Traffic Chaos London tomorrow
Discussion
Cycle races stretching from East London to Boxhill near Dorking, Surrey will cut London in half all day tomorrow, Sunday 2nd August.
The website very kindly points out all the roads that will be closed and that almost every bridge across the Thames will be shut with the added problems that vehicles won't be able to cross the cycle routes that run out then back into the City.
I got caught by this in 2011 when they did a test for the Olympics.
Had got back from a camping holiday with the kids in Cornwall, late Saturday night and then up 4am Sunday to go to work. No public transport at that time and I can't rely on the night buses, so I drive to work. Wandsworth to Bayswater, takes about 20 mins.
I finished work at lunchtime and headed back south to go home. Gridlock everywhere, and no one knew what was going on. People thought it was a terrorist attack or a continuation of the London riots that had just occurred.
Eventually the traffic came up against the closed roads manned by stewards who gave lots of disinformation about which bridges were open. It wasn't until I found a copper who said that it was pointless trying and that I should wait until the roads opened later on at 5pm.
I abandoned my car, sat in a pub for an hour, went to the cinema, sat in my car for a while before I finally was able to carry on home.
My 20min journey took 5 hours.
This time I have tried to plan but the website is not much help. Basically says don't drive.
Ages of looking at various maps seems to have brought up a route.
I can head from Bayswater to Shepherds Bush and then head south to Hammersmith where the cycles will be going over the flyover. From there go to Hammersmith Bridge which is open and then keep heading south until I join the A3. Head east on the A3, under Tibbetts Corner which is another cycle route and then hit the back roads to head home.
Great plan, I just hope the rest of London hasn't worked this out
It will be hell but at least I'll be on my Vespa.
The website very kindly points out all the roads that will be closed and that almost every bridge across the Thames will be shut with the added problems that vehicles won't be able to cross the cycle routes that run out then back into the City.
I got caught by this in 2011 when they did a test for the Olympics.
Had got back from a camping holiday with the kids in Cornwall, late Saturday night and then up 4am Sunday to go to work. No public transport at that time and I can't rely on the night buses, so I drive to work. Wandsworth to Bayswater, takes about 20 mins.
I finished work at lunchtime and headed back south to go home. Gridlock everywhere, and no one knew what was going on. People thought it was a terrorist attack or a continuation of the London riots that had just occurred.
Eventually the traffic came up against the closed roads manned by stewards who gave lots of disinformation about which bridges were open. It wasn't until I found a copper who said that it was pointless trying and that I should wait until the roads opened later on at 5pm.
I abandoned my car, sat in a pub for an hour, went to the cinema, sat in my car for a while before I finally was able to carry on home.
My 20min journey took 5 hours.
This time I have tried to plan but the website is not much help. Basically says don't drive.
Ages of looking at various maps seems to have brought up a route.
I can head from Bayswater to Shepherds Bush and then head south to Hammersmith where the cycles will be going over the flyover. From there go to Hammersmith Bridge which is open and then keep heading south until I join the A3. Head east on the A3, under Tibbetts Corner which is another cycle route and then hit the back roads to head home.
Great plan, I just hope the rest of London hasn't worked this out
It will be hell but at least I'll be on my Vespa.
It's unfortunate that something as good as this does cause so much disruption.
The trouble with a public mass, closed-road event is that you end up with roads totally closed all day. A professional road race should get away with a rolling road block with a few exceptions.
While the novelty of riding along closed roads in London is, well, a novelty I don't necessarily thing it's something we should do every year. (I did the first one as part of a relay team - had to be at the start around 5am IIRC and was all finished by early morning in Hampton. Then I struggled to get back myself as the best route back home was closed due to some cycling event (The cheek!)
I think they should keep the event going but if you're going to start it in East London head out towards Essex or Cambridgeshire and back don't close the whole city.
The trouble with a public mass, closed-road event is that you end up with roads totally closed all day. A professional road race should get away with a rolling road block with a few exceptions.
While the novelty of riding along closed roads in London is, well, a novelty I don't necessarily thing it's something we should do every year. (I did the first one as part of a relay team - had to be at the start around 5am IIRC and was all finished by early morning in Hampton. Then I struggled to get back myself as the best route back home was closed due to some cycling event (The cheek!)
I think they should keep the event going but if you're going to start it in East London head out towards Essex or Cambridgeshire and back don't close the whole city.
justanother5tar said:
Im all for sport and everything. But to cut a major city in half for a f
king bike ride is stupid.
Oh, and +1 to the movie question. Any good?
It's one day in the year and it's an awesome event to go to - relax. I thin It's amazing that London can put on events like this and attract the world's best to take part.king bike ride is stupid.Oh, and +1 to the movie question. Any good?
I'm gutted I can't get to see the Brompton World Cup - it has a Le Mans style start where the competitors have to assemble their mighty steeds before setting off.
justanother5tar said:
Im all for sport and everything. But to cut a major city in half for a fking bike ride is stupid.
Regular occurrence in Brighton - cycling, historic vehicle runs of various types and vintages, marathons, half marathons - the list is endless all ploughing down the A23 to the seafront. So you are either east or west but 'the other side' might as well be on the moon.king bike ride is stupid.
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