Hyde Park to Marylebone Cycleway (C43)

Route: Stanhope Place, Connaught Square, Connaught Street, Porchester Place, Kendal Street and George Street.

Introduction

Westminster City Council, in partnership with Transport for London, is proposing to deliver a new cycle route, Cycleway 43, connecting Hyde Park with the existing facilities at Gloucester Place. The C43 route is proposed to run via Stanhope Place, Connaught Square, Connaught Street, Porchester Place, Kendal Street and George Street. The proposed route is part of the Westminster cycle route programme and would become part of the London wide Cycleway network (previously known as Cycle Superhighways and Quietways).

In December 2021, Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality approved the route of Cycleway 43 between Bayswater Road and Gloucester Place. We originally consulted on the route in 2016 as ‘Quietway 7’. Since then, proposals have changed substantially to meet up to date cycling standards. In May - June 2023 we asked for your views on the updated proposals during this initial design stage to refine and improve them further.

The proposed new Cycleway 43 route will also connect with the proposed Cycleway 51 (previously consulted on as Quietway 16, St. John’s Wood to Marylebone) at Bryanston Square and the existing Cycleway 27 (C27) connecting to Paddington at Norfolk Crescent.

The scheme aims to enhance cycle safety and connectivity between Hyde Park and Marylebone with improvements to nine junctions. It will benefit all people who want to walk and cycle in the area. Proposed changes include:

Wider and less cluttered footways;
Shortened pedestrian crossing points;
Improvement of cycle facilities;
Introduction of traffic calming features;
Reallocation of parking to make the route safer;
Clear cycle route wayfinding signs;
Additional trees and benches

The Proposals

Route: Stanhope Place, Connaught Square, Connaught Street, Porchester Place, Kendal Street and George Street.

The Proposals

Detailed below is a description of the proposed changes, to introduce the approved cycleway. These are also shown in the route plans.

The proposal

The junction of Stanhope Place and Bayswater Road is proposed to become a cycle only junction to make crossing Baywater Road by bike safer. General traffic can still access Bayswater Road via Edgware Road and Albion Street.
At the Stanhope Place – Seymour Place - Connaught Square junction we are proposing a new raised table and the removal of one lane at the junction (right turns will still be permitted) to allow space for footway extensions to reduce pedestrian crossing distances.
Wider footway for cycle parking and potential bench locations at the Stanhope Place – Seymour Place - Connaught Square junction.
Footway extensions on Connaught Street between Connaught Square and Porchester Place as well as raised junction entrances to creat safe, direct and accessible walking routes.
Footway extensions at the Porchester Place junctions with Kendal Street and with Porchester Place.
New cycling connection with C27 to Paddington along Norfolk Crescent.
Mandatory cycle lanes (cycle lanes that other vehicles are not allowed to enter) on Kendal Street, up to Edgware Road.
Raised cycle tracks (stepped cycle tracks) along George Street. This creates a protected cycle route with a physical separation between the cycle lane and general traffic lanes with kerbs at different hight.
New advanced stops lines (where people cycling can wait ahead of the traffic at traffic lights), to help cyclists get in front of general traffic.
Improvement of the traffic signals at the George Street – Seymour Street junction to include signalised pedestrian crossing.
Existing central islands along George Street and Kendal Street would be removed to provide enough road width for traffic and new cycle lanes.
Raised tables (where the carriageway and the footway are the same height) added along the route to create safer and accessible pedestrian crossings and reduce speed.
Single yellow lines replaced by double yellow lines along George Street stepped cycle track to provide enough road width for traffic lanes and stop the cycle lanes being blocked by parked vehicles.
Removal of some parking along the route to allow space for the cycle route. Where possible, alternative parking has been proposed. Any disabled or dedicated permit bays will be relocated in liaison with the bay users.

Illustrative visualisation of Connaught Street junction with Connaught Square West Arm

Illustrative visualisation of Bayswater Road junction with Stanhope Place

Proposal Maps and Plans

Have your say

Westminster City Council and TFL held a consultation between 15th May to 25th June 2023. We’ll use the responses to improve the proposals further before they are put before cabinet member at Westminster City Council. Subject to Traffic Management Order consultation and cabinet member approval, delivery of the route is hoped to start in 2024.

Next Steps

Review the feedback received from the Cycleway 43 questionnaire (June 2023)
Submit updated proposals to cabinet member at both Westminster City Council (Winter 2023)
Subject to approval: hold a Traffic Management Order Consultation (Early 2024)
Subject to cabinet members’ approval: delivery commences (Mid 2024)

Documents

faqs

Answers to the most common questions can be found below:

faqs

What are the benefits of Cycleway 43?

The proposals would provide cycle facilities and pedestrian crossings improvements along the length of the route. Also, cycle connections with Cycleway 27 to Paddington and the proposed Cycleway 51 to St Johns Wood (currently at pre-consultation stage).
How will parking be impacted?

There will be a loss of parking along George Street due to the proposed highways alterations. In order to accommodate the cycleway, a total of 37 resident parking bays, 16 metres of motorcycle bays are proposed to be removed and 1 permit holder disabled bay will be relocated. Alternative parking has been proposed where possible.

Along George St, single yellow lines would be replaced by double yellow lines along the raised cycle track to provide enough road width for traffic lanes and stop the cycle lanes being blocked by parked vehicles. This will become restricted as per double yellow line restrictions - you can't park on double yellow lines at any time).
What will the impact on loading be?

Existing loading facilities will remain, except at every junction, where “no loading” restrictions will be implemented to improve vehicle movements and visibility.
Will there be any road closures?

Stanhope Place is proposed to be closed at the junction with Bayswater Road, except for cycles, to make crossing Bayswater Road by bike safer. General traffic can still access Bayswater Road via Edgware Road and Albion Street.
How many trees will be lost/gained?

The proposal requires the removal of one tree to improve the visibility at the Seymour Street - George Street junction. However, 3 new trees are proposed to be planted in Stanhope Place as part of these proposals.

The proposed cycleway between Hyde Park and Marylebone includes advanced stop lines for cyclists (where people cycling can wait ahead of the traffic at traffic lights), new raised tables (a raised section across the road to reduce vehicle speed), stepped cycle tracks (a raised platform to create a physical separation between the cycle lane and general traffic). We are also proposing improved pedestrian crossing facilities and additional cycle parking facilities.

Similar arrangements elsewhere in Westminster and around London can be seen in the following images: