Please show your support to protect and improve both vital bike lanes between Lewisham and Catford (A21) and between Greenwich and Woolwich (A206). TfL introduced these as emergency covid measures and are now seeking views on whether to make the temporary traffic orders permanent. We fully support these plans and have responded positively to the consultation with suggestions of various improvements we believe should be implemented. 

Add your views at the links below by 12th November - making these measures permanent will pave the way for further improvements.

A21 Lewisham to Catford 

A206 Greenwich to Woolwich 

It's worth remembering, Lewisham is the lowest scoring inner London borough for healthy streets . We need your support to lobby Sadiq Khan and Damien Egan to make the necessary changes. 

Given Lewisham's poor score for healthy streets, the council must demonstrate it can deliver on its Transport Strategy and Cycle Strategy. It can only do so meaningfully by making active travel safer. Further to the TfL surveys, Lewisham Council are developing their planning framework for the A21 corridor from Downham to Lewisham. Whilst the draft framework is a step in the right direction with some good points, if we consider the magnitude of the climate emergency, we are certain this plan must go much further. It is fundamental that any new housing, office and retail development along the A21 provides necessary financial, spatial and planning benefits to enable more trips by bicycle. You can read our response to the consultation on our website in due course. Please make you own views known by responding to the consultation here.

Our autumn rides programme includes trips to Walthamstow, Surrey Hills, Central London's Royal Parks and Knatts Valley. Ideal for socially minded cyclists these rides usually involve a break for lunch and are gently paced. We also offer our Tuesday totter rides in the evening, staying local and often finishing in a pub or cafe. For more details, see our rides calendar. 

Construction of the Lewisham section of Cycleway 4 continues apace. Street savvy LC member Andrew continues his in depth reports of what’s happening on the ground between Deptford and Surrey Quays, which you can read more about here on our website. Our infrastructure volunteers have been out with the TfL team and contractors on the ground to look at making the construction works as safe as possible. In the meanwhile, we would ask that everyone riding on Evelyn Street follow the rules of the road in place and to be patient whilst construction is ongoing. We know this will benefit thousands of commuters and relieve pressure on Cycleway 10 (formerly Quietway 1) which is pretty busy at peak periods. 

We’re supporting various grant applications to Lewisham’s NCIL fund which tops over £1.75m. Applications could include anything that improves opportunity for active travel including cycling and walking. Potential schemes within local areas include making “parklets” in freed up road or car parking space, modal filters or route improvements to join up areas currently not easily cycled, and secure cycle parking. Locally constituted groups can submit schemes through their local ward assembly and we will endorse any bids that we think help local people get on bicycles. If you're part of a local Community group and want our support, please get in contact with us if you want us to help with your bid. Deadline is 21st November and applications can be made here. 

Lewisham Cyclists is growing. We now have over 1,000 members affiliated to us through membership of the London Cycling Campaign, and others who join rides or follow us on social media. We’re passionate about enabling more people to choose cycling, helping you get around actively. If you feel the same, you're welcome to our monthly meeting or join our Slack channel to find out more. We will also be running some online sessions in due course for new members and people interested in getting more involved.

We need local residents and business owners who know their neighbourhood and can help us lobby for safer streets, and people who are passionate about seeing more children, families, and underrepresented minorities cycling. Email us here to sign up to Slack, or let us know your area of interest.