TfL completes work to improve cycle safety on Hammersmith gyratory

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has completed work to transform the roads around Hammersmith  gyratory, one of London’s most intimidating junctions, to reduce danger to vulnerable road users.

The changes will help to build on the huge increases in cycling seen in the capital since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and will make it much easier and safer for Londoners to walk and cycle in the area. The new Cycleway will open up safe and attractive cycling across West London to Gunnersbury, Chiswick, East Acton, North Acton and Ravenscourt Park.

The important changes were developed in partnership with Hammersmith and Fulham Council and include:   

• A protected two-way cycle track on the north side of Hammersmith gyratory     
• Cyclist-specific signals at junctions to separate cyclists and motor vehicles    
• Improvements for pedestrian safety at all junctions with side roads, including raised level crossings and more footway space   
• New pedestrian crossing signals with ‘countdowns’ at the crossings of King Street, Beadon Road, Shepherd’s Bush Road, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith Road and Butterwick    
• A new parallel crossing at the Butterwick junction to allow westbound cyclists to join the two-way cycle track.   

Transforming roads such as the Hammersmith gyratory is essential to giving people walking and cycling the confidence to travel safely, as part of TfL’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury on the road network. There were 30 collisions on the gyratory in the three-year period to December 2020, of which five involved someone cycling. 

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TfL has also completed work on a further section of Cycleway 4. Once complete, the route will connect neighbourhoods in southeast London to central London via a fully protected cycle route between Tower Bridge Road and Greenwich. 

Will Norman, the Mayor’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “I’m delighted that work on the new and transformed Hammersmith gyratory has been completed. This delivers much needed protected cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings – making walking and cycling safer and easier at this busy junction. It’s also great news that the new section of Cycleway 4 is now open in Deptford – as we continue to roll out our cycle network across London.”

Julie Lewington, Head of Projects and Programmes at TfL, said: ”Walking and cycling are absolutely essential to a more sustainable future for London and we know that there has been huge demand for cycling since the start of the pandemic. We’re determined to ensure that all Londoners have access to safe cycling routes and the changes at Hammersmith gyratory will make a big difference to people walking and cycling through this key artery in west London. We’ll continue to work with the capital’s boroughs to make the case for more investment in schemes like these which enable more people to walk and cycle.”