First section of North-South cycle superhighway completed

The first section of segregated cycle route that will ultimately run from Elephant & Castle to Kings Cross in London has opened.

Transport for London (TfL) has completed the two-way 800m section, from Elephant & Castle to the Peabody estate on Blackfriars Road. The new North-South section will intersect with the new Quietway 1 from Waterloo to Greenwich at Webber Street, as well as the existing Cycle Superhighway 7 at Princess Street.

?Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, said: “This is another key moment in the evolution of cycling in our great city. We promised world-class facilities and that's exactly what's being delivered on the ground. We appreciate there's disruption going on as this network of routes takes shape alongside other major development work in London, but TfL is pulling out all the stops to minimise delays. The opening of this section of superhighway is an important part of our mission to get more Londoners cycling safely, offering a fantastic new segregated route for thousands of people making a trip from north to south.”

In the new year, cyclists will be able to travel from Elephant and Castle to Blackfriars Bridge along the new North-South route, with Blackfriars Road transformed from a car-dominated street into a new urban boulevard with almost 20,000 square feet of new space for pedestrians and a two-way segregated cycle track.

The link across Blackfriars Bridge will open to cyclists by spring 2016, connecting it with the East-West Cycle Superhighway and Farringdon. The North-South route will be co-branded Cycle Superhighway 6, bringing it into the wider Cycle Superhighway network.