🚲 Cycling from Kentish Town to Canary Wharf traffic-free
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
- You can cycle from Kentish Town in north London to Canary Wharf in east London entirely on quiet streets and protected cycle lanes.
The route is 12.6km long (7.9 miles) and makes use of Cycleway 6, Cycleway 3, and some backstreets into Canary Wharf.
The journey takes around 45 minutes to ride, which is about as fast as taking the Tube - on which you have to change trains.
If you find this video useful or you just enjoy watching it please remember to subscribe to the channel and hit the bell icon so you're alerted to new videos, as I try to post new ones like it every week.
And if you like what the channel is doing, you can also contribute to the London Cycle Routes Patreon here. It really helps keep the channel going: / londoncycleroutes
You can see a digital map of the route and download a GPS/GPX file to use on whatever device or app you want here: www.komoot.com/tour/104178621...
And you can find a viewer-created map of all the London Cycle Routes videos here: www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?...
I also highly recommend the Safe Cycle London map for route planning, which is compiled by @SafeCycleLDN on twitter: www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?...
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I like two lane bicycle tracks because you can overtake people just like cars do on a road. This is not impossible on single lane bicycle tracks but it's definitely more dangerous and as you said, sometimes people go down the track the wrong way because it's difficult to cross.
That’s also a good point! Maybe I’ll do a video weighing the benefits of both
Well done for finding a save navigable route from C3 to Canary Wharf. I’ve got confused a few times 😅. Going further south towards the foot tunnel, I wish you could stay on the river path. I usually just go down west ferry road, rather then try to weave my way round the confusing NCN 1 route. I prefer 2 way cycle lanes, like C3 and C4, so much easier to overtake but I’m happy with any decent segregated/low traffic routes.
It’s so odd how difficult it is to get into Canary Wharf! I guess when they built it they assumed people would arrive by car or public transport
@@Londoncycleroutes It's not even easy by car
I prefer the two-way cycle lanes. "Lollipop Man" is a term I haven't heard to describe personnel directing traffic at construction sites 🤣
Haha yes that sign is a bit like a lollipop!
@@Londoncycleroutesif they are not officially called this by the end of the year I am going to be extremely sad
Note about the "steps" up to canary wharf street level from the riverside, there is a cycle ramp that you can push a bike up next to the steps plus there is a lift just on the right side.
Useful to know thank you!
I agree about the two way tracks - I too prefer them to with flow lanes.
I think I might do a video comparing the two!
Nice route. Thanks for posting. I usually prefer 2 way tracks.
I may have to do a video weighing the pros and cons!
the CYCLOPs junctions in manchester make with-flow lanes really good. very excited for them to be on more junctions on my commute
I wish we had those here, Manchester is ahead in a lot of respects I think when it comes to protected lanes
I cycled along part of this when I visited a few weeks ago. Just went for a few days so I didnt venture out of the centre but I am really impressed with the quieter roads that still all have markings and always a bit of thought given to cyclists. Much better than Exeter
From what I remember Exeter is quite hilly as well! Would love to have a ride around there one day tho and check it out
@@Londoncycleroutes yep, quite hilly, along the river is of course flat but cycling along there is only for leisure as all businesses are up in the city. The modern parts such as the uni campus are good for cycling and a few contraflows have gone up recently but the whole city needs a resurface 😅
This route is great! There is something about cycling in a city, it somehow comes alive, as opposed to riding in the country side. I much rather prefer it this way :)
I agree I’ve always found cycling in the countryside less interesting!
Hey, I’d love to see a Marylebone to Southwark Station/Waterloo. I’m moving later this year and will be coming into Marylebone. I recently got a Brompton Electric ready for my new commute! :)
Great idea! I will see what I can do
Great video as usual, very helpful and gives plenty of ideas for when nice weather returns in London (one day...).
I agree we are allowed to cycle once you arrive to West India Quay but I was once asked to dismount the bike by a canary wharf security guard when crossing the footbridge. I didn't want to argue as there were lots of pedestrians but not sure if he meant never allowed or just that time because busy... Anyway great route overall.
That’s really useful to know, I’m always looking for clues about what you’re supposed to do there as it’s a bit ambiguous! Thanks for feedback
13:02 I saw the "Cyclists: stay awesome!" sticker on the lights when I first went along CS3 a few months ago, a nice touch!
Another advantage of two-way tracks is that overtaking is easier, and also emergency services can use them in a pinch.
Yes great points about the tracks!
A great route as always. Since you asked for suggestions of difficult routes, East Ham to Woolwich springs to mind. 😁
I think I would probably take the ferry haha! I will see what I can do
@@Londoncycleroutes I've done parts of this route, going up from Charlton. Yeah, it would involve the ferry most likely (Don't rely on Woolwich foot tunnel), the tricky part is getting from the ferry on the north side, to the Greenway. The quietest way I can find is to go right to the start of the Greenway, as it meets up with NCN13, but that does involve a short stretch going over the batiscule bridge on a fairly busy road which does get HGV's. The next bridge (the Steve Redgrave bridge) has a shared use pavement - then its across the shared path on the roundabout up Woolwich Manor way that has a solid white line bike lane to the segregated NCN13 path hidden away on the right. Though you might not want to do the next section at night, as that last bit of greenway is unlit. I'd be intrigued if you can find another route from the ferry/foot tunnel to the Greenway. Factory Road is not pleasant if you're not not used to fast speeding traffic either. I don't get it, it would be so easy to fix roads like this to make them safer. Newham has a long way to go really, in parts like this. Don't get me started on Victoria Dock road and it's worse than useless bike lanes, which drivers swerve into to avoid the speed humps.
@@Londoncycleroutes FFS, you know exactly what I mean! It was a mean joke. I don't think you should risk it, that route is far too dangerous to recommend on your channel.
@@CyclingSteve haha, glad to hear you were joking, I did not clock this. people ask for all sorts!
I have a suggestion for the channel and to help it expand.
If possible could you make a website where anyone can download any of your maps/routes and you can have other stuff too which could link to patrons, maybe show cycling events, maybe even host a cycling event throughout London (I know that would be hard to do but I think it would definitely be worth it), construction updates/indicators to show what cycle lanes are being made/redone at that moment.
I know that this would be a big challenge for anyone to do however I think it would benefit this channel and the whole of London cyclists!
Also people like me could upload .gpx files
This would be a lot of work but probably very useful if it could be got off the ground!
Great video as always Jon, really highlighted the popularity of the routes. I'm in London next weekend and checking out the brixton/stockwell ones as I'll be in that area, very useful, thanks!
Make sure you check out C5!
@@Londoncycleroutes will do, thanks!
Cons of Two-ways:
-Often used instead of properly wide, segregated One-ways -> the wider margins make it possible to overtake safely / use wider cargo bikes / use wheelchair bikes / ride along with someone, e.g. kids / swerve, for people learning to ride on their own, e.g. kids / swerve, for people avoiding an unexpected obstacle or just making an honest mistake
-Turns -> harder to allocate space for properly wide bike stack lanes if needed (especially if a properly wide turning radius is to fit in, with the benefits listed above)
-Predictability -> people on foot/in motor vehicles are used to looking in one direction at a time, unless they are near the middle of the road / an exception is extremely clearly signaled
Pros of Two-ways:
+In a truly urban setting, they are sometimes better than nothing (i.e. getting the whole project cancelled because of pressure from car-owners too used to subsidized parking spots)? Better for able-bodied adult cyclists in the short run, that is ; )
I get your point about Two-ways being some of the best cycling infra in London for the time being, but if you compare them to best-practice infra in Copenhagen/Groningen/Tokyo, the ones taken in London will hopefully just be baby-steps in the long run : )
Good summary for sure - I should do a video comparing both as there are a lot of arguments in both directions!
Minute 16:52, Narrow Street, we can't turn right between those columns anymore. People living there don't like us that much, they campaigned to ban cycles. Have to get off and walk.
Ah really, that’s annoying! I used to go that way
Great route
Thank you for watching!
2 way tracks are hugely superior. They're wide enough to fit a proper street sweeping vehicle in to keep them clean.
A good point!
I've got a "scenic route" that I like to take between more or less the same points (starting at Camden Road overground):
Part 1: getting onto the C27
- follow Agar Grove east until meeting York Way, then turn right and immediate left onto Brandon Rd (there's a signpost saying "Hackney")
- When you come to pentonville prison turn right along Caledonian Rd, then second left onto Offord Rd
- when meeting Liverpool Rd, cross it onto Laycock St
- when meeting the A1, turn right, then left onto Canonbury Ln. Turn right onto the A1200 road that runs through the middle of Canonbury Gardens.
- this is the part where I would often mess up because the nondescript turn-off is easy to miss: continue on the road, passing Essex Road train station on your right, then turn left onto Ecclesbourne Rd. Congratulations! you are now on the C27 cycle route.
- follow the C27 through the wonderfully quiet streets of Islington and De Beauvoir town until you arrive at London Fields.
Part 2: getting into Victoria Park
- go through London Fields eastwards, then turn right onto the C13 heading South and exit the park at its southern exit.
- take a left onto Westgate St, then cross the main road onto King Edward's Rd.
- at the end of the road turn right onto Clermont Rd. This will meet Victoria Park Rd which is one-way and heading the wrong way, but there is a cycle path on the pavement opposite. Use it to go a short distance eastward to the Gore Rd entrance to Victoria Park.
- follow the path heading right around the park, eventually leading to a straight path with the boating lake on your left and the regent's canal on your right. Here you will meet NCR route 1, which leads down onto the canal towpath on your right.
Part 3: NCR 1
- the NCR route (not particularly well signposted compared to a london cycleway) runs along the canal towpath until you go under the railway bridge, after which it goes up into Mile End Park. If you follow it you will eventually get to Canary Wharf.
- bonus: the NCR route carries on through the interior of the isle of dogs and down to the Greenwich foot tunnel, after which you can link up with the various routes starting at the Cutty Sark
A lot of those bits of C27 are really nice! definitely a scenic route in this case tho
As a resident I love seeing buds closing. No more drunks at night.
We’re all residents
One of my main routes I need to travel is Paddington to Stratford. I haven’t found a fully safe route yet and was wondering if you could potentially make a video on how to get between those two places. Or if you have any advice it would be greatly appreciated
Another great video mate and thank you for making these cycle paths known, I know most of them but I know that a lot of Londoners don’t know about themselves routes. I’m hoping more would be introduced throughout London but this is much better then the cycle infrastructure around 10 years ago!
I would follow the union canal to Islington then through Islington, over the tunnel, rejoin the Union canal till it hits the River Lea the south, officially there is a waling path through Islington
Paddington to Stratford is a great idea, I’ll see what I can do! Probably won’t be competitive on time now thr Elizabeth Line is up and running however! But sometimes it’s just nicer to cycle
@@phineascampbell5248there is one slight issue with the canal, I use it often however I try and stay near the canal but not on it if it’s too dark, during summer the canal is a good idea but when your in London alone next to a canal at night… anything can happen
Hyde Park to cycle way 3 at embankment and just follow that to cycle highway 1 all way to Stratford? He did a video about the new link between the two cycle highways not long ago
Great route as always. When done properly, I also prefer two-way cycle lanes. However, when they are narrow like the C3 section on the videoo and you see reckless individuals attempting to overtake at any cost, it can be quite frustrating. Nonetheless, this issue is more of a human problem rather than an infrastructure one I guess
Yeah that’s a fair point- also I think infrastructure should work around human problems!
4K CS3 goodness. The eastern section CS3 is more of a pain going eastwards as there are lots of dips on that side of the track but it is still a good route.
Yes I think you’re right about the asymmetry of it
I’ve taken it right out to Becton. It gets a bit grim and nasty when it’s a dusty narrow track alongside 6 lanes of fast moving traffic on the A13 😬
@@Londoncycleroutes I meant westwards.. sorry. Yeap
A new bridge should be installed in May continuing NCN1 into Canary Wharf without the need to climb the stairs. I like the route you've shown though!
Interesting, didn’t realise that would provide a new way in - though some people are saying the but with the columns has had a cyclists dismount sign fitted recently?
Don't understand that, where will the new bridge go exactly?
@@Londoncycleroutesit's been there a few years, it's private land I believe and I have a recollection it was put up when the sewer works started and this section of the thames path to the small park was closed so it probably caused an increase in cycle traffic under the arch, it's always had annoying metal railings up so pretty tricky to cycle through without pushing anyway.
Regarding two ways, the one you ride on is a perfect example of one that was a big pain for me doing deliveries. It's set up for commuters, not local trips:
I used to have deliveries to the houses and hotels along the river off upper thames st, which is the opposite side of the cycle track, so I had to ride in the road to access them, and the same problem for accessing Temple just further west where it switches sides.
I think the two-way on chiswick high roads works ok because it's quite a small and slower road, and also Boston road is a good one. Not a fan of the two way on the C9 section just coming up to hammersmith gyratory though, as there's so many pedestrians stepping into it, they put barriers by the junction which helped but the whole stretch of road is rather precarious.
Unidirectional/with flow lanes would always be my preference, where space permits. Another thing is 2-ways often mean extra light phases required for turns, so every road user has to wait longer. Also a little issue is oncoming cycles either blinding you with their front lights or overtaking dangerously. But 9/10 it will be better than no lanes at all so can't complain too much.
This is a really good point! I suppose it’s not just about being able to turn down streets but also accessing properties on the street itself. Thinking of doing a video on the subject comparing the two maybe
I actually think the opposite, for a local road it makes more sense to have with flow tracks, as there are tons of side roads / vehicle entrances and such. Cars wanting the turn across the lane don't always know to look both ways.
Boston Manor Road is pretty much the perfect environment for a two way track, yeah. Although there are lots of driveways that the cycle tracks seem to scoop down for (I'd prefer entrance kerbs) I think that's fine as it's not like there will be cars constantly coming and going. Shame that the tracks on Boston Manor Road don't really connect up with much though, they just kind of end at the station. I have used them to get from Ealing Broadway Station to Sky's offices around Isleworth, to get from the minor roads to the east (where there used to be an LTN, not anymore sadly) to the cycle tracks on the west, as far as I can tell the best way is to either go via Burnham Way (where you're met with a rising gate into a private car park) or via Haslemere Avenue (where you'd have to kind of double back via Southdown Avenue). Hopefully they can extend the tracks further north, and build better connections to the surrounding back streets.
@@liamness I think should probably do a video comparing the two as there are clearly a lot of arguments in both directions! some good points here. I wouldn't want a bidirectional in front of e.g. a load of crossover driveways which you get in some parts of London
Great video!
could you do something on the C27?
Yes! It’s long - any particular bit you’re interested in?
@@Londoncycleroutes the western bit mostly(after it meets the C3) :)
I hate that old section of cycle way 3! They really need to redo that section
It could definitely be improved but just about works!
Hi.
Any chance of a quiet route from Isleworth to Wimbledon?
Great idea I’ll see what I can do
are those new bollard things at 18:16 going into the Canary Wharf estate?
Yes, what I know off. I think a car tried to go down it so they blocked one side off
Yes I think so, they are quite new
Is there a map showing all your routes? I will be cycling in London in April and would like to go from the end of one route to the next etc.
Yes! Linked in the description (although it’s not fully up to date)
Nothing diagonal, via LTNs?
Surely, there must be LTNs that can be used to move diagonally.
Not at the moment! If the City improves links that would be the main way to cut the corner
@@Londoncycleroutes Nonetheless, c6 and c3 look quite good.
The planned Hackney to Canary wharf cycleway might help there (not sure what happened do it's progress since covid hiatus) theed can use Islington > Hackney ltns
Can I ask what is the typical average speed (mph) you are able to do during rush hour commute, considering the traffic, waiting at the lights and etc. ? I am considering a daily cycle commute from King's Cross Stn to Canary Wharf so wanted to work out a realistic commuting time. Thanks!
Good question! I honestly don’t know the mph as I don’t have a speedometer and lights are a big factor - but if you look at the Kentish Town to Canary Wharf video it goes past Kings Cross and takes 15 mins in the video time from there. Most of the videos (including that one) are at double speed so I’d say it takes about half an hour. It could take longer depending on how lucky you are with the lights and how fast you cycle (I’d say I go at a medium to quick pace- not super fast but I do overtake some people)
The worn out blue paint looks tacky. The special Dutch red asphalt looks better.
It definitely needs to be repainted in my option the old blue paint, it does it’s job but when you look at the new cycle infrastructure you can see how it’s much better
I prefer red asphalt as well. only place in London that uses it is Waltham Forest I think
What is it with ignorant pedestrians walking along cycle lanes? (10:36)
It happens haha! I try not to let it bother me toooo much
Cyclists overtaking when they should wait for a gap is a con of dual way lanes....
This is a fair point! Although there is usually more space to overtake in a two/-way in the first place…
Such a great video! thank you for sharing. The slowing down bit on Cable St certainly brings back some memories 😅 I really need to memorise that connection between St Pancras and Farringdon Rd because too many times I've ended up on the hillier less safe direct option from KX 🚲🏔
They really need to sort direct lanes on the main road, it’s very odd that they stop!