List of cycle routes in London

The Waterlink Way, a traffic-free cycle route in the London Borough of Lewisham which is also part of the National Cycle Network.

This article provides a list of cycle routes in the Greater London area that have been waymarked with formal numbered route signage.

The routes include Cycle Superhighways, Quietways and the older London Cycle Network Plus, all designated by local government body Transport for London (TfL), and National Cycle Network routes designated by sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

Note: not all these routes are dedicated 'traffic free' cycle tracks: most of them also include ordinary roads shared with motor traffic and footpaths shared with pedestrians.

National and international routes

Route number design for NCN routes. Unlike local or regional routes, NCN routes use a red background.

Cycle Superhighways

London's Cycle Superhighways are a set of Bike freeways, aimed principally at commuters and more experienced cyclists, providing faster and more direct radial routes between outer and central London.^[6] In addition to dedicated route signage they are indicated on the ground by distinctive sky blue painted lanes.

History

Cycle Superhighway CS7 start point at Colliers Wood Underground Station

London's Cycle Superhighways were first announced in 2008 by Mayor Ken Livingstone.^[7] The original proposal consisted of 12 radial routes, with route numbers in 'clock face' fashion.^[8] Although the scheme is coordinated centrally by TfL, it is implemented on the ground by London boroughs. This has led to several changes as the roll out continues, including cancellation of the original CS6 and CS12 routes^[9] and addition of two 'North-South' and 'East-West' routes through central London, the latter dubbed the "Crossrail for Bikes".

Cycle Superhighway Routes

As of June 2018, TfL's website lists eight Cycle Superhighway routes.

List of completed routes:

Name	Route	Comments	Map
CS1	Tottenham to Liverpool Street (A10)	Was completed in April 2016.[10] Unlike the other Superhighways, this route is primarily non-segregated on quieter streets and is thus more similar to the Quietways.	map
CS2	Stratford to Aldgate (A118 - A11)	Upgrade between Bow and Aldgate was completed in April 2016, with separated cycle tracks replacing cycle lanes along the majority of the route.[11]	map
CS3	Barking to Tower Hill (A13 - A1202 - A3211 - Hyde Park - A402 - A4209)		map
CS3 East-West[12]	Lancaster Gate to Tower Hill	Minor finishing works will continue until autumn 2018. Connects with CS3 at Tower Hill. There are proposals to extend the East-West Cycle Superhighway further westwards to Acton,[13] via a future CS10 route.	map
CS5[14]	Oval to Pimlico (A202)	To be extended later to eventually run from Lewisham to Victoria (A20 - A202).	map
North-South (CS6)[15]	Elephant & Castle to Kings Cross	First section of the route opened in spring 2016 between Elephant and Castle and Stonecutter Street; opened fully in September 2018. The originally proposed CS6 route was to have run from Penge to the City.	map
CS7	Merton to the City (A24 - A3)		map
CS8	Wandsworth to Westminster (A3 - A3205 - Vauxhall Cross)		map

Cycling conditions on CS2 at Aldgate East Underground station. The pictured cycle lane was replaced by a separated cycle track in 2016.

CS2 in Stratford in September 2014, after implementation of separated cycle tracks.

As of September 2018, the TfL website lists three more proposed new Cycle Superhighway routes that are progressing through public consultation and implementation by local borough councils.

• CS4 - Tower Bridge to Greenwich^[16]
• CS9 - Kensington Olympia to Brentford^[17]
• CS11 - Swiss Cottage to the West End^[18]

Quietways

Signage for three Quietway cycle routes on Moor Lane.

Unlike Cycle Superhighways which are intended to give cyclists a quicker way around London, Quietways, also promoted by Transport for London,^[26] target less confident cyclists who want to use lower traffic routes, whilst also providing for existing cyclists who want to travel at a more gentle pace.

Routes are generally along back-streets, through parks, along waterways or tree-lined streets, and are designed to overcome barriers to cycling such as high volumes of traffic and unsafe crossings. The route numbers are shown in purple on signs and maps.

London Cycle Network Plus

Examples of route confirmation signage and road markings for London Cycle Network routes.

Other Signage for LCN routes including Directions, Destinations and Distances

The London Cycle Network Plus (LCN+) aimed to provide a 900 kilometre network of cycle routes throughout Greater London. It was funded by Transport for London and managed by the LCN+ Project Team at the London Borough of Camden. It was launched in 2001, replacing the earlier London Cycle Network (LCN) project, and wound up in 2010.

Although some LCN routes have been upgraded to TfL's new Quietways and Cycle Superhighways, the majority throughout Greater London still exist and are signposted and/or indicated by carriageway markings (although not all the signage uses route numbers). Where route numbers are used in signs, this is usually the LCN route number, but on some route sections the 'LCN+ link' number has been used on signs. (LCN+ link numbers were usually internal reference numbers used for project management.)^[42]

London Greenway Network

The London Greenways are collection of schemes that provide walkers and cyclists with a network of routes that improve access to and through green spaces across the Capital. The projects were developed and funded by Transport for London, Sustrans, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the London boroughs and a number of other partners. The network incorporates schemes launched through Transport for London's Greenways programme, the Mayor’s London’s Great Outdoors initiative, the 2012 Games Walking and Cycling Routes programme, Sustrans’ Connect2 and National Cycle Network projects.

The Greenways initiative closed in March 2014 and became part of the Transport for London's Quietways programme.

TfL Cycling Guides

Transport for London publish several cycling maps which cover the following regions (by guide number):^[45]

1. Central London
2. Edgware, Mill Hill, Finchley, Barnet, Wood Green, Enfield, Tottenham, Chingford
3. Northwood, Pinner, Ruislip, Stanmore, Harrow, Wembley, Kenton, Edgware, Mill Hill, Hendon
4. Mill Hill, Hendon, Hampstead, Finchley, Wood Green, Tottenham, Chingford, Woodford, Walthamstow, Hackney, Islington
5. Woodford, Wanstead, Ilford, Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster, Harold Wood
6. Uxbridge, Hayes, Heathrow, Hounslow, Southall, Greenford, Ealing, Willesden, Acton, Chiswick
7. Kensington, Battersea, Brixton, Willesden, Camden Town, Islington, Stepney, West Ham, Poplar, Greenwich, Woolwich
8. Beckton, Barking, Dagenham, Charlton, Woolwich, Plumstead, Erith, Eltham
9. Hounslow, Heathrow, Feltham, Chiswick, Twickenham, Wandsworth, Richmond, Kingston, Surbiton, Sutton
10. Bromley, Beckenham, Crystal Palace, Catford, Lewisham, Streatham, Mitcham, Wandsworth, Kingston, Surbiton
11. Lewisham, Catford, Beckenham, Bromley, Eltham, Bexley, Sidcup, Chislehurst, Orpington
12. Sutton, Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Purley, Carshalton, Croydon
13. Coulsdon, Sanderstead, Purley, Croydon, New Addington, Farnborough, Biggin Hill
14. Hampstead, Tottenham, Wood Green, Stoke Newington, Hackney, Clapham, Tooting, Sydenham

See also

• Cycling in London
• Santander Cycles
• National Cycle Network
• Cycleways in England
• List of cycleways
• London greenways
• Segregated cycle facilities

References

External links

• Transport for London (TfL)
• TfL Cycling Guides
• Sustrans
• Sustrans National Cycle Network Map
• Where Are London's Cycle Superhighways? (YouTube video from Londonist Ltd)
• Detailed map and video of full Quietway 1 route
• London Cycle network +
• Greenways Report