Westminster city council now recognise that social, as well as traffic safety, needs to be considered for route planning , so below are the proposed cycleways to give riders better alternatives to the canal.

But first what is social safety...? Social safety equals everything beyond traffic that makes routes feel safe. Per volunteer Helen, is it well lit? Is it overlooked by residents or populated by pedestrians? Does it have ambush points & escape access? Some of women's network gathered to trial the new alternative routes to the canal to see how they measure up…

Option 1 - a more direct route running along Prince Albert road, traversing the rather hair-raising roundabout near Lord’s cricket ground and heading along St John’s Wood Rd, where it meets up with the C51 at Cunningham Place (cycling infrastructure would be added later).

Option 2 - the more circuitous route, also taking the roundabout but then on backroads, near some activity by Wellington hospital, but much quieter by a substation, dog-legging in places and then goes through a housing estate (shown).

We preferred option 1. With future infrastructure (especially for the gnarly roundabout), the more direct route felt it could be safer as it was more overlooked, well lit and easier to navigate.

But a safer route than the canal (with future C51, C27 & C43 connection) needs YOUR support, so please VOTE NOW for the scheme , so all riders, especially WOMEN & other vulnerable cyclists have better access to cycling in the city.

https://maidavaleregentsparkcycleway.commonplace.is

And THANK YOU, WESTMINSTER for taking these issues into account.

A HUGE shout out to LCC's women's network volunteers who braved the cold to better the streets for everyone. See more on their work here https://lcc.org.uk/news/womens-freedom-after-dark/

Currently, less than a ¼ of TFL cycleways are deemed safe by women - let's change that!