Scooter/motorbike route to the City

[ksh]

Hi there

I am new to ED and have been trying various routes from ED to the City (Liverpool Street). Does anyone do a similar route? If so, which route do you find least dangerous / congested?...

Thanks

K

[PeckhamRose]

Either the one way bit through Peckham up to Old Kent Road (or up to Camberwell then hang a right on Albany Road to Old Kent Road), then Dunton Road on the side of tescos, left on to Grange Road and then cross Tower Bridge Road and bend round to the right and turn left into Long Lane. Right into Weston Street and under the arch then left on Tooley and right over London bridge, then take the fork up to Liverpool Street. Old Kent Road is a TFL road so bikers can ride in the bus lane.

That's how I do it, anyway. Tho I don't do rush hour traffic. Yet in my massive experience I find the good thing about rush hour traffic is it tends to be more predictable (though we must never assume or be complacent), as people know where they are going. At weekends when I often do the route no-one has any idea and the roads can be even more busy!

Ride safely.

[PeckhamRose]

Oh - and welcome to East Dulwich and our forum!

[Jimmy Mac]

Hello. I am not a fan of Camberwell Road/Walworth Road, so I go "round the back" to get to Elephant - Adys Road - Maxted Road - Bellenden Road - Lyndhurst Way - Peckham Road - Southampton Way - Wells Way - Albany Road - Thurlow Street (turns into Flint/Rodney/Heygate Street) to end of Walworth Road just past the Shell garage (not as convoluted as it looks, honest). Then you are at Elephant and I would go Newington Causeway - Borough High Street - London Bridge and up from there (I don't do this part of the route as I head off elsewhere...I think there have been roadworks by Borough tube). Good luck!JM

[dv1]

I have been commuting this way for years and having tried every different route possible, I now go on the main route from Denmark Hill - Camberwell Green - Walworth Road - Elephant & Castle - Borough High Street - London Bridge - Bishopsgate.

Sticking to the main road minimises your risks of constantly turning left/right etc and with most cars going the same way, less risk also of other hazards. Main problem with this is the occasional last second u-turn nut.

From a speed point of view, I don't think there is any noticeable difference in the time it takes to get there.

[SteveT]

Through peckham one way to clayton rd

turn left at the end to queens rd

60 yards and right on to peckham hill st willowbrook rd and trafalgar ave

which all run into each other to old kent rd

turn left for a mile, after LIDL right hand lane and right under the fly over,

left hand lane around the roundabout and immediately left, first off the roundabout to great dover st

at the end turn right at the traffic lights on to borough high st

and onto london bridge

stay in the middle lane and go right then immediately left on to Grace church st

to bishopsgate & liverpool st stn.

[randombloke]

All the suggestions are viable. Steve T's suggestion is excellent though it does get a bit snarled up at Peckham bus station with lots of buses, numpty drivers and clinically blind pedestrians, which as a new rider I find a bit stressful. You could follow Steve T's route but go up Consort Rd at the mini roundabout after the one way section of Copeland Rd rather than taking the left turn to go past the Morrisons turn off. When you get to Peckham High St/Queens Rd, turn right, go about 100 yards and turn left next to the posting box up Carlton Grove, over Meeting House Lane to Naylor Road. At the end of Naylor Rd turn right at the T junction onto Commercial Way, that will take you up to the Old Kent Rd and you are home free. I've found this route much quicker and less stressful as it's quiet. It's the route my better half takes and she was a despatch rider for 15 years.

Good luck and keep it shiny side up.

[SteveT]

Nice one randombloke, I shall try that next time. Keep your headlights on:)

[ksh]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have tried all of the above routes so far and my favoured route is through Peckham, Camberwell Green, Elephant and Castle. Let's hope its not too bad when the schools go back next week!

PS. "Shiny side up" - love it!

[ruffers]

SteveT Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Nice one randombloke, I shall try that next time.

> Keep your headlights on:)

Is that the current advice? Just be careful it doesn't look like you're flashing someone out as you go over a bump, need to be at least as aware of cars pulling out.

I know they tell you to do it on the M4 bus lane but then that doesn't have side turnings.

[PeckhamRose]

Having the front light on, on bikes, is a spurious issue constantly discussed in the Motorcycle Action Group.

If we all do it the government may say we all have to. In USA bikes are made where the light is on as soon as the bike is switched on. it does look good in court to answer, "How visible were you?" to answer "I was there to be seen, I had my light on, my reflective yellow strip on, and my invisibility shield turned off" but when it comes to it, people can only see when they are looking.

Back to topic, I start from the SE15 side of the park, and I like to go up Old Kent Road where I can just to make use of the bus lanes we are now allowed to ride in (thanks Boris for keeping that promise), wven though loads of bikes still don't ride in it!

Safe riding all.

[SteveT]

Motorists like myself see headlights on the bikes much more readily, than when it's off.

If I were a M/C I would leave it on permanently.

The problem is the majority of the bulk of the bike is below the car roof line so you only have the head visible on many occasions, but with the head light on it catches the eye.

Cyclists are seen much earlier with the flashing led's, an excellent innovation for night riding.

[ksh]

My Vespa has the lights constantly on. I thought most did, but clearly not.

I agree - the lights make us more noticible, as do high viz jackets in winter. Doesn't stop vans reversing into you, though...

[SDF]

Hey Khickman,

What type is your Vespa?

I've got Vespa LX 125 (Brand new last year)

London is getting more & more Vespa riders.... Best bikes around I say

Sue

[PeckhamRose]

Motorcycle action group policy on day time lights. Go to Page 8 if it does not take you there automatically.

Motorcycle Action Group (for scooter riders too!)

I do urge you to join! It's good, it's important, and it's fun and you learn stuff - we're bikers innit.

[felt-tip]

i ride lordship lane, denmark hill, camberwell, walworth rd, elephant, borough, london bridge, algate and then park in whites row multistorey for work on bishopsgate. on the way back i go across tower bridge and then down old kent rd and then through peckham via trafalger ave.

both take 25 mins.