You may have read our letter on cycling and the canal that was published in the Camden New Journal (10 January 2013). This is something we’re currently working with other Friends of the Earth groups in north London as well as other local groups, including the Canal and River Trust. The text of our letter as published is below. Interested? Please do get in touch.
Following a recent report on the Canal & River Trust’s campaign encouraging commuting cyclists to move off the canal, we at Camden Friends of the Earth would strongly encourage residents of Camden to get behind the campaign and ask the council to make improvements to the cycling infrastructure to support this.
Many cyclists use the canal as part of an east-west commute because the alternative routes are much more difficult to navigate.
They involve crossing major junctions, cycling along busy roads full of traffic fumes and reaching the end of apparently useful cycle lanes without any indication of where to go next.
Relatively simple improvements to the cycling infrastructure will dramatically improve the ability to commute through Camden without travelling along the canal, leaving the towpath to pedestrians and more leisurely travel.
As Camden Friends of the Earth we are working on a full list of improvements – do get in touch with us on camdenfoe@gmail.com if you want to get involved.
Natasha Clayton
Camden Friends of the Earth