Thames Deckway: London plans floating cycle path

A floating pathway would let cyclists swap London's congested roads for the unused space over its river, under the latest ambitious plans to cut journey times and pollution in the capital.

The Thames Deckway, developed by the River Cycleway Consortium, would stretch along London's South bank from Battersea to Canary Wharf.

The seven-mile floating platform, which will also be open to pedestrians, is expected to reduce cyclists' journey time by half an hour.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Developers have stressed that safety is their "number one priority" following an increase in the numbers of cyclists killed on London roads.

Designed to be to energy efficient and environmentally friendly, the lights along the route would be powered by solar, tidal and wind energy.

If implemented, the Deckway would cost up to £600 million to construct and would be privately funded. Commuters would be charged a flat rate £1.50 to use the route.

The river route is the latest in several proposals for cycleways in London, following Boris Johnson's proposed "Crossrail for bicycles" and the 135-mile elevated 'SkyCycle' route.

"Getting more people on to their bikes will reduce pressure on the road, bus and rail networks, cut pollution, and improve life for everyone, whether or not they cycle themselves," the mayor told the Daily Telegraph.

A spokesperson for the consortium told The Independent that the river is largely "overlooked" as a major public transport route.

"The Thames offers vast, untapped potential to ease and improve London's infrastructure problems," he said. "What is needed is imagination to unleash it."