List of cycle routes in London

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This article provides a list of cycle routes in the Greater London area that have been waymarked with formal route signage.

The routes include Cycleways (including Cycle Superhighways and Quietways) and the older London Cycle Network, all designated by the local government body Transport for London (TfL), National Cycle Network routes designated by the sustainable transport charity Sustrans, and miscellaneous Greenways created by various bodies. Most recently, in May 2020 TfL announced its Streetspace for London in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note: not all these routes are dedicated 'traffic free' cycle tracks: most of them also include ordinary roads shared with motor traffic and footpaths shared with pedestrians.

Cycleways[]

Cycleway 4 on A200 Jamaica Road

From summer 2019, TfL started branding new cycle routes (and re-branding and consolidating some existing routes) as 'Cycleways'.[1][2] This was following feedback and criticism that the previous branding ('Superhighways' and 'Quietways') was sometimes "misleading".[3]

In addition, all new and existing routes will have to meet newer and stricter 'Cycling Quality Criteria' in order to get signed as Cycleways by TfL.[3]

Central London Cycle Grid
A partially completed scheme[4] within the central London area which includes both numbered and unnumbered Cycleways, Cycle Superhighways and Quietways.

List of currently open Cycleway routes:
Name Route Boroughs Comments Approximate Length Map
 C1 /
 CS1  		Freezywater – (Ponders End) – Lower Edmonton – Upper Edmonton – North Middlesex Hospital – Tottenham – Seven Sisters – Stamford Hill – Stoke Newington – Dalston – De Beauvoir – Hoxton – The City
(A10) 		Enfield, Haringey, Hackney, Islington CS1 route between Tottenham and the City was completed in April 2016.[5] This route is primarily non-segregated on quieter streets (often following the route of the older LCN  10 ), and is thus more similar to the Quietways. An extension northwards to Freezywater (as C1 route) was largely complete by January 2021, with only the Ponders End High Street section left to be constructed. 7.5 miles (12 km)[6] map map
 C2  City – Whitechapel – Mile End – Bow – Stratford
(A11 – A118) 		Tower Hamlets, Newham As an upgrade to the old LCN  11  route, Cycle Superhighway 2 initially consisted mostly of 'blue paint' cycle lanes. In 2016, after safety concerns and fatalities, the majority of the route was further upgraded to separated cycle tracks [1].[7] In September 2021, the whole section was signposted as C2. 4.3 miles (6.8 km)[8] map
 CS3  Lancaster Gate – Hyde Park – Westminster – Embankment – Blackfriars – Tower Gateway – Shadwell – Westferry – Poplar – Blackwall – East India – Canning Town – Prince Regent Lane – North Beckton – Barking
(A4209 – A402 – Hyde Park – A3211 – A1202 – A13) 		Westminster, City of London, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking and Dagenham This Cycle Superhighway route is already referred to as Cycleway 3 by TfL, although it's yet to be branded as a Cycleway route. The section from Barking to Tower Hill was largely an upgrade to the old LCN  13  route. Sustrans' have also designated much of this stretch as being part of their NCN  13 . In 2017, TfL constructed a lengthy extension of CS3 (dubbed 'CS3 East West') to Lancaster Gate. 15 miles (24 km)[9] map
 C4  London Bridge – Bermondsey – Rotherhithe roundabout (– Surrey Quays) Southwark, (Lewisham, Greenwich) Originally announced as Cycle Superhighway 4, Cycleway 4 is open from Tower Bridge Road to Rotherhithe roundabout, albeit unsigned from Tower Bridge to Southwark Park Road. As of May 2021, a temporary extension of the route to Monument station and a further temporary alignment of the route between Greenwich and Charlton were both open, funded by the Streetspace for London programme. The section from Rotherhithe to Greenwich is under construction. It is proposed to eventually run from London Bridge to Woolwich. 1.9 miles (3.11 km)[10] map
 C5  Waterloo – Vauxhall – Stockwell – Clapham Common Lambeth, Wandsworth Initially had been planned to link Waterloo to Croydon, but only the section from Lambeth North to Clapham Common has been launched, initially as Q5, which got rebranded as Cycleway 5 in December 2021. map
 C6  Kentish Town – King's Cross – Farringdon – Ludgate Circus – Blackfriars Bridge – Southwark – St. George's Circus – Elephant & Castle Camden, Islington, Southwark Includes all of the former 'North–South Cycle Superhighway' (CS6), plus a further northward extension to Kentish Town. There are proposals to extend C6 further north to Gospel Oak. 5 miles (8 km)[11] map
 CS7  City – Southwark Bridge – Elephant & Castle – Kennington – Oval – Stockwell – Clapham North – Clapham High Street – Clapham Common – Clapham South – Balham – Tooting Bec – Tooting Broadway – Colliers Wood
(A3 – A24) 		City of London, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth This route continues to be referred to as a Cycle Superhighway route by TfL. It featured few separated lanes, but during 2020, as part of the response to coronavirus, several sections were upgraded to segregated lanes, including the use of 'floating bus stops'.  8.5 miles (14 km)[12] map
 CS8 /
 C8  		Wandsworth High Street – Wandsworth Town – Battersea High Street – Battersea Park – Chelsea Bridge – Vauxhall Bridge – Lambeth Bridge Wandsworth, Westminster During 2020, the stretch of CS8 between Vauxhall Bridge and Chelsea Bridge (along Grosvenor Road and Millbank) was largely segregated from the carriageway with 'wands''; in early 2021 this stretch was re-signed as C8. 6 miles, 10 km[13] CS8 map
C8 map
 C10  Waterloo – Borough – Bermondsey Spa – South Bermondsey – Deptford – Greenwich Southwark Formerly Q1. The portion in Bermondsey/Southwark also forms part of NCN  425  (and includes stretches that were formerly LCN  2 ).

Missing connection to existing Q1: Streetspace for London plans[14] include possible road restriction to only cyclists and buses on Waterloo Bridge.[14] 		map
 C14  (Waterloo) – London Bridge – Rotherhithe – Canada Water – (Deptford) Southwark Originally planned and partially signposted as Q14, C14 is waymarked from Blackfriars Road where it meets C6 as far as Tower Bridge Road, where it meets C4. It is also signed from the Jamaica Road/Dockhead junction, as far as South Dock near the Lewisham border, mostly following NCN  4 . The route will eventually extend along the rest of the partially-implemented Q14 route, running along the NCN  1  Thames path through Greenwich and Thamesmead 2.9 miles (4.6 km)[15] map
 C16  Manor Park – Aldersbrook – Valentines Park – Barkingside Redbridge Valentines Park is closed at night. Formerly signed as Q6, which was planned to extend from Mile End to Barkingside, but Tower Hamlets council's originally proposed section was not approved by TfL. map
 C17  Borough – Walworth – Burgess Park Southwark Northern section of what was formerly known as Q7. There are proposals to extend C17 further south into Camberwell. 1.7 miles (2.8 km)[16] map
 C20  Enfield Town – Winchmore Hill – Palmers Green Enfield Southern end of route currently ends with a connection to existing cycling infrastructure on the North Circular Road, where the proposed  C38  route will start. 6.5 miles (10 km)[17] map
 C21  Bush Hill – Edmonton Green – Meridian Water Enfield Connects  C20  at Bush Hill Parade to Meridian Water train station. map
 C23  Lea Bridge – Bakers Arms – Whipps Cross Waltham Forest This upgrades an 8 km section of the old LCN route along Lea Bridge Road.[18] Construction was part of the 'mini-hollands'[19] programme. Eastwards the route currently ends opposite an entry road to Whipps Cross Hospital. A westwards extension towards Dalston is under construction. 5 miles (8 km)[17] map
 C27  (Notting Hill) – Paddington – Marylebone – Fitzrovia – (Bloomsbury) Westminster, (Camden) Part of a long east-west Quietway originally known as Q2. C27 has now been signposted along the formerly unsigned Westminster sections. The route in Camden has never been signposted but does have some road markings in places. For now, the rest of the route remains branded as Quietway 2. map
 C28  Kingston High Street – Palmerston Road Kingston upon Thames An upgrade to part of the old LCN  3  route; initially waymarked as Quietway Q19 before being rebranded as Cycleway 28 in December 2019. 1500 yards (1.4 km)[20] map
 C29  Kingston station – Surbiton – (Tolworth) Kingston upon Thames An extension to Tolworth is under construction. map
 C30  Kingston Town Centre – Kingston Hospital – Kingston Vale Kingston upon Thames Route is open, although there are short sections where the proposed mini-holland cycling infrastructure has not yet been delivered (due to reduced funding post-COVID). map
 C31  New Malden – Raynes Park Kingston upon Thames, Merton First section between New Malden and Raynes Park opened on 13 July 2019. There are proposals to extend this to Wimbledon. 1.6 miles (2.7 km)[21] map
 C33  Queen Elizabeth Hospital – Woolwich Town Centre Greenwich, Lewisham Will be a link off a future 'Woolwich to Lee Green' Cycleway route. Was previously signed as an unnumbered 'Q' route map
 C34  North Acton – East Acton – White City Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham Construction started in March 2019. First section opened in May 2020. This route was formerly planned to be Cycleway 10.[22] map
 C35  Bermondsey Spa – Peckham Southwark Opened in summer 2020. Connects directly to  C10  at Bermondsey Spa and mostly follows the routes of the old LCN  22  and part of NCN  425 . 1.3 miles (2 km)[23] map
 C38  Finsbury Park – Liverpool Road Islington Formerly planned as the Q10 route. map
 C39  Shepherd's Bush – Kensington Olympia Kensington & Chelsea Opened in spring 2020. 1300 yards (1.2 km)[24] map
 C42  Barking Town Centre – Barking Riverside Barking and Dagenham Mostly completed route, with a notable gap on Thames Road. Planned to be extended northwards to Ilford. map
 C44  (Queen's Park) – Grand Union Canal – North Kensington – Notting Hill Kensington & Chelsea, (Westminster) Opened in August 2020. Follows the old LCN  45  route for almost all of its length. 1.5 miles (2.4 km)[25] map
Link routes
(  C  ) 		Central London Grid (various) Camden, City of London, Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea Cycleway link routes are usually way-marked with an un-numbered  C :
  • Cycleway linking  C6  to King's Cross station (map)
  • Cycleway linking  C6  and  CS3  (map)
  • Links off  C5  in Vauxhall (map1, (map2)
  • Link off  C27  to Hyde Park
Greenwich – Charlton Greenwich A pop-up Streetspace route as an intermediate version of Cycleway 4. This route is signed as  C , except at Angerstein roundabout's new (permanent) infrastructure which does have  C4  signage. map1 map2
Surbiton Kingston upon Thames A link between  C29  and Surbiton, running along St. Mark's Hill. map

Cycle Superhighways[]

Destinations of CS7 in the style of a tube line, on a large upright sign.
CS7 at Colliers Wood Station, showing a 'totem' route sign.

London's Cycle Superhighways were a set of Bike freeways, that were aimed principally at commuters and more experienced cyclists, providing faster and more direct radial routes between outer and central London.[1] In addition to route signage with a pink logo, other distinctive features included blue cycle lanes on some of the routes (the brand colour of the scheme's original sponsor, Barclays) and 'totem' style signage pillars.

History[]

London's Cycle Superhighways were first announced in 2008 by Mayor Ken Livingstone.[26] The original proposal consisted of 12 radial routes, with routes numbered in 'clock face' fashion[27] however several of these proposed routes were never built, seeing opposition from the respective London boroughs.[28] Initial implementation of the cycle superhighways also drew criticism on safety grounds, with poor design at some junctions, insufficient segregation of cyclists from motor traffic and slippery surfaces all contributing to numerous fatalities.[29][30][31][32]

In 2018 TfL dropped the 'cycle superhighway' name from use on any further projects. All the existing Cycle Superhighways are now part of the Cycleways network and each will get rebranded as a numbered 'Cycleway' in due course.

Quietways[]

Signage for three Quietway cycle routes on Moor Lane in the City.

First announced in 2015, TfL's Quietways[33] targeted less confident cyclists who want to use routes with less traffic, whilst also providing for existing cyclists who want to travel at a more gentle pace. The route numbers were shown in purple on signs.

The scheme lasted only three years before TfL decided to drop the Quietways brand, using 'Cycleways' for further new routes. All Quietways are now formally part of the Cycleways network and TfL have indicated that the existing Quietways will be gradually rebranded as a 'Cycleways' (and renumbered in most cases).

List of Quietway routes that were implemented before the scheme was halted:
Name Route Boroughs Comments Map
 Q1  Bloomsbury – Holborn – Covent Garden[34] Camden, City of Westminster Streetspace for London plans[14] include fast-tracking of a planned Q1 extension to Hampstead Heath via Euston and Camden Town.
Former Q1 south of the Thames has now been rebranded as Cycleway 10. 		Q1
map
 Q2  West section: East Acton – Wormwood Scrubs – North Kensington;
East section: (Fitzrovia –) Bloomsbury – Clerkenwell – Angel – Canonbury – De Beauvoir Town – London Fields – Clapton – Lea Bridge – Walthamstow Wetlands – Walthamstow Central 		Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Camden, Islington, Hackney, Waltham Forest Will get rebranded as Cycleway 27. In late 2021, Westminster's section was marked as C27.

West section: East Acton to North Kensington.

East section: Fitzrovia to Walthamstow. Some of the awaited route through Camden already has C27 road markings instead. 		Q2(W)
Q2(E)
map
 Q3  Gladstone Park (Dollis Hill) – Kilburn) Brent Originally planned to link Gladstone Park with Regent's Park, however Camden and Westminster boroughs have not yet implement their sections of the route. Approximately half of the implemented section is an upgrade to the old LCN  48 . Q3 map
Q4 Clapham Common to Wimbledon Lambeth, Wandsworth, Merton Although most of the route has been built, the only part to be signed is a single crossing. Q4 map
 Q7  Dulwich Village Southwark Only a single junction in Dulwich remains with Q7 signage.

With the Q7 section north of Burgess Park becoming C17 during summer 2019, this was the first existing Quietway to get partly renumbered and rebranded as a 'Cycleway'. Only LCN  23  road markings remain between C17 and Camberwell for now, as all previous Q7 road markings and signage have been removed. 		Q7 OSM map
 Q11  Angel – Old Street – City of London (CS3/CS7) Islington, Hackney, City of London[35] Runs from  Q2  to Southwark Bridge (connecting to  CS3  and  CS7 ). Although proposed works for Q11 are yet to be implemented by Islington council, the route is partly signed there. Q11 map
 Q13  Old Street – Shoreditch – Broadway Market Islington, Tower Hamlets, Hackney[36] Connects  Q11  to  Q2 . Although proposed works for Q11 or Q13 are yet to be implemented by Islington council, both routes are partly signed there. Q13 map
 Q14 
East section: Charlton Riverside – Woolwich – Thamesmead[37] 		Southwark, Greenwich Originally proposed as a continuous route from Waterloo to Erith (sometimes referred to as Jubilee Quietway). However, only two sections were implemented as Q14: one in Southwark, and a riverfront section from the Thames Barrier to Woolwich opened in June 2018 (largely along NCN  1 ).[38] In March 2020 newer sections of the proposed route began to get signed as C14. In Autumn 2021, the western (Southwark) section was resigned as C14. Q14 map
 Q15  Brompton Cemetery – Earl's Court – South Kensington – Chelsea Kensington & Chelsea A proposed extension to Belgravia has yet to be implemented by Westminster council. Q15 map
 Q16  West Drayton – Stockley Park – North Circular Road – Old Oak Lane – Regent's Canal Canal & River Trust Majority of route will be along Grand Union Canal towpath. Improvements along the towpath were scheduled to be completed in 2020.[39] OSM map
 Q22  Stratford High Street (C2) – West Ham – Plaistow – East Ham – North Beckton (CS3) Newham An upgrade to the section of LCN  16  along The Greenway connecting  CS3  and  C2 . (As a future Cycleway) this route is planned to be extended to Victoria Park. Q22 map
Link routes
(  Q  ) 		Central London Grid (various) Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, City of London, Islington, Hackney Routes are way-marked with an un-numbered  Q . Notable link routes include:

Streetspace for London[]

In May 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting need to maintain social distancing, TfL announced a programme of measures that includes additional cycling provision.[40] Some of these measures are described as 'temporary', although others appear to include fast-tracking of permanent cycle routes. TfL implemented routes delivered under this programme have so far included:

List of notable Streetspace routes implemented by TfL
Name Route Boroughs Comments Map
S1 Park Lane Westminster One lane of the northbound carriageway is now a two way cycle lane, protected by poles. Approximately. 1.2 km long.[41] map
S2 Hampstead Road Camden With flow lightly segregated cycle lanes from Euston Road to Mornington Crescent can be intermittent. Approximately 1.1 km long.[42] map
S3 Euston Road (eastbound) Camden Eastbound with-flow lightly segregated cycle lanes from North Gower Street to Midland Street, linking with C6. Confirmed temporary as it will be removed for HS2 works. The westbound protected cycle route was removed in late 2020. Approximately 1.0 km long.[43] map
Bishopsgate City of London 5 Bus Gates have been installed to create a bus and cycle only street from Shoreditch High Street to Monument Junction, 0700-1900 Monday to Friday.[44] map
London Bridge City of London Closure to private motor traffic from 0700 to 1900 Monday to Friday, plus creation of with-flow semi-segregated lanes.[45] map
CS7 Clapham South - Balham - Tooting Bec - Tooting Broadway - Colliers Wood Wandsworth, Merton Upgrade of existing with flow cycle lanes to be mostly light segregated lanes, plus the creation of bus stop bypasses, on the section from Alderbrook Road to Colliers Wood.[46][47] overview map 1

overview map 2

overview map 3

CS8 Lambeth Bridge- Vauxhall Bridge- Chelsea Bridge Westminster Upgrade of existing with flow cycle lanes to be mostly light segregated lanes, plus the creation of bus stop bypasses along Millbank from Lambeth Bridge to Chelsea Bridge.[48]

Additionally, numerous pop up cycle routes have been funded by TfL or the Department for Transport as part of Streetspace, but implemented by boroughs. Funding has also been provided for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, which have filtered roads to prevent through traffic through residential areas, having a knock on effect on cycling by improving links through these areas. As of January 2021, TfL's website[49] listed over 30 different Streetspace schemes. Sustrans published a map of streetspace interventions.[50]

London Cycle Network Plus[]

Direction signs for multiple London Cycle Network routes.
Road marking to indicate street is part of a London Cycle Network route.
Examples of route confirmation signage and road markings for London Cycle Network routes.
Directional sign for LCN 7.
Other signage for LCN routes including Directions, Destinations and Distances

The London Cycle Network Plus (LCN+) aimed to provide a 900 kilometre network of cycle routes throughout Greater London. It was funded by Transport for London and managed by the LCN+ Project Team at the London Borough of Camden. It was launched in 2001, replacing the earlier London Cycle Network (LCN) project (which had begun rollout in 1981, originally planning 3000 miles of signposted routes[51]), and wound up in 2010.

Although some LCN routes have been upgraded to TfL's new Quietways and Cycle Superhighways, the majority throughout Greater London still exist and are signposted and/or indicated by carriageway markings (although not all the signage uses route numbers). Where route numbers are used in signs, this is usually the LCN route number, but on some route sections the 'LCN+ link' number has been used on signs. (LCN+ link numbers were usually internal reference numbers used for project management.)[52]

London Cycle Network routes[]

The LCN route numbering used a radial and orbital scheme, as shown by the groupings in the table below. Some routes were also part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network – these are signposted with route numbers on a red background.[53] There were also a comparable number of un-numbered routes in the scheme. These are not listed in the table below.

The last edition of the LCN route map to be published was the 5th edition (2004).[54]

Orbital routes in Central zone:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 0 
(Seven Stations Circular)		 City (→ Liverpool St.) – (Waterloo) – Westminster – Marylebone (→ Paddington) – Bloomsbury (→ Euston) – (→ King's Cross) – Finsbury – The City Three sections are now part of new TfL routes:
south side of Green Park: East-West  CS3 
Elephant and Castle to the north end of Southwark bridge:  CS7 
Southwark Bridge to Old Street:  Q11 		 map
Radial routes in Central zone:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 1  Waltham Abbey – (Lea Valley) – Mile End – Greenwich – Greenwich Peninsula – Charlton Riverside – Woolwich – Thamesmead – Erith – (Dartford) For the most part this is the Greater London portion of Sustrans NCN  1  but also includes additional sections, e.g. a route through Millwall Park. map
 2 
(A2)		 Elephant & Castle – Old Kent Road – Deptford – Greenwich – Blackheath – Kidbrooke – Eltham – Falconwood – Blackfen Some sections are now Sustrans NCN  425  and Quietway  Q1  (see above) map
  ⌊  2a  Eltham station – Falconwood Spur route off LCN  2  parallel to the A2 road, passing via Eltham station. map
 3 
(old A3)		 (Esher – Ditton) – Kingston – Wandsworth – Battersea – Clapham Common – Stockwell – Oval – Waterloo Some sections will become TfL Quietways  Q4 ,  Q5 . A section in Kingston is now  C28  (see above) map
 4  Hampton Court Bridge – Kingston – Ham – Richmond Park – Barnes – Putney Bridge – Sands End – West Chelsea – Pimlico – Lambeth Bridge – Waterloo – London Bridge – Rotherhithe – Canada Water – Deptford – Greenwich For the most part this is the Greater London portion of Sustrans NCN  4  map
 5 
(old A5)		 (Elstree) – Edgware – Kilburn – Maida Vale – Marylebone – Hyde Park – Knightsbridge – Chelsea Bridge – Battersea – Clapham – Streatham – Norbury – Croydon Portions in South London will become TfL Quietway  Q5 . Section across Chelsea Bridge/alongside Battersea Park is now  CS8  map
 6  Barnet – Alexandra Palace – Holloway – Tufnell Park – Camden Town – West End – Waterloo map
  ⌊  6a  Highgate – Gospel Oak – Camden Town – Westminster map
 7  (Southgate) – Wood Green – (Finsbury Park) – City – Elephant & Castle Section past Finsbury Park is NCN  162 . Section from St George's Circus, across Blackfriars Bridge along Farringdon Road is now  C6  map
 8  Hammersmith – (Paddington) – Angel – London Fields – Hackney – Leyton – Leytonstone – (Woodford) Includes Market Porters & 7 Stations. The portion between King's Cross Road and London Fields is now TfL Quietway  Q2  map
 9  City – Broadway Market – London Fields – Hackney – Walthamstow – Chingford – Epping The portion between London Fields and Millfields Park South is now Quietway  Q2 ; between Virginia Road and the Regent's Canal is now Quietway  Q13 . map
Radial routes in North East London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 10 
(A10)		 Waltham Cross – Enfield – Tottenham – Seven Sisters – Stoke Newington – The City The majority of this route between the City and Tottenham has been upgraded to form Cycle Superhighway  CS1  map
 11 
(A11)		 City – Stratford – Leytonstone – (Woodford) – Epping This route has been upgraded to  C2  between Aldgate and Stratford map
 12 
(A12)		 City – Stratford – Ilford – Romford map
 13 
(A13)		 City – (Canning Town) – Rainham – Tilbury Part of this route has now been upgraded to form part of Cycle Superhighway  CS3 . map
 14 
(A104)		 Clapton – Lea Bridge – Whipps Cross – Woodford A portion of the route has been upgraded to  C23 . map
 15  City – Canning Town – Plaistow – Barking – (Upminster) The section between Tower Bridge and Canning Town has been upgraded to form Cycle Superhighway  CS3  map
 16  Cambridge Heath – Victoria Park – Stratford – West Ham – Newham Greenway, Beckton The section along The Greenway is now Quietway  Q22  map
Radial routes in South East London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 17  Greenwich Park – Lewisham – Catford – Beckenham, West Wickham Shares route of Sustrans NCN  21  (Waterlink Way) between Elverson Road DLR station and Loampit Vale, Lewisham map
 18  Greenwich – Woolwich – Erith – Dartford map
 19  Charlton – Greenwich – Plumstead – Bexleyheath – Dartford map
 20  Deptford – Lewisham – Mottingham – New Eltham – Sidcup map
 21  Greenwich – Lewisham – Ladywell – Catford – Lower Sydenham – Kent House – (Elmers End) – Addington – New Addington Greater London portion of Sustrans NCN  21  along Waterlink Way map
 22  Central London – Peckham Rye – Catford – Bromley – Orpington One section in Bermondsey (Willow Walk/Lynton Road) is now part of  C10 . In Summer 2020, the section between Peckham and Burgess Park was upgraded to  C35 . map
 23 
(A23)		 Central London – Camberwell – Crystal Palace – Croydon – Purley Northern section (Elephant and Castle to Southwark Bridge) is now TfL Cycle Superhighway  CS7  and  C17  follows some of LCN  23  also. map
 24  (Wandsworth) – Carshalton map
 25 
South Circular		 Woolwich – Catford – Dulwich Village – Herne Hill – Clapham Common – (Barnes) map
  ⌊  25a  Spur route off LCN  25 . map
 26  (Willesden) – Hammersmith – (Wandsworth) – Streatham – Crystal Palace – Eltham In reality this route is a 'orbital' one in south London from Shepherd's Bush in the west, to Eltham in the south east, however it is non-continuous with several gaps. map
 27 
(Part A21)		 Battersea – Crystal Palace – Bromley – Sevenoaks map
 28  Greenwich – Lee – Bromley map
Radial routes in South West London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 29  Wandsworth – Wimbledon – Sutton map
 30  A30, Staines – (Osterley) map
 31  A3 Kingston by-pass parallel, Leatherhead – (Hook) – (New Malden) – Hammersmith map
 32  Hayes – Hounslow – (Whitton)? – Kingston – (Ewell) map
 33  Richmond – Kingston – (Chessington) – Leatherhead map
Radial routes in North West London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 34  (Sunbury) – Hounslow – (Southall) map
 35  A315 – Staines – Hounslow – (Chiswick) – Hammersmith map
 36  A316 – (Sunbury) – Twickenham – Hammersmith The section between Woodberry Wetlands and Walthamstow Wetlands was branded the 'Wetlands to Wetlands Greenway' in 2016. map
 37  A316 parallel, (Feltham) – Twickenham – Richmond – (Wandsworth) – Central London map
 38  Wimbledon – Putney – Westminster Short section past Victoria will be part of Quietway  Q15  map
 39  A4020 Uxbridge Road – Uxbridge – Southall – Hanwell – Ealing – (Shepherd's Bush) – Hyde Park – Mayfair – West End map
 40  A40 (Hillingdon) – (Greenford) – (Hanger Lane) – Bayswater – Paddington – Central London map
 41  (Hayes) – Ealing – Uxbridge Road parallel, (Acton) map
 42  (Hayes) – Westminster Along Grand Union Canal
 43  (West Drayton) – (Hayes) – (Brentford) Along Grand Union Canal
 44  A4 – Slough – (Osterley) – Hammersmith – (Hyde Park Corner) map
 45  Harrow – Wembley – Kensington – Battersea In Summer 2020, the section between Notting Hill and North Kensington was upgraded to  C44 . map
 46  (Willesden) – (Fulham) map
 47  (Kenton) – Wembley – (Queen's Park) map
 48  (Stanmore) – (Kingsbury) – Wembley – Kilburn The eastern half of this route is now Quietway  Q3 . map
 49  (Northwood) – (Pinner) – Harrow – (Hendon) map
 50  Potters Bar – (Hendon) – Regent's Park – Marylebone – St James's Park map
 51  (Friern Barnet) – (Golders Green) map
Orbital routes in North East London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 54  Muswell Hill – Wood Green – Tottenham Hale – Walthamstow map
 55  (Wanstead) – Ilford – Barking map
 56  Wood Green – Northumberland Park The section between Bruce Castle Park and White Hart Lane stadium is now Cycle Superhighway  CS1  map
 57  Epping – Chigwell Row – Dagenham map
 58  Epping – Romford – (Rainham) map
59 (Rainham) – (Harold Hill) Proposed route, never implemented (?) OSM map
 60  Collier Row map
 61  (Bedfords Park) – Romford map
Orbital routes in South East London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 62  Greenwich – (Forest Hill) – Sydenham – Penge Route signage does not use the route number map
 63  Greenwich – Bromley map
 64  The O2 – (Mottingham) map
 65  Westminster – Vauxhall – Kennington – Peckham Rye – Nunhead – Brockley – Hilly Fields – Ladywell – Ladywell Fields – Lee Green – Eltham – Avery Hill – Blackfen – Bexleyheath Shares route through Ladywell Fields with NCN  21  map
 66  Thamesmead – Plumstead Common – Falconwood – New Eltham – Chislehurst – Petts Wood map, map (66a) & map (66b)
  ⌊  66a  Spur route off LCN  66  to the Thames Path. map
  ⌊  66b  Spur route off LCN  66  to the Thames Path map
 67  Woolwich – Bromley (Chislehurst) map
 68  (Abbey Wood) – Bexley map & map (68a)
 69  Orpington – (Bexley) – Dartford map
Orbital routes in South West London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 71  East Sheen Common – Roehampton – Wimbledon Park map
 73  Kingston Vale – Wimbledon – Croydon map
 74  Hampton Hill – Kingston – Wimbledon – Mitcham/Colliers Wood map
 75  Ealing – Twickenham – Kingston – Sutton – Croydon – Bromley – Eltham – Woolwich map
 76  (Ewell) – Sutton – Croydon – Orpington map
 77  (Ewell) – (South Croydon) – (New Beckenham) map
 78  Forestdale – Sanderstead map
Orbital routes in North West London:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 84  (Park Royal) – (Hendon)
 85  Ealing – (Hanger Lane) – Hendon – Barnet map
 86  (Sudbury) – (Perivale) – Ealing – (Brentford) map
 87  (Rayners Lane) – Greenford Broadway – Hanwell – (Brentford) map
 88  West section: A312, Feltham – (Hayes by pass), – (South Ruislip) – (Rayners Lane) – Edgware; East section: Chipping Barnet - Enfield Chase - Chingford map
  ⌊  88a  Northolt Park – Yeading – Hayes – Harlington Alternative route alignment for LCN  88 . map
 89  (Heathrow) – (West Drayton) – Uxbridge – (Hatch End) – (Stanmore) – Barnet map
Other routes:
Route Number Route Notes Map
 99  Hatton – Feltham Signposted as 99, but is really a completed section of Hounslow's LCN link +99 map
 162  Finsbury Park – Highbury Fields Shares most of its route with the old LCN  7 . The route was never way-marked on the ground and appears to have been de-designated as a National Cycle Network route by Sustrans in 2020. map
 212  Wandle Park – central Croydon – Ashburton Park Croydon Parks Link, sections opened 2016, 2017.[55] Previously referred to as a National Cycle Network route, but appears to have been de-designated by Sustrans in 2020 (the situation being unclear as the route had already been omitted from their mapping prior to that). map map
 213  Selhurst – South Norwood Croydon route along A213 that ends at borough border. map
 222  Broad Green – (Elmers End) Croydon route along A222 that ends at borough border. map
 232  Wandle Park – central Croydon – Lloyd Park Croydon Parks Link, sections opened 2016, 2017.[56] Part of route is along A232. Previously referred to as a National Cycle Network route, but appears to have been de-designated by Sustrans in 2020 (the situation being unclear as the route had already been omitted from their mapping prior to that). map
 755  (Mitcham Eastfields) – Norbury – Thornton Heath Croydon route that ends at borough border. map
 777  (Mitcham Common) – Thornton Heath Croydon route that ends at borough border. map

National and international routes[]

National Cycle Network routes[]

Route sign with white number on red background.
Route number design for NCN routes. Unlike local or regional routes, NCN routes use a red background.
The Waterlink Way, a traffic-free cycle route in Lewisham, is also part of the National Cycle Network.

The sustainable transport charity Sustrans describe their National Cycle Network (NCN) as "a network of safe traffic-free paths and quiet on-road cycling" that "criss-cross the country, linking up villages, towns and cities".[57] Eleven of these pass through London. NCN routes are signed with white lettering on a blue background, save for the route number, set on a small red rectangle.[58] In July 2020 Sustrans de-designated nearly a quarter of its National Cycle Network on safety grounds,[59] including some in London.

Route Number National Route Description Route through London Notes Maps
 1  Shetland to Dover Waltham Abbey along the River Lea via Tottenham to the Isle of Dogs, through Greenwich Foot Tunnel, Thames Path from Greenwich to Dartford Also serves as part of international routes EV2 and EV12 (see below), and was London Cycle Network + route LCN1. In 2019, a section in Greenwich was co-designated Q14. map
  ⌊  12  Enfield Lock to Spalding[60] Enfield Lock to Hadley Wood Development as the "Enfield Island Village to Hadley Wood Greenway"[61] map
  ⌊  13  London to Norwich Tower Bridge – Barking (Royal Docks) – Rainham – Purfleet shares part of its route with TfL CS3 map
      ⌊   136  — Rainham to Noak Hill via Upminster map
 20  London to Brighton Wandle Trail from Wandsworth – Carshalton, then on to Coulsdon The international Avenue Verte from London to Paris follows NCN20; TfL Quietway Q4 shares the route of NCN20 between Earlsfield and the Wandle Meadow Nature Park map
  ⌊  208  — Wimbledon to Rosehill map
 21  London to Eastbourne Waterlink Way from Greenwich – Lewisham – Catford – (Elmers End) – (New Addington) – Crawley map
 4  Fishguard to London Thames Path between Greenwich and Hampton Court Bridge Also serves as part of international route EV2 (see below), and was London Cycle Network + route LCN4. In March 2020, a section in Bermondsey was co-designated as TfL's C14. map
  ⌊  425  — Burgess Park in Camberwell to Durand's Wharf in Rotherhithe 8.1 km route built with a grant from the National Lottery. Some of the central section also became C10 (formerly Q1). In Summer 2020, a section between Burgess Park and Q1 was co-designated C35. map

International Cycle Network routes[]

Per the notes column above, two sections are co-opted by the European Cyclists' Federation as forming part of their international EuroVelo network:

  • EV2 The Capitals Route, which runs from Galway in Ireland to Moscow in Russia, follows the course of NCN4 along the River Thames from west London to Greenwich, and then follows NCN1 northwards towards Colchester,
  • EV12 North Sea Cycle Route follows the course of NCN1 in London, passing along the River Thames from Dartford to Greenwich and then continues northwards towards Colchester.

Additionally the Avenue Verte international route from London to Paris begins in central London, largely following Sustrans route NCN20 within the Greater London area.

Greenways[]

London's "Greenways" are a loosely defined collection of mostly traffic-free shared cycling and walking routes, predominantly within (or connecting to) various parks and open spaces within Greater London. TfL and Sustrans claimed that "Greenways should be suitable for use by a novice adult cyclist, a family with young children or a sensible, unaccompanied 12-year-old".[62][63]

Greenways in London have been developed by numerous different bodies, including Sustrans (who began the Greenways initiative in 1994[64]), Transport for London, the Canal and River Trust, the London Boroughs, the Royal Parks, the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and the 2012 Olympic Delivery Authority, under various different funding programmes (including the 2009–2014 London Greenways scheme, the 2012 Games Walking and Cycling Routes programme,[65] 'Connect2', the National Cycle Network, and others).

The routes tend to have names rather than numbers, and many of them use waymarking signs or markers in the carriageway, but there is no consistent scheme covering all of them. Some of the Greenways have been co-opted into the other TfL or Sustrans schemes listed earlier in this article.

The table below lists the most notable Greenways in London.

London Greenway routes:
Name Description Map
Routes in or connecting to parks, green spaces and nature reserves:
Tamsin Trail.[66] Circular route around Richmond Park map
Avery Hill Park New and improved cycling and walking routes through this park in Greenwich. map
Ravensbourne Greenway Route alongside the River Ravensbourne through Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham. map
‡ Hackney Parks Connects Finsbury Park, Clissold Park, Hackney Downs, Victoria Park and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at Stratford. Some of the section between Hackney Downs and Victoria Park is now Q2. map
Redbridge Greenway.[67] map
River Beam Bridge Shared-use foot/cycle bridge over the River Beam, linking the Beam Valley Country Park with Bretons Outdoor Centre. map
Feltham Park, Longford River New bridge and improved shared use paths.
Jubilee Greenway, Woolwich Foot Tunnel Various infrastructure improvements on the Jubilee Greenway and associated routes between CS3 and the Woolwich Foot Tunnel.
Greendale Extension New link from the Greendale (LCN23) to Ruskin Park.
‡ Epping Forest Greenway Route from Stratford to Epping Forest. Skirts the boundaries of West Ham cemetery, Wanstead Flats, Harrow Road playing fields, Bush Wood and Leyton Flats. map
Wetlands to Wetlands Greenway Cycling route between Woodberry Wetlands and Walthamstow Wetlands. Much of the on-road section between the two wetlands follows the route of LCN36. map
Stanmore to River Thames Greenway Proposed Greenway with some completed sections, included Proyer's Path through Northwick Park, Harrow. [2]
Enfield Chase to Arnos Park Greenway Route in Enfield linking several green spaces Enfield Golf Club and Grovelands Park. [3]
Durant's Park to Brimsdown Greenway Route in Enfield [4]
River corridors:
Roding Valley Way.[68] Follows the green corridor of the River Roding. map
The Wandle Trail Follows the green corridor of the River Wandle. Cycle and walking sections sometimes diverge; the cycle sections are mostly part of NCN20. map
Hogsmill River Greenway Greenway linking Tolworth and Old Malden map
‡ Lower Lea Valley Runs from the Olympic Park via the Greenway in Newham to the Greenwich Foot Tunnel on the Isle of Dogs. map
Sewer corridors:
‡ Newham Greenway Also known as the 'Elevated Greenway'. Route from Stratford to Beckton built on top of the Northern Outfall Sewer. Most of the route is now designated Q22 (formerly LCN16)–see above.
The Ridgeway Route from Plumstead to Crossness built on top of the Southern Outfall Sewer.
Canal towpaths:
‡ Lee Valley North Sections of the River Lee towpath, upgraded for the 2012 Olympics map
Regent's Canal towpath. Towpath of a portions of the Regent's Canal [5][6][7]
‡ Limehouse Cut Towpath of the Limehouse Cut waterway. map

‡ These routes were developed for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games

See also[]

References[]

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  60. ^ "Route 12 – Map". Sustrans. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
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  65. ^ "Olympic walking and cycling routes evaluation" (PDF). 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
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  67. ^ "Open Streetmap".
  68. ^ https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/roding-valley-way. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links[]

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