The problem

Significant numbers of cycles used the City's streets since the invention of the bicycle, however during the second half of the 20th century the majority of the streets in the City have been made one-way. Some one-way streets were introduced to improve the flow and speed of motor traffic: examples of these gyratory systems in the City are at St. Paul's and Aldgate.

Others were introduced to restrict the problems caused by motor traffic rat-running through sensitive areas, for example prohibiting through traffic but allowing access via a specified route. Finally some are there to prevent the problem where two large vehicles try to pass in a narrow street. However in all cases the disadvantages - longer journeys, faster travelling motor vehicles, need to weave across more lanes - to cycles were not considered. That's because until recently cycling was seen as sport not as a means of transport. Now that thinking has changed, our streets need to as well...

Contra-flows in the City

While the Corporation is returning one large one-way road (London Wall - see campaigns page for how cycle lanes are being removed as part of this) to two-way working, there is only one cycle contraflow in the City. This is the cycle route on Jewry Street and took two years of campaigning and three attempts at putting signs up to get the correct signage so that it was legal not to mention safe to use!

The thinking from the Corporation's engineers seems to be that cycles need to be protected in a concrete gutterway if they are allowed to cycle the 'wrong' way. Indeed they have even stated that no traffic sign exists to permit cycles to cycle against motor traffic flow without a cycle lane (see opposite), despite reprinting in their report our submission that gave its exact reference.

On Lombard Street, the Corporation accepted that it made sense to have a cycle contraflow in the western one-way section as well as the new eastern one-way, creating a quiet route from Aldgate to Bank. However the proposal is on hold due to 'safety concerns". We can't see why Lombard Street was only made one-way in 1992. Then as now cyclists experience problems on the main roads, not the smaller roads where speeds are low. In fact motor traffic has been reduced so drastically by the ring of steel in 1993 and congestion charging in 2003 that no special cycle lanes would be necessary on Lombard Street at all.

Corporation officers still do not understand cycle traffic and its need for direct routes. For example, the same mistakes made in 1997 regarding the northern expansion of the ring of steel (see Hackney Cyclists) are being made again around Queen street, despite the fact that the main cycle route in the City runs along here and that the Corporation promised to improve access to it on either side rather than implement a labyrinth of one-ways.

Throgmorton Street on a proposed local cycle route between Gresham and Liverpool Streets is currently one-way but motor vehicles are banned except for limited access. So all it should need is its signs changed. However the Corporation say that further research is necessary about the "controversial" issue of allowing cyclists the "wrong" way down a one way street despite there being clear guidelines dating from 1998: DfT Circular - Contraflow cycling.

Isn't it dangerous?

Extensive research shows that one-way streets increase motor traffic speeds, often producing a race track effect in gyratories, and that this increases the frequency and severity of collisions. It also shows that cycling is usually safer against the flow of motor traffic, with the problem areas being the start and end of contra-flows and also where there are side roads on the side of the road that contra-flow cycles are using. Guidance at the European, national and regional (from Transport for London) suggests that almost all one-ways can be made two-way for cycles.

In fact one-way streets have only become common in the last generation. Before then there were lots of cyclists using narrow streets with few problems. So it is silly to start requiring lots of complicated concrete contra-flows.

Cycling agains the flow works well on minor streets as long as there is clear signing, which means just modifying different signs rather than adding to them, and motor traffic volumes and speeds are low. In the City there has been a significant reduction in motor traffic levels over the last decade and with the implementation of a 20mph zone. Often the one-way restriction can be removed by putting in a plug at one end through which only cycles can proceed in one direction: this is called a "false" one-way street and is the simplest and most proportionate way to deal with the problems of through motor traffic.

For gyratories it is much better simply to remove the one way systems - as was so successfully done in Shoreditch - rather than cementing it in by putting cycles into cycle tracks that go through a separate set of traffic lights at every turn. With the reduction in traffic levels caused by congestion charging, the gyratories are a relic of a past that believed in a future of ever increasing cars. In the City all road users would benefit particularly from their swift removal.

Campaign summary

• Reduce flows and peak speed of motor traffic further Remove all gyratories in the City by 2006/7
• Audit all one-way streets and banned turns for cycling by 2005
• As part of 20mph zones based on Traffc & Environment Zones, permit contra-flow cycling on all streets by 2007/8

Maximising cycle permeability through the City would necessitate major road works in a few locations, similar to those successfully carried out in 2002 to return the Shoreditch Triangle to two-way working, however generally all that would be necessary is changing a few signs.

Mayor Livingstone wants to see all gyratories removed in London in the medium term, however there are only plans for Aldgate at present, despite the reduced motor traffic levels due to congestion charging providing even more reason to remove those inside the City.

Way to go! 10 City one-ways that top our hit list

1. Aldgate gyratory
2. St Paul's (Newgate) gyratory
3. Mansion House gyratory
4. Smithfield gyratory
5. Eldon Street
6. Throgmorton Street
7. Lombard Street
8. London Wall
9. Tower Hill gyratory
10. Old Bailey