Cyclists despair as bike markings painted in door zone "without any thought", but council claims project "carefully developed in line with guidance"

A London council has defended its decision to deliver on its promise that "safety is top priority" by painting bicycle markings along a Soho street including, to some cyclists' despair, in the 'door zone' of car parking bays.

One rider, who goes by the Bob From Accounts name on social media, said Old Compton Street had become an example of "how not to do urban planning" and could end up "persuading cyclists to cycle into parked cars" or their opening doors.

Old Compton Street update: How not to do urban planning by persuading cyclists to cycle into parked cars. Just close this road for 20 hours a day @CityWestminster, apart from deliveries no one should be encouraged to drive into Soho pic.twitter.com/tiMdOg41Sq

— Bob From Accounts 🚲 (@BobFromAccounts) March 21, 2024

"It's a one-way street which allows cyclists to cycle up the wrong way," he told road.cc. "One morning last week, the council painted a lot of bike signs on the road with no thought about the existing parking spaces or door zones. The usual paint is not infrastructure planned by someone who has never ridden a bike."

However, when asked about the road update, Westminster City Council insisted that "safety is the council's top priority" and said the proposals were "carefully developed in line with Department for Transport guidance".

Explaining the markings further, a spokesperson went on to state that in line with Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN 1/20), regular signage on contraflow cycling routes was required, at no greater than 75m intervals, before and after side roads, loading/parking bays and bus stops.

The council also suggested that the fact a cyclist would not be able to ride in primary position anyway, due to the contraflow nature of the route, meant the cycle symbols had been positioned no closer than 0.5m from the kerb. A Stage 2 Road Safety Audit was also conducted with any safety concerns highlighted investigated using LTN 1/20 guidance.

The whole situation did however leave Bob From Accounts wondering why the council does not just "close this road for 20 hours a day".

"Apart from deliveries no one should be encouraged to drive into Soho," he suggested. "My main bugbear is that private vehicles should not be encouraged on Old Compton Street. It's a thriving area that would benefit from fewer vehicles and Westminster Council should have the courage to restrict access and limit it to timed deliveries only.

> "This is not safe cycling infrastructure": Cyclist calls out much-criticised painted contraflow cycle lane between door zone and oncoming drivers that "invites conflict"

"In the evenings it's a horror show of thousands of pedestrians having to dodge traffic. Equally, as someone who cycles down this street every day, I'd be just as happy for no cycling on this street if Westminster would restrict through-traffic in Soho. Wardour Street is nothing but a rat-run between Shaftsbury Avenue and Oxford Street. It's embarrassing that such a major city has all this traffic running through one on the most iconic nightlife areas in Europe."

The council also commented: "Cycling is a great way to get around the city, and the council aims to enhance cycling and walking routes across Westminster to reduce carbon emissions and improve the health of our residents."