Welcome to London where cycling is the best way to reach your destination and also a great way to check the city out. The only downside (why is there always a downside to all great things?), is the fact that cyclists have to share the road with fast-moving vans and cars. This hardly gives cyclists the time to enjoy the scenery while also making them prone to accidents. The River Cycleway Consortium, comprised of Hugh Broughton Architects and the Engineering firm Arup, have put forward a proposal to create a cycle path worth $965 million, which shall remain afloat on Thames and will enable cyclists to safely navigate through the city.
The Thames Deckway will stretch for 7.45 miles from Battersea to Canary Wharf while being located at the river’s edge and kept at a safe distance from the marine traffic. The cycle path will be able to fall and rise gently along with the Thames’ tide and provide access ramps that will rejoin the embankment at key points along the route.
As per the River Cycleway Consortium, this floating cycle path will take about 30 minutes to be crossed by a medically fit cyclist and a flat-rate single journey price around $2.40 will be charged. Along the paths there are going to be refreshment kiosks, stopping points and a bicycle fleet which also includes family-befitting infant carriages and kids’ bikes.
Satellites will continuously collect data from the path, related to traffic flow, traffic density, river motion and any hazards. The required power shall be harnessed by the sun, wind and tides. The consortium, as of now, is busy raising funds so that a feasibility study can be carried out and after that, it will seek private investment. According to the River Cycleway Consortium, once they get the green signal, about two years will be required for the project to be completed.