A notorious junction said to be “like a scene from Ben Hur” has been made safer for cyclists with the introduction of a £1.6 million protected bike lane.
The bi-directional route across the northern side of the Hammersmith gyratory provides cyclists with a direct route between Hammersmith Road and King Street, where Cycleway 9 to Chiswick and Kew Bridge begins.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who cycles to work from his home in west London, said: “This is great. For years people said you have to accept that Hammersmith Broadway is like a scene from Ben Hur. But now vulnerable road users can use it confidently.”
Transport for London, which carried out the work with Hammersmith and Fulham council, said the area was previously “intimidating” to cyclists.
The new route includes cyclist-only traffic lights. There are also improved pedestrian crossings and wider pavements.
There were 30 collisions on the gyratory in the three-year period to December 2020, of which five involved a cyclist.
More than 2,800 cyclists a day travelled through the Hammersmith gyratory prior to the work being started.
However, its completion will highlight the lack of protected routes for cyclists in neighbouring Kensington and Chelsea. Kensington High Street remains the “missing link” in the east-west cross-London cycle route through Hyde Park and onto the Victoria Embankment.
TfL recently added a link on Mansell Street, linking cycleway 3 and cycleway 2 between Tower Hill and Whitechapel Road.
TfL has also completed work on a one-mile section of Cycleway 4 Creek Road in Deptford. Once complete, the route will link Tower Bridge Road and Greenwich.
Will Norman, London walking and cycling commissioner, said: “I’m delighted that work on the new and transformed Hammersmith gyratory has been completed. This delivers much needed protected cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings – making walking and cycling safer and easier at this busy junction.
“These crucial improvements across the city will help us to continue to build upon the boom in cycling we’ve recently seen, helping all cyclists keep safe on the roads.”
