Hyde Park to get major 'safety upgrades' with bus stop changes and cycle highways

Floating bus stops have been criticised for making roads less safe for the visually impaired.

Hyde Park is set to get floating bus stops and new segregated cycle paths are in an effort to make the public space "safer." The plans also include new pedestrian and cycle crossings.

A floating bus stop, or bus stop bypass, is a design where the bus stop and shelter are located on an island, separated from the main pavement by a dedicated cycle track. This layout keeps cyclists away from traffic while allowing passengers to board, but requires pedestrians to cross the cycle path to reach the stop, raising safety concerns for disabled and visually impaired users.

Floating bus stops, which have been criticised for making roads less safe for the visually impaired, are to be introduced along Bayswater Road. Westminster City Council say these will help reduce conflicts between cyclists and motorists, with dedicated zebra crossings for pedestrians at each bus stop.

The floating bus stops will be introduced Eastbound, on Caroline Close, east of Leinster Terrace and east of Lancaster Gate, and Westbound, West of Lancaster Gate.

A spokesperson for Westminster City Council said: "Journey times will improve for pedestrians due to simpler crossings. We expect little or no impact to journey times for motor vehicles. This is because this section of Bayswater Road already mostly operates in one lane in either direction due to vehicles parking or loading in the lane closest to the pavement.

"There will be a slight reduction in motor vehicle capacity between Ossington St and Queensway, going Eastbound. This, combined with the additional pedestrian crossing time, is expected to result in a 0-1 minute change to motor vehicle journey times."

The plans include a dedicated cycle track along Bayswater Road running Eastbound from Palace Court Road to Lancaster Terrace and from Lancaster Terrace to Caroline Close. There will also be a new cycle crossing on Bayswater Road and Queensway Junction which will connect cyclists with C27 cycleway.

Pedestrian crossings on Queensway, Inverness Terrace and Leinster Terrace will also make the area safer for pedestrians. There will also be upgrades to tactile paving on crossings on Bayswater Road to improve safety for the visually impaired. Parking and loading on Bayswater Road is also to be discouraged as part of the plans, except for a section opposite Lancaster Gate.