizabeth line also allows bikes off peak. The first station is Custom House. Further west the cable car allows up to two bikes per car and is free before 9:30 am. My grandkids love it, even iif it only to speculate on what happens if our car falls!!😁 Shame they are not going to allow bikes to use the new Silvertown Crossing to the Greenwich peninsula. We need a dedicated bicycle tunnel that is e-bike safe!!
@@Londoncycleroutes I've seen a cycling bridge proposed next to the thames barrier with a similar opening mechanism to let ships through. It would be a great location for a walking + cycling bridge but I don't know how serious that proposal ever was.
I'm really happy to see this route! I've done it a few times but I can never figure out where to go once C4 ends. I always end up on some random main road. I'll definitely be using this route to get to IKEA and the other shops as you come off the motorway bridge.
22:00 There is something nice about cycling alongside rivers. Maybe it's the views or just in general something different to buildings that surround us in the city. Or maybe it's calming in some ways?
I have cycled every bit shown in this video, though rarely at the same time. I have mentioned Surrey Quay section of C4 being the slow section due to the traffic light sequencing, in your other videos. I ignore the unofficial 'no no cycling' signs on the path next to the recently completed estate in Greenwich. The path was there long before the estate was expanded. I also vary my route using C10. I like to mix and match. Nice video. 👍🏾
@@Londoncycleroutes It's nice to have the optional routes. Take one of your previous videos using C10, then compare it to this one. C10 main weakness is the Bermondsey Station to Millwall football ground, because it can be scary at certain times, especially at night! C4 is not as isolated.
Very enjoyable route. Inspired, I cycled out east from the City earlier this week and then caught the ferry and completed the route west of the south terminal. You get great views of the Thames Barrier and Canary Wharf as you cross the river -- and they are possibly even better in the morning when they will be lit by the rising sun. Generally the north side of the route was good, although C3 is busy along Poplar High Street. Navigating the roundabout east of the Lea Crossing was also bit confusing because of the amount of Silvertown Crossing works. However, it looks as though some pretty good cycling infrastructure is being built on the Silvertown Way and North Woolwich Road -- maybe this could be a route to look at for the future for people either commuting to / from Woolwich / North Woolwich or even to and from City airport.
@@Londoncycleroutes Having Googled, it's this: www.newham.gov.uk/transport-streets/royal-docks-corridor As always, the pictures look great! There's already a segregated cycle lane on the Lower Lea Crossing, which is good. I then cycled the south side of Royal Victoria Dock and then down Mill Road -- to the south of North Woolwich way there is some shared cycle / pedestrian infra which eventually gets you to Factory Road and the ferry.
@@Londoncycleroutes Having Googled, the project is called the Royal Docks Corridor, and there's more info on the Newham council website. Looks fab on the pictures. I tried posting a link, but RUclips didn't seem to like it. There's already a pretty good segregated cycle lane on the Lower Lea Crossing, and then I followed the south side of Royal Victoria Dock, which was very pleasant, cutting down Mill Road and across North Woolwich Road to access some shared space under the railway line and along Factory Road to the ferry.
Whoaaa @9:10. I'd get off and walk when approaching that until clear of it the other side. Someone is going to get whacked big time there sooner or later, and I'd rather it not be me. Superlative route otherwise so far 1/3 in.
Hi, love your videos . I am a keen cycle commuter myself living in wales. I just wandered what sort of bike you do your rides on [ I’m guessing road bike]. Also , what would be more practical , clipped in pedals or flat pedals for cycling around London Thanks 👍
Welcome! Yes I have a road bike! It’s an older one, I think 2003 Lemond Nevada City. I used to have a 2013 specialised allez but it got stolen after a decade in service sadly! I’ve not used clipped pedals myself before but I’d personally stick with flat ones just on the basis that sometimes you might need to do something unusual in a city and it helps to be a bit flexible
Not quite but yes. Cycle route 13 (blue path). It doesn't hug the Thames until Westferry/Isle of Dogs but its only for a short way before taking you along quite roads to Tower Bridge. Route 13 goes from Tower Bridge to Rainham in the East. It does extend for the national cycle network to Tilbury , Chelmsford etc too.
Riverside path at the naval collage leads straight to a pub thats very busy all the time inc the outside seating area even more so at night as is the 4 foot wide path its self. Its way too busy for cycling any time b4 12.30am after the pub has shut & people have had time to disperse u have to take the main road round it & take the 1st left then 1st right on to old Woolwich Rd. Good u inc the closing of the gate at night this time. Try Erith train station to Vauxhall
I've gone the pub way myself before (including during the day) and would personally prefer it to the main road - it is a squeeze and slow going but you can just go really slowly, depends how you're cycling I suppose
Trafalgar Tavern. Impossible to cycle past/through but it also looks great and I'm jealous as a lonely cyclist never to of stopped off for a pint. Its not the sort of place where you can buy a beer and sit in a quite corner.
A few people have asked this but I’ve decided against it for now- I talked a bit more about it in the Q&A video a couple of months ago, basically it is either too small to be useful or too big that it’s annoying
In lieu of that not being supported on this channel, I open a second browser window (or a separate tab) and toggle back and forth. It is a bit jerky, but it really helps with orienting oneself with the ongoing events on-screen. I also sometimes open a Google map, and utilize the street view and satellite view to get a better idea of the surrounding lay of the land. Due to the port and ex-port facilities being so prominent in this episode, the importance of the docks becomes much more apparent.
An interesting option to go towards the Thames. I go through Greenwich town centre which isn’t the most pleasant part but it’s not very long. I was on the busy supposedly protected cycle lane on Trafalgar Road yesterday when I was passed by a motorbike doing about 40mph. I don’t have a camera but it was busy with cyclists at the time and I’m hoping that one of them has footage that they’ll pass on to the police.
One other point that I’ll make is the section around Surrey Quays towards London has beaten me so I now go onto the one way road and save time and sanity. I had hoped that they’d find a way to phase those lights better.
The foot tunnel used to be part of my commute but the north lift hasn't worked since 2022 and the south lift doesn't always work. This is a pain for cyclists and anyone with mobility issues. The ferry takes longer than you'd think. You can however, travel across the river on the cable car, for free, before 9:30 weekdays if you have a non folding bike.
Most recent times the lifts are not working! It could be north or south, or both sides. Not a problem if the ferry is operating, but not ideal if the bike is not light to carry up the stairs!
I cycled around London for the first time checking out a bunch of your routes the other day and absolutely loved it! Do you think you could try a route from Chalk Farm area to Islington?
So glad it lived up to expectations! Yes I definitely can do that, though I’m waiting for Islington to put in a new LTN later this year which will make it really easy
@@LondoncycleroutesGreat to hear! I was trying to work out a route myself. Is there any clever way to avoid Regent’s Canal around King’s Cross? Perhaps it’s better to come from a different direction entirely. Anyway, I’ll hold on for your video!
@@BobSmith-sq2gw depends exactly where you're going but Royal College Street then Pancras road and Goods Way is a good way to do it... York Way has cycle lanes but I think they're being reworked at the moment and will be under construction for a while, not sure how far they've got.. then Copenhagen Street is the way a lot of people go but it's not that quiet yet ( that's one bit that will hopefully will be improved with a forthcoming LTN).
Haha thanks - duvet and exercise mat spread all around the room hopefully making a difference… I can’t bring myself to get a rug, not my furnishing vibe!
When it comes to the colour of cycle lanes, I think that there should be UK-wide standard colours for road surfaces in the highway code (and that these should be complied with, when things are rebuilt). Red has been used for bus lanes, well before I saw it on cycle lanes. So, in the mind of pedestrians, as well as motorists, they might not pick it up as a visual cue for cycles coming. So I would suggest that red is avoided for future cycle paths. If Boris Johnson picked blue, because of Barclays Bank, that's pretty shameful. This sort of thing should be done via studies to work out which colours are best for visual attention. And I've heard of a couple of blue-surfaced roads that were slippery and caused accidents (even fatal ones). That actually makes me a bit wary of blue surfaces myself. That's not to say that blue should not be used, but from a UK-wide point of view, we should probably base a decision on a study of the colours of the existing cycle lanes and go with the most common colour, that is not used in bus lanes. Blue is also used for motorway signs. I don't know what the lady that designed our motorway signs would have to say about using that colour for traffic-calmed cycle routes. But that sort of thing needs to be taken into consideration. Green seems a good colour. People associate that with environmentally friendly things, so that may well be be a good colour to go with, especially if it is used outside of London. I've heard that some bus lanes are open to cyclists, while others are not (contra-flow bus lanes, IIRC). So I think that it might be worth having two colour-schemess for bus lanes. Having said that, the problem could be solved another way by putting a contra-flow cycle lane next to a contra-flow bus lane, as much as possible. And that would be preferable to "no cycling this way" markings. I agree with you totally, on the box junction thing. I would go further than that and say there should be a new sign, similar in some ways to a level crossing sign, that warns drivers that a junction is a protected cycle crossway. I've watched several of your videos and the way that some of the two-way protected cycleways swaps from the left side of the road to the right side of the road sometimes takes me by surprise. So I think I would be get lost a few times, if I got another bike. I think that motorists, who have not been back to an area for several years, may have no idea that there is going to be a flow of cyclists from right to left...or from left to right. So maybe a sign coming up to the traffic lights that shows cars and bikes swapping sides or something similar to that. If the box junctions for protected cycle crossways were marked differently to the box junctions that let cars out of junctions, we could have larger fines for people who drive into the cycle box junction and put cyclists at risk. After all a car hitting another car in box junction causes financial loss, while a car causing a cyclist to get hit can cause life-changing injuries in the cyclist. Finally, I do agree with you on the street furniture in cycle lanes thing. It is difficult to move lamp-posts, as they are wired up to the electrical grid, but if a lamp post can not be moved, the cycle lane should split and go both sides of it and recombine on the other side. (And then the cycle lane can be simplified later, when the lamp post next needs to be swapped out.) I really did not like those big round silver bollards, near the environmental agency. They are probably there to stop "ram raider" style attacks, that might knock out a smaller bollard, but I don't think it is good to have things like that that can hit handlebars. Modal filters are supposed to prevent vehicles other than bikes passing through. I don't think they should be designed in a way that can cause a cyclist to smack their handlebars on them. Those things should be lower in the ground.
Blue 💙 cycle superhighways need to be blue. It's calming. Red = danger. Green= go. Neither are appropriate. Blue is a neutral and a joy to cycle on - I ❤ by the Tate or maybe it's just getting out of Chelsea and reaching a cycle path. That park is proper dodgy. Those fake signs need spraying before they start fining people x
I actually want to go to the things in Greenwich and the Thames barrier - obviously not on the same day! Greenwich might be my limit. But I could do this route and get the boat 🚢 home to mine. Not been on a clipper in years, what a waste x
@@Londoncycleroutesride London is great, I did the 30 last year and the 60 this time. So nice to ride with no cars on the road and some parts in docklands go the wrong way up closed dual carriage ways which feels distinctly odd.
Yeah it can be annoying, though tbh when you’re walking around you’re in a different state of mind to when you’re using a vehicle so I understand how it happens!
I think you’ve mentioned it before but at 15:32 you pass Greenwich London Underground power station, used as an emergency source should there be a big grid failure, provides enough power to safely evacuate the tube (fire systems, minimal,lighting etc) not enough to run trains though. I think they also have an arrange,ent with National Grid to supplement the normal supply where required. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_Power_Station
![Hunxho - Ball Forever [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nki9ZTF9Uls/mqdefault.jpg)
This is the video that really encouraged me to cycle in London - though really it's your whole channel! Thank you for showing how easy these routes can be. I'm now really excited all the future cycling infrastructure that's coming to London over the next few years.
That’s fantastic, so pleased to hear it inspired! Have fun
Another brilliant video. Some cyclists can sometimes lack the confidence to tackle these routes but you are showing how accessible many places in the capital have become. And of course the more people that use these routes, the better they will become.
Absolutely! Thanks very much
A no-cycling sign with a line through it is a 'no no-cycling' sign to the best of my knowledge. 😁
Haha yes so I suppose it does agree with the shared space sign!
I ignore those signs when I cycle that way. I normally take the more scenic route following the Thames path around the O2, or many other route options.
Can you challenge the "no-cycling signs" at the level of the local council?
Likewise, can you challenge the situation at Cutty Sark?
What a lovely day.
It was great weather
This is my every day cycle route up to Greenwich park and i love it although i do get a little freaked out when other cyclists try to overtake me on some of the tighter turns but its better than riding through the Old Kent road New cross and Deptford .
All the Best
New subscriber
I know what you mean about the overtakes, can be a bit hairy!
Probably my favourite video on this channel so far. Cycling infrastructure has come far in London and it still has a long way to go 😀
Very pleased to hear it, I’ve been wanting to do this one for at least a year so glad it was worth it!
"If you've made it this far"...lol...it's not the length of the video, it's all the *incredibly fascinating* parts of the south docks that would have me stopping every few minutes, just to gaze and digest. I opened Google map just to get a satellite view of the area the route goes through. It offers a perspective a vid alone can't capture. Angerstein's Wharf and area, although 'the pits' for many, is intriguing to me.
Other than the few scary spots with on-road traffic, I absolutely loved this.
Thanks as always! That bit of town is so fascinating, the aggregate conveyors are something else
28:03 - SALT Woolwich looks delightful; many thanks! 🙏🏽
I’ll have to check it out next time I’m down there!
*Nice to see a Looot of the route bein dedicated bike lanes!*
🤙🏽🤟🏽🤙🏽
It’s really extensive!
Green or Blue should probably only be used for New Bike Lane surfacing, and not red since many initial bus lanes were painted red which could in theory cause confusion.
I believe green was only used in London on painted bike paths up until the Barclay's sponsorship of the Superhighways scheme although I might be wrong.
I think Green used to be the standard yeah
I remember the days when it was declared all cyclists were allowed to use bus lanes. They were our cycle lanes 20-25yrs ago.
Great video as always!! It's always really nice to see improvements to cycling infrastructure in London, and that bit along C4 really shows how a busy, wide road can easily be made much more pleasant by building a cycle lane. I wish more councils would follow suit (cough cough RBK&C).
I definitely hope RBKC are watching!
@@Londoncycleroutes There is at least one study here in Canada, showing how business INCREASED when cycling lanes were put in on St Denis Street in Montreal. So any of that argument the business people and residents have used is false. There is a lot of propaganda promoted by the "powers that be" and people believe it. One being that cycle lanes cost money. No, they don't, because the roads get repaired anyways and adding a cycle lane is no more expensive that redoing the pavement. The governments are not "spending money on cycling", they are spending money on a varied transportation system that works for more people than only those with cars.
I have cycled this identical route both ways a few times in recent months, with the exception of the first couple of hundred yards up to Union St, and yet watched the entire thing, rapt. I think that's a good review!
Very pleased to hear it! Thanks for watching
Great weather!
last weekend! it was glorious
Just rode this: thanks! If you like 'Industrial Thames' I'd like to recommend riding under the Dartford Crossing (south side path) to Swanscombe Marshes, then take the Gravesend to Tilbury Ferry (it takes four bikes and is the BEST way to cross the Thames). Then ride around Tilbury Fort, along the river path to Coalhouse Fort. It's a bit of an adventure, and I appreciate too far from Central for your series, but it is an eye-opener.
Keep up the good work. Watching your videos also gives me a chance to 'look around' and see what I am missing when I am concentrating on the road. And I endeavour to follow your example of being calm and courteous at all times. Have a revolutionary weekend!
Thanks very much for this -- I have walked from Dartford to Gravesend, and thought about cycling along the Thames, but couldn't work out a decent route to Dartford from London. Did you cycle to Dartford and is there a way to do it?
@@jonners7061 Hi, I live in Hackney and got the train from Cannon St to Greenhithe, then back to London from Stanford-le-Hope. NB riding around Tilbury is not 100% 'quiet streets and protected lanes' as per LCR routes and taking a spare tube is prudent.
That sounds incredible, I’ve put it in my list of places to check out when I have a spare day!
@@johnmaclean9915 Brilliant, thanks very much. I'll give it a go!
Just to note that unfortunately the Gravesend to Tilsbury ferry is currently not running because of funding problems: essentially, the local councils only wanted to pay for short-term extensions to the contract, while JetStream, the operator, wanted a longer term deal to provide security to their staff. Kent County Council says it is seeking another operator, so hopefully the lack of service is only temporary (not least because it means people needing to get from one side of the river to the other now face a two-hour trip via the Dartford Crossing). I believe a service is required by law -- a Royal Charter.
I do think that there should be a stricter set of national guidelines for building cycle lanes just as there is for roads, including the fact that every bike lane should be painted green, everywhere, with the only exception being if it spoils the visual charm of a street in whatever way. Here in Manchester some of the more recent ones are green and I feel the clash of colours is a psychological tactic to discourage pedestrians from walking all over them. It's so simple yet there is still so much inconsistency about bike lane planning in the UK!
Yeah there are national standards to an extent (local transport note 1/20 and the London cycle design standards) but I think they’re pretty flexible on colour
Could you do Upton Park to Euston please? These are very useful, thank you.
I’ll see what I can do, should be possible!
never knew about that other C4 section!
Definitely a lesser known part!
It's really pretty good (especially creating a safe route through Angerstein roundabout, which was one of the most dangeous junctions in London), I use it often. The backroads links towards towards Cutty Sark are great to link up with the main part of C4 too.
27:23 You’re correct its called No 1 Street because of its military past. Several of the residential buildings in the complex are also numbered, eg Building 22, Building 50, etc.
Good to know thank you!
thanks for this, I recently did a similar route into work, only from Abbey Wood, it's still a bit sketchy around Plumsted but choosing side streets made it manageable.
Yeah it dodgy around Plumstead, could do with some improvements in that part of the world
Fabulous video. I've done the bit along the Thames and you show it well. One useful thing for people to know is the Woolwich Ferry is FREE! As for No1 Street, you could do a video from No1 St to the house called No 1 London at Hyde Park!
I didn’t know it was free! That’s cool
[ the Woolwich Ferry is FREE! ] That's an offer I couldn't refuse, even if I came back again and continued on this route.
@@stephensaines7100 The problem with the ferry is on the north side the safe cycling is poor at two crucial bits Head towards Barking and there's nothing much until you are over the bridge to the George V dock. If you go east there is a wiggly cycle route towards the Docklands Airport but it then gives up for 1/2 mile at the A112 by the Travelodge. Get past those gaps and things are fine. Or just go for the cruise both ways for free. When the ships go sideways it's quite fun and the big magnets instead of ropes are cool too!
Thanks for another great video. After coming through the old navel collage at Greenwich and going down Old Woolwich Rd, I’d be inclined to take a left down Merchants Row, back to the river. Here you pass the Cutty Sark pub (another great one for a pint) and you pick up the Thames Path at the end of Ballast Quay. It’ll take you around the peninsula but it’s traffic free.
I like that pub! Yeah that’s also an option, a bit longer but nice for a leisure ride potentially
What a great video well done you😎
Cheers Paul!
I might ride this next week. I'm very familiar with Woolwich to Greenwich, I ride cycle routes 136, route 13, cut down to Gallions Reach to North Woolwich and cross via the foot tunnel and then hug the Thames Path even round Greenwich Peninsula. I normally stop at the Cutty Sark but I want to ride the new Jamaica Rd lanes and this will fit nicely. Thanks
You can takes bikes onto the ferry but you have to stand on deck in little siding with it. The ferry is short but fun to do.
That’s good to know about the ferry, maybe I’ll have to do a video haha
Perhaps you could compare and contrast the same route but using Cycleway 10? What would the compromises be / the opportunities / the different sights?
Yes good idea! I’ll still use C10 for some stuff. I wonder if it’d actually a bit quicker? Slightly more direct
I ride both C4 and C10. Both are great and also have their minor issues. C4 is slow passing Surrey Quay Station where the cycle lane has to negotiate busy roads and long hold at the traffic lights. C10 has an isolated section from Bermondsey Station to Millwall football ground where robberies have been reported at night. There was a graffiti warning on the path!
Great video! You’ve basically covered my exact commute! Can’t wait until they finish cycle way 4 though as I find the Thames path parts of this route to be pretty slow
That’s a lovely commute to have!
Cool video, thanks for making!! The giant Environment Agency roundel might be a later addition as EA was founded in 1996 and the barrier was completed by Greater London Council (and originally had big GLC logos on the piers) back in 1984. After GLC was abolished it eventually became EA's responsibility... and maybe had a 'rebrand'? 🌊
Yes I wonder if they had another sign there before!
@@Londoncycleroutes ... was feeling equally curious. So I found some 1980s footage and at 9.20 in this video it shows a blank elevation! The roundel is definitely a great addition as it gives the barrier a real graphical, scientific feel. Deserves more recognition!! ruclips.net/video/0VP7cmwztFg/видео.htmlfeature=shared
@@GentleFactory great find! very interesting
Quick update! Today I cycle along the Thames path from Thames Barrier towards the O2. The whole area of Southern Park @19:17 with the contradictory signs has newly painted C14 along that sesction of path. Those no cycling signs are deffinately not official, in my opinion. The path was always a shared path, long before the estate was constructed. Also the estate has separate paths almost parrallel to the shared paths. I think the estate tried to take the original shared paths and ban cycling, but the authorities have kicked back, which is great! Now the authories need to remove those 'illegal' no cycling signs.
Great intel thank you! Thats good news that C14 is biting back! The no cycling signs never made any sense but clearly if TfL are signposting routes down there they’re not valid
@@Londoncycleroutes I took photos of the new C14 paint on the path, the shared path signs and on the path, and the illegal No cycling signs, from different angles. As I said, the shared path was there years before the estate was constructed!
Great video! You should try the Woolich ferry. Its the nicest way to cross the Thames East of Tower Bridge. Check it is running. If it isn't, there is a foot tunnel or you could use the DLR between Woolich DLR and King George V during off peak. The Elizabeth line also allows bikes off peak. The first station is Custom House. Further west the cable car allows up to two bikes per car and is free before 9:30 am. My grandkids love it, even iif it only to speculate on what happens if our car falls!!😁 Shame they are not going to allow bikes to use the new Silvertown Crossing to the Greenwich peninsula. We need a dedicated bicycle tunnel that is e-bike safe!!
Yes a dedicated bridge or tunnel is definitely needed!
@@Londoncycleroutes I've seen a cycling bridge proposed next to the thames barrier with a similar opening mechanism to let ships through. It would be a great location for a walking + cycling bridge but I don't know how serious that proposal ever was.
I'm really happy to see this route! I've done it a few times but I can never figure out where to go once C4 ends. I always end up on some random main road. I'll definitely be using this route to get to IKEA and the other shops as you come off the motorway bridge.
Glad it’s useful! If you continue on C4 towards Charlton you can also go to the Asda etc at new Charlton I think
22:00 There is something nice about cycling alongside rivers. Maybe it's the views or just in general something different to buildings that surround us in the city. Or maybe it's calming in some ways?
Yeah the riverside is just lovely, calming effects!
Terribly windy though.
I have cycled every bit shown in this video, though rarely at the same time. I have mentioned Surrey Quay section of C4 being the slow section due to the traffic light sequencing, in your other videos. I ignore the unofficial 'no no cycling' signs on the path next to the recently completed estate in Greenwich. The path was there long before the estate was expanded. I also vary my route using C10. I like to mix and match. Nice video. 👍🏾
I’m wondering if C10 is better or C4 for this journey, I might have to try it all in one go using C10 as well
@@Londoncycleroutes It's nice to have the optional routes. Take one of your previous videos using C10, then compare it to this one. C10 main weakness is the Bermondsey Station to Millwall football ground, because it can be scary at certain times, especially at night! C4 is not as isolated.
Another great route & video, thanks!! 👍
Thanks for watching!
Very enjoyable route. Inspired, I cycled out east from the City earlier this week and then caught the ferry and completed the route west of the south terminal. You get great views of the Thames Barrier and Canary Wharf as you cross the river -- and they are possibly even better in the morning when they will be lit by the rising sun.
Generally the north side of the route was good, although C3 is busy along Poplar High Street. Navigating the roundabout east of the Lea Crossing was also bit confusing because of the amount of Silvertown Crossing works. However, it looks as though some pretty good cycling infrastructure is being built on the Silvertown Way and North Woolwich Road -- maybe this could be a route to look at for the future for people either commuting to / from Woolwich / North Woolwich or even to and from City airport.
Oh nice, thanks this is super interesting - I need to check out the north side I don’t think I’ve gone that far myself
@@Londoncycleroutes Having Googled, it's this: www.newham.gov.uk/transport-streets/royal-docks-corridor
As always, the pictures look great!
There's already a segregated cycle lane on the Lower Lea Crossing, which is good. I then cycled the south side of Royal Victoria Dock and then down Mill Road -- to the south of North Woolwich way there is some shared cycle / pedestrian infra which eventually gets you to Factory Road and the ferry.
@@Londoncycleroutes Having Googled, the project is called the Royal Docks Corridor, and there's more info on the Newham council website. Looks fab on the pictures.
I tried posting a link, but RUclips didn't seem to like it. There's already a pretty good segregated cycle lane on the Lower Lea Crossing, and then I followed the south side of Royal Victoria Dock, which was very pleasant, cutting down Mill Road and across North Woolwich Road to access some shared space under the railway line and along Factory Road to the ferry.
@@jonners7061 ah yes I know of that one but I didn't make the connection! it's really impressive, Newham have build quite a lot of it quite fast!
Whoaaa @9:10. I'd get off and walk when approaching that until clear of it the other side. Someone is going to get whacked big time there sooner or later, and I'd rather it not be me. Superlative route otherwise so far 1/3 in.
it's genuinely crazy that these SUV drivers just accelerate into people through red lights. on another planet
Hi, love your videos . I am a keen cycle commuter myself living in wales. I just wandered what sort of bike you do your rides on [ I’m guessing road bike]. Also , what would be more practical , clipped in pedals or flat pedals for cycling around London Thanks 👍
Welcome! Yes I have a road bike! It’s an older one, I think 2003 Lemond Nevada City. I used to have a 2013 specialised allez but it got stolen after a decade in service sadly! I’ve not used clipped pedals myself before but I’d personally stick with flat ones just on the basis that sometimes you might need to do something unusual in a city and it helps to be a bit flexible
That's a great summer ride along the river. I wonder if there's something similar on the other side?
Not quite but yes. Cycle route 13 (blue path). It doesn't hug the Thames until Westferry/Isle of Dogs but its only for a short way before taking you along quite roads to Tower Bridge. Route 13 goes from Tower Bridge to Rainham in the East. It does extend for the national cycle network to Tilbury , Chelmsford etc too.
It’s less consistent but there are a few bits!
Riverside path at the naval collage leads straight to a pub thats very busy all the time inc the outside seating area even more so at night as is the 4 foot wide path its self. Its way too busy for cycling any time b4 12.30am after the pub has shut & people have had time to disperse u have to take the main road round it & take the 1st left then 1st right on to old Woolwich Rd. Good u inc the closing of the gate at night this time. Try Erith train station to Vauxhall
I've gone the pub way myself before (including during the day) and would personally prefer it to the main road - it is a squeeze and slow going but you can just go really slowly, depends how you're cycling I suppose
Trafalgar Tavern. Impossible to cycle past/through but it also looks great and I'm jealous as a lonely cyclist never to of stopped off for a pint. Its not the sort of place where you can buy a beer and sit in a quite corner.
Could you add a tiny map of the route as you travel along please?
A few people have asked this but I’ve decided against it for now- I talked a bit more about it in the Q&A video a couple of months ago, basically it is either too small to be useful or too big that it’s annoying
In lieu of that not being supported on this channel, I open a second browser window (or a separate tab) and toggle back and forth. It is a bit jerky, but it really helps with orienting oneself with the ongoing events on-screen. I also sometimes open a Google map, and utilize the street view and satellite view to get a better idea of the surrounding lay of the land.
Due to the port and ex-port facilities being so prominent in this episode, the importance of the docks becomes much more apparent.
Could you do Shadwell to Brockley?
I’ll make a note and see if I can work it out! I think Southwark are making some changes soon that should make it easier
Please do Hackney Wick to Carnaby Street/soho ❤❤
Thanks a lot, and yes I will give it a go and see what I can do!
An interesting option to go towards the Thames. I go through Greenwich town centre which isn’t the most pleasant part but it’s not very long.
I was on the busy supposedly protected cycle lane on Trafalgar Road yesterday when I was passed by a motorbike doing about 40mph. I don’t have a camera but it was busy with cyclists at the time and I’m hoping that one of them has footage that they’ll pass on to the police.
One other point that I’ll make is the section around Surrey Quays towards London has beaten me so I now go onto the one way road and save time and sanity. I had hoped that they’d find a way to phase those lights better.
Wow that’s appalling! Some people have no regard for others
I prefer the red colour on the lanes - wouldn't it be nice if all cities were like Milton Keynes!
It has surprisingly good cycle infra! Bracknell too
Doesn't the Woolwich Foot Tunnel warrant a mention? ☺
A fair point! I forgot it existed honestly
The foot tunnel used to be part of my commute but the north lift hasn't worked since 2022 and the south lift doesn't always work. This is a pain for cyclists and anyone with mobility issues. The ferry takes longer than you'd think. You can however, travel across the river on the cable car, for free, before 9:30 weekdays if you have a non folding bike.
@@martinmckee418 good to know about the cable car!
Most recent times the lifts are not working! It could be north or south, or both sides. Not a problem if the ferry is operating, but not ideal if the bike is not light to carry up the stairs!
I cycled around London for the first time checking out a bunch of your routes the other day and absolutely loved it! Do you think you could try a route from Chalk Farm area to Islington?
So glad it lived up to expectations! Yes I definitely can do that, though I’m waiting for Islington to put in a new LTN later this year which will make it really easy
@@LondoncycleroutesGreat to hear! I was trying to work out a route myself. Is there any clever way to avoid Regent’s Canal around King’s Cross? Perhaps it’s better to come from a different direction entirely. Anyway, I’ll hold on for your video!
@@BobSmith-sq2gw depends exactly where you're going but Royal College Street then Pancras road and Goods Way is a good way to do it... York Way has cycle lanes but I think they're being reworked at the moment and will be under construction for a while, not sure how far they've got.. then Copenhagen Street is the way a lot of people go but it's not that quiet yet ( that's one bit that will hopefully will be improved with a forthcoming LTN).
better voice over recording mate nice one!😇hope you found those blankets for the sound!
also great vid as always haha
Haha thanks - duvet and exercise mat spread all around the room hopefully making a difference… I can’t bring myself to get a rug, not my furnishing vibe!
@Londoncycleroutes haha awesome. Much better on the ears! I appreciate it thank you. Exceptional video/ route 👏 thanks again for your work legend x
@@desmond223 cheers! glad it seems to have made a difference and thanks for the advice before
What camera do you use to record these videos? The picture is so clear.
I’ve got a GoPro hero 11
@@Londoncycleroutes it would be ace to have 360 footage, though the file size for half and hour would be eye-wateringly big
@@Londoncycleroutes Thanks
@@paulbmurphy I'd potentially be up for doing this with a future camera upgrade if it was practical and also preserved the 2D viewing experience
When it comes to the colour of cycle lanes, I think that there should be UK-wide standard colours for road surfaces in the highway code (and that these should be complied with, when things are rebuilt).
Red has been used for bus lanes, well before I saw it on cycle lanes. So, in the mind of pedestrians, as well as motorists, they might not pick it up as a visual cue for cycles coming. So I would suggest that red is avoided for future cycle paths.
If Boris Johnson picked blue, because of Barclays Bank, that's pretty shameful. This sort of thing should be done via studies to work out which colours are best for visual attention. And I've heard of a couple of blue-surfaced roads that were slippery and caused accidents (even fatal ones). That actually makes me a bit wary of blue surfaces myself. That's not to say that blue should not be used, but from a UK-wide point of view, we should probably base a decision on a study of the colours of the existing cycle lanes and go with the most common colour, that is not used in bus lanes.
Blue is also used for motorway signs. I don't know what the lady that designed our motorway signs would have to say about using that colour for traffic-calmed cycle routes. But that sort of thing needs to be taken into consideration.
Green seems a good colour. People associate that with environmentally friendly things, so that may well be be a good colour to go with, especially if it is used outside of London.
I've heard that some bus lanes are open to cyclists, while others are not (contra-flow bus lanes, IIRC). So I think that it might be worth having two colour-schemess for bus lanes. Having said that, the problem could be solved another way by putting a contra-flow cycle lane next to a contra-flow bus lane, as much as possible. And that would be preferable to "no cycling this way" markings.
I agree with you totally, on the box junction thing. I would go further than that and say there should be a new sign, similar in some ways to a level crossing sign, that warns drivers that a junction is a protected cycle crossway. I've watched several of your videos and the way that some of the two-way protected cycleways swaps from the left side of the road to the right side of the road sometimes takes me by surprise. So I think I would be get lost a few times, if I got another bike. I think that motorists, who have not been back to an area for several years, may have no idea that there is going to be a flow of cyclists from right to left...or from left to right. So maybe a sign coming up to the traffic lights that shows cars and bikes swapping sides or something similar to that.
If the box junctions for protected cycle crossways were marked differently to the box junctions that let cars out of junctions, we could have larger fines for people who drive into the cycle box junction and put cyclists at risk. After all a car hitting another car in box junction causes financial loss, while a car causing a cyclist to get hit can cause life-changing injuries in the cyclist.
Finally, I do agree with you on the street furniture in cycle lanes thing. It is difficult to move lamp-posts, as they are wired up to the electrical grid, but if a lamp post can not be moved, the cycle lane should split and go both sides of it and recombine on the other side. (And then the cycle lane can be simplified later, when the lamp post next needs to be swapped out.)
I really did not like those big round silver bollards, near the environmental agency. They are probably there to stop "ram raider" style attacks, that might knock out a smaller bollard, but I don't think it is good to have things like that that can hit handlebars. Modal filters are supposed to prevent vehicles other than bikes passing through. I don't think they should be designed in a way that can cause a cyclist to smack their handlebars on them. Those things should be lower in the ground.
Yeah I think you’re right about those bollards, they’re likely to be a security feature
Blue 💙 cycle superhighways need to be blue. It's calming. Red = danger. Green= go. Neither are appropriate. Blue is a neutral and a joy to cycle on - I ❤ by the Tate or maybe it's just getting out of Chelsea and reaching a cycle path. That park is proper dodgy. Those fake signs need spraying before they start fining people x
I actually want to go to the things in Greenwich and the Thames barrier - obviously not on the same day! Greenwich might be my limit. But I could do this route and get the boat 🚢 home to mine. Not been on a clipper in years, what a waste x
I wouldn’t be upset if that happened for sure!
Have you ever done a 'Ride London' or even the 'London Naked Bike Ride' before?
Not personally, I’ve heard good things about ride London
@@Londoncycleroutesride London is great, I did the 30 last year and the 60 this time. So nice to ride with no cars on the road and some parts in docklands go the wrong way up closed dual carriage ways which feels distinctly odd.
I do wish pedestrians would stay out of the cycle lanes. (I'm not counting the bit where the pavement was closed)
Yeah it can be annoying, though tbh when you’re walking around you’re in a different state of mind to when you’re using a vehicle so I understand how it happens!
I think you’ve mentioned it before but at 15:32 you pass Greenwich London Underground power station, used as an emergency source should there be a big grid failure, provides enough power to safely evacuate the tube (fire systems, minimal,lighting etc) not enough to run trains though. I think they also have an arrange,ent with National Grid to supplement the normal supply where required. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_Power_Station
Oh yes good reminder! Definitely a point of interest