Fears over delays for shoppers in cars puts Westway cycle superhighway plan in jeopardy

Shopping giant Westfield  is concerned that the extended superhighway would lead to delays for people travelling by car to the mall in Shepherd's Bush
The planned cycling superhighway adjacent to the Westway

Plans to build a cycle superhighway on the A40 Westway flyover were in jeopardy today after shopping centre Westfield raised concerns, the Standard can reveal.

Mayor Sadiq Khan was feared to be ready to axe the 4.5-mile western extension of Boris Johnson’s flagship bike route that would take it from Paddington to Acton.

This is despite the superhighway - which would be the only segregated cycle lane linking west and central London - being backed by 71 per cent of respondents to a Transport for London consultation.

The central section of the route along the Victoria Embankment is already attracting an extraordinary 1,200 cyclists an hour during the morning peak, just two weeks after being opened by Mr Johnson.

The Standard understands Westfield is concerned that the extended superhighway, which would require the removal of one of three eastbound lanes on the Westway, would lead to delays for shoppers travelling by car to its shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush.

The Westway route was proposed because of the refusal of Kensington and Chelsea council to allow a cycle superhighway to be built on Kensington High Street.

Andrew Gilligan, who was Boris Johnson’s cycling comissioner, said: “This scheme got 71 per cent support in the consultation. K&C opposes segregated cycle lanes on its roads, so if this scheme was scrapped it would mean there will be no safe cycling route to west London.”

TfL modelling suggests cars travelling east to Edgware Road would face an extra delay of “one to two minutes”. But westbound journeys would by be six to eight minutes quicker as a third lane would be added to ease a bottleneck at Savoy Circus.

A spokesman for Mr Khan, who vowed to “triple the current superhighway provision”, said: “Sadiq wants to make London a byword for cycling around the world and is committed to making it a safer and easier choice for Londoners.

“Transport for London is still analysing the consultation responses on extending the East West Superhighway via the Westway and absolutely no decisions have been made.”

Mr Khan is also considering whether to proceed with a 1.5-mile extension of the North-South superhighway from Farringdon Street to King’s Cross, and the CS11 superhighway between Swiss Cottage and Oxford Circus via Regent’s Park.

A spokeswoman for Westfield was unable to respond to requests for comment.

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