@@Londoncycleroutes I think the real trick, with London and with many world class cities, is connecting the urban trails together with cyclable street routes. It is London, a massive city of 8M+, so taking a trail to completely avoid urbanation is beyond fantasy, but it seems there's many excellent trails that are orphans until connected together.
Getting past Earlsfield station is a bit of a pain, but the traffic is normally very slow moving because of the two sets of traffic lights within 200 yards of each other. So getting on to the next section of the wandle trail isn't too bad, and another easy 10 minutes sees you in Wandsworth town centre. I can't see an easy way to get over or under the mainline railway in this area.
I'm not averse to walking stretches just to tie together trail ends when they're that close. There's a 'zen' to being on trails, and sometimes park paths and such, that is better-off being retained by walking than having it shattered by tense on-road encounters.
I frequently ride the Wandle Trail from Beddington (my area of London) and have taken it all the way to Wandsworth (with the break you mention in the middle) It's a lovely ride, going through Morden Hall Park and past Merton Abbey Mills. Can be a bit overgrown at times though.
[Feel like a sitting duck] I had to think hard before replying to this, as my reply is negative: You are a sitting duck! The question is whether once realised, is it still worth the risk? A lot depends on the imperative. Often the very same trip and risk factor sits differently on you. A lot depends on how vulnerable you feel that day.
Further to what I wrote, let me add this, as I've analysed this for decades of cycling: If you don't feel assertive and confident enough to do it, don't! Quite often it's the 'assertiveness' that changes the balance of risk.
@@stephensaines7100 even when I ride secondary position and there were no parked cars. Got close passed twice last week. One by a HGV and another driver turning left onto the road I was riding on. Both reported, both MAPA. Riders often have no control over these close overtakes. Hence the term feel like a sitting duck.
Дякую за якісні ролики з цікавими коментарями!! Обожнюю Лондон за його заплутану вуличну будову. Як вулиці з типовими британськими таунхаусами плавно, а часто й різко перетікають в вузькі провулки, промислову зону, парки або просто в глуху стіну - ніколи не знаєш, що буде за наступним поворотом! Для мене, ця властивість міської забудови, що склалася історично (як Лондон з часом поглинав села й містечка навколо) й грамотні норми міського землекористування, роблять такі міста набагато цікавішими, ніж ті, що були побудовані за міською сіткою.
In the past I've used Penwith Road / Strathville Road / Riverdale Drive to get back on the Wandle Trail.with only a 100m busy stretch under the railway line.
Really cool video, cheers! The Wandle Trail is an ace route and that stretch is particularly handy for lots of journeys in that area. I typically used it more in the summer and latest at dusk but other bits I've cycled at night with strong lights and it was fine. In my opinion Garratt Lane also really isnt too bad as an alternative and is quite pleasant cycling usually because its wide and the traffic is gentle/rarely that heavy. Fixing the Earlsfield missing link would be amazing. I understand it involves two developments (one of them Garratt Mills is now complete i think) plus a stretch under the railway running above the river requiring a bridge -- that crucial bit is the subject of a feasibility study commissioned by Merton Council in 2023.🤞🌉🚲
I have cycled, Chelsea down the Wandle trail, it gives me a bit of a headache. Anxiety. It feels more complicated than it should be. There are some bits that are okay and some bits that aren't 😬 maybe the exit on plough lane, is a bit wonky, the path is too thin and overgrown with nettles, various gates, i don't like an obstacle course, i don't, sweating just thinking about it. Id rather go in a straight line with the traffic. A-B. I like green spaces, so why does this give me anxiety. And there is one crossing after where you stopped, Wandsworth, round cycle lane, into Earlsfield right turn possibly by the tube, that was too busy 😬😬😬 that whole route does get complicated. And Dunelm is at the other end... So i have looked at doing it, then book a delivery x
As more of a leisure cyclist instead of commuter cyclist now I prioritise park and recreation paths and always have done really. I find the sensory overload of roads and busy areas sometimes stressful and its a breath fresh air to get off them. Maybe its because I was cycling London before dedicated lanes so being constantly switched on, anticipating vehicles, pedestrians and other cyclists and an expectation of moving at pace with the traffic flow, I have never been complacent enough in the safety of a dedicated cycle lane. At night I have only ever encountered other commuters on the paths I cycle in East London, most are on electric scooters now so I think safety is potentially increased in the dark as it gets less used. Dark is the tool itself that has been used to create fear in people since humanity existed.
I know exactly what you mean about main roads! apparently driving instructors say that when cyclists learn to drive a car they have the best hazard perception
Great route, you do get traffic on South Park Road leaving the police station. Main road vs quiet streets vs off road paths is always going to depend on personality/risk tolerance but also on your reason for travel (is an extra 5 minutes each way in order to have a more pleasant route worth it for you?) For me it depends on the journey, I'm very comfortable on busier roads if in a hurry but if not then will always take the stress free route. Also I'd argue that if a short on-road section is a deal-breaker (ie Earlsfield station to cross the railway line) then you probably need more on-road practice - yes it's busy but nothing outrageous and traffic generally moves slowly, can't be constantly afraid of your own shadow. Nice to see the Wandle Trail showcased.
Yeah good point about the police station, I should have mentioned that. And I think that’s a very sensible assessment of paths vs roads- if I’m riding with my toddler on my back I’ll stick to a quieter route etc but if I’m in a rush and by myself I can handle most roads as long as they don’t turn into literal motorways!
*Fantastic route,* especially from the Garfield Recreation Ground onwards! 🤟🏽🤙🏽🤟🏽 I like paths in the day time for more casual, mellow rides but prefer main roads for proper commutes and night time ridin.
It might break protocol and/or RU-vid diktat, but I just watched this, and both our host on this channel and viewers might find this very resonant: Enter into the title bar: "Do London's New Cycleways Actually Protect Cyclists?"
@@Londoncycleroutes What's notable to me, as an emigrant Brit with roots that itch, but now very North Am in cycling reaction/instinct as per side of road, is that the host is from the US, and he's dealt with what I faced in my sojourns back in London, and clearly gives it a thumbs up now for the massive changes in cycling awareness and infrastructure. After watching that, and his reaction, it was a huge injection of *yes* from me.
5:57 Ooh, have the mystery works and diversion ramp now gone away? It was only about a week and a half ago that I was last along there, and I'm sure they were still there then. PS a rat once committed suicide under my wheels just here: 7:23
Garfield Recreation Grounds is not always open. I've found that gate closed a few times. Oh, and Merton Council are downright anti cycling. Sick of dealing g with them. I was told that they actually ripped up cycle lanes in Wimbledon, an area of London extremely hostile to bicycles. I have to cycle through it on my way to work. Worst bit of my commute (Alexandra Road). I commute on the Wandle Trail, and wouldn't change it for any other faster route.You see the seasons changing there, and those scents in Spring... I love that! Also, it's lit in the evenings, and it's not that isolated. Of course, there are times that I probably wouldn't ride on it, lights or no lights, like Saturday or Sunday evenings. When did you film this? I ask because there is a big diversion in the middle, as there are some works done on the path. Of course there's a "cyclists dismount" signs... I was told that those works would finish in November this year.
That’s worrying about Merton - and useful info about Garfield as well, thank you. This is actually pretty old footage, coming up to a year old now I think! I had it in reserve for when I couldn’t get out on my bike and needed to do a quick one… for example if there was an England game on the tv on Sunday!
A quiet alternative is to turn left at the bottom of Cowper road cycle down the alley and turn left onto North Road and then turn left on Chaucer Way which connects with the Wandle Trail. This would not be suitable for adaptive bicycles but no locked gates.
Slightly off-topic question: has anyone used the Southwark council Spine route? I can see they've installed some infra already but I can't find a proper route map and apparently there is an unfinished bit on a main road. I'm wondering if I should try it yet, as the southern part of the route will be pretty useful for getting to the shops.
some of it is done but they've been painfully slow and doing it in sections... it's not awful but the infrastructure is incredibly variable in quality. I like to think it feels like infrastructure from 2013 because they've been working on it since then. the worst thing is it's asymmetrical with different routes in each direction at points, which I hate! if you want a map of what's there, check out the Safe Cycle London map linked in the description.
Yeah I think there are quite a few people using it at rush hour - I guess some people might find it harder if they come back late or whatever (personally this isn’t a problem for me but I try and work out if it might be for some people!)
It's probably going to be a bit of a nightmare to get the Wandle Trail underneath the big railway from Wimbledon to Earlsfield. That's a four track railway and most of the places you can cross it are busy roads. Using Durnsford Road to cross that railway is insane, as it's a big snaky bridge where you struggle to get up and big trucks thunder across in both directions. Gap Road is better than the bit you showed at Earlsfield, but still fairly busy.
@@Londoncycleroutes looking on Google maps there's a photo (courtesy of Uy Hoang) where you can see the bridge. Looks like tit would be a minor extension to the left of the riverbank, or a short gangway ala Dukes Meadows Footbridge
I'd much rather have the separated, off-road route. I'm not a confident cyclist and cycling on the road can be very unsettling - I usually get off and push!
Follow your instincts! I'm an accomplished distance cyclist, mostly cross-country, and there's times I end up on a major road connecting the back lanes, and rather than slide into anxiety, I'll just walk the shoulders until the next connecting back lane. It all comes down to how you're *feeling* the 'balance of risks' at the time...but your instincts are almost always right.
I like off road paths until they are full of pedestrians who fail to respond to a bike bell... and then there are loose dogs with owners who think that is not a problem.
Not on parallel crossings like the one on this video, they’re meant for pedestrians and cycles - but I do think that misunderstanding is one reason some motorists don’t stop. A sort of attempt to punish
