London pub deliveries to be impacted by new cycle lanes
That’s according to Brewery Logistics Group (BLG) chairman Mike Bracey, who was speaking about two consultations on improving cycle lanes in London. The BLG’s members are major brewers representing 90% of distribution in London.
TfL has been consulting on introducing a new cycle route between New Cross Gate, south London, and Victoria, central London.
The Barclays Cycle Superhighway Route 5 (CS5) would run through Peckham, Camberwell, Kennington and Vauxhall. This consultation closed on 13 January.
It is also proposing to extend the cycle route between the centre of Stratford, and Bow roundabout, both in east London. The CS2 would run between Stratford and Aldgate via Bow, Mile End, Stepney Green and Whitechapel. The consultation runs until 11 February.
Bracey is worried how much extra kerb space will be used and fears there will be parking issues for delivery drivers. He said there are at least 20 pubs along the planned CS5, and four or five on the extended CS2.
“There are proposals to introduce mandatory cycle lanes on both sides of the road, but we haven’t been told whether delivery drivers can use them,” he said. “We don’t know if these are going to be in use 24/7 either.
“As part of CS2, there are plans for segregated cycle lanes, which means there will be an extra kerb.
“This could leave no place for loading and unloading. If TfL begins using segregated lanes, what’s to say it won’t introduce them along other routes? It will be a serious problem.
“I don’t know exactly how many pubs will be affected by this, but we have to be ahead of the game so that it doesn’t affect us.”
The BLG also called for pubs to let their distributors know of any changes to the roads outside their pub.
A TfL spokesman said mandatory cycle lanes either operate at all times or at times indicated on roadside signs, and that the same red route regulations for kerbside access apply regardless of whether or not there is a mandatory cycle lane.
“[We] are confident our proposals would have a very limited effect on any deliveries,” he said.
