I want to run
I want to ride
I want to tear down the kerbs
That hold me inside
I want to filter past
A touch of vroom
Where the streets have no room
I want to filter, make good pace
See that dust cloud disappear without a trace
I want to take shelter from the packed lane
Where the streets have no room
Where the streets have no room
Where the streets have no room
Recently in London, there has been rash of new street furniture thrown down, large changes to roads layouts and many additional lane separations, islands and other kerbs delineations (like the one pictured above). All of which is making riding in London tougher and more dangerous.
Motorcyclists are much more hemmed in and can no longer filter past to ease congestion. All these features create pinch points where there is contention between motorcyclists and other vehicles, which can ultimately place motorcyclists in danger.
If motorcyclists lose the advantage to filter, it effectively means every bike will occupy the same road space as car and increase congestion accordingly.
TFL have released their own Urban Motorcycle Design Handbook, which highlights many of these concerns. However I’ve seen little first hand evidence any of these recommendations have been heeded in recent changes to London’s road structure.
