We call on Westminster City Council to pause, rethink and redesign the proposed alterations to Bayswater Road.
Westminster City Council has proposed major changes to Bayswater Road, including the introduction of a raised, fully segregated and stepped cycle lane, together with new floating bus stop islands. While we support measures that genuinely improve safety and encourage sustainable transport, we believe that this proposal is poorly designed, presents serious safety risks and is likely to worsen congestion on one of London’s busiest arterial roads.
Our concerns are as follows.
- Serious safety risks for pedestrians and bus users
The proposed floating bus stops require all pedestrians, including older people, disabled residents and those with limited mobility or sight, to cross a raised cycle track in order to access buses. This introduces a clear risk of collisions, particularly at dusk and in the evening when visibility is reduced. Many disabled people rely on buses as they cannot use nearby Underground stations, making this an accessibility issue as well as a safety concern.
- Multiple levels create confusion and danger
The stepped, multi level design adds unnecessary complexity to an already heavily used road. Introducing different heights for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and vehicles increases the likelihood of confusion and accidents, rather than reducing them.
- Increased traffic congestion and delayed journeys
In several locations, the proposals reduce Bayswater Road to a single traffic lane. This will force all traffic, including buses and emergency vehicles, to wait behind stopping buses. This is likely to increase journey times, noise and pollution from idling traffic. Similar changes in the area have already resulted in long tailbacks extending into surrounding streets.
- Negative impacts on local businesses, hotels and residents
The removal of kerbside stopping will restrict taxi pick ups and drop offs, as well as servicing and deliveries for hotels and businesses along Bayswater Road. The loss of Sunday parking will increase pressure on already overstretched residential streets nearby.
- Displacement of traffic into quieter residential streets
Reducing road capacity on Bayswater Road is likely to push traffic into surrounding residential streets, making them less safe and less pleasant for residents.
- Questionable necessity given existing alternatives
A parallel cycle route already links Palace Court and Lancaster Gate via quieter streets such as Prince’s Square, Porchester Gardens, Craven Road and Westbourne Street, providing an alternative east to west cycling route without the same level of disruption or risk. Also cyclists often cycle through Kensington gardens, using the cycle route from exhibition road to the Bayswater Road (to Queensway).
Our request
We urge Westminster City Council to pause the current proposal, properly address safety, congestion concerns, reconsider the use of floating bus stops. If unable to address these issues, the proposal should be rejected.