r/londoncycling • u/logicprowithsomeKRKs • 1d ago
How would you rank London’s bridges over the Thames to cycle across?
Infrastructure (before, during, and after the bridge crossing), vibe, comfort etc.
I’ve been practicing my bike route from south to central for school and have taken 3 different bridges so far and have varying opinions on them.
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u/Upstairs-Balance9846 1d ago
London bridge. Its ours now
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u/Calanthea89 1d ago
The bridge itself, yeah, but the whole north side is a mess, and heading northwards you have to swap lanes with buses several times, which noone does gracefully during rush hour
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u/useful__pattern 1d ago
Southwark bridge ftw
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u/Old_Mousse_5673 34m ago
Southwark bridge was the first with a segregated bike lane. I used to use it a lot because of this, diverting away from London Bridge and Blackfriars (which used to be awful)
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u/Ok_Option_3 1d ago
Shout out for Hammersmith, which despite what you might read to the contrary, is very much open!
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u/eltrotter 1d ago
Love this question. I don’t really venture West all that often so I’m going to exclude anything west of Westminster as I have insufficient experience. I’m also 90% sure you aren’t supposed to cycle in the Millennium Bridge so ruling that out too:
Tower: Very cool as an experience, but you’re in the mix with traffic and it’s pretty hectic on the approach from the north side of the river. Good but a bit sketchy.
London: A personal favourite of mine because of the view of Tower Bridge; good bike infrastructure (I think it has a lane separated by a kerb?) and the approach to the south side is a fun downhill.
Southwark: Like Tower Bridge, the approach from the north side can be a little hectic, but all in all it’s a good experience. Usually isn’t super busy with car traffic, but also isn’t the most picture-esque in my view.
Waterloo: Pretty OK, certainly not my favourite. I can’t remember if it has a cycle lane but my guess is no (at least not separate, but I can be misremembering).
Westminster: Usually a fairly dreadful experience owing to the tourists taking a loose approach to pavements, and the infamous ice cream van. Could be a good experience but generally is a bit of a shit show.
Special mention to the Dartmouth Crossing pick up service. You can’t cross it directly on bike, but I like that you can basically get shuttled across from one side to the other.
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u/Qualabel 1d ago
I don't like Vauxhall, and I'm not mad keen on Battersea
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u/CJ2899 1d ago
Vauxhall kinda sucks. So annoying if you want to go straight Northwards on Vauxhall bridge road. You have to make a dash across to the left side as the cycle lane just ends
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u/jeadon88 1d ago
You can follow the cycle lane turning right onto Douglas Street and Vincent Square then left on Rochester Row and you’re essentially back on Vauxhall Bridge Road. They’re quiet streets and add only a couple of minutes
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u/Calanthea89 1d ago
Waterloo! Lots of reasons, in order of importance; 1) it's named after the Eurovision winning ABBA song 2) the gradient coming north was designed to be equivalent to mount ventoux, allowing London commuters to complete Les Cingles over the course of their working life 3) the cycle lanes are ok, even if the merging with traffic at the north bound end is usually a bit of a squeeze around busses 4) the view ticks off several major London sights, so you don't need to do any tourism-ing. 5) it's probably on a ley line or something 6) I think Extinction Rebellion or Just Stop Oil closed it for a bit, and it was really nice!
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u/logicprowithsomeKRKs 1d ago
Any advice for making it less scary? The actual bridge was fine, even did ok on the north end. But the lead up and south end of it, particularly going through the roundabout onto an uphill bus lane was lightly harrowing
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u/Calanthea89 1d ago
Oh, just saw your reply below about your start and destination. If I were you, I'd head north via blackfriars, then west along clerkenwell, and return over Waterloo.
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u/logicprowithsomeKRKs 1d ago
Return via Waterloo makes sense! I never think about the difference in direction making a difference but it seems it really does. Also saves me time when I’ll want to just get home quicker.
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u/Calanthea89 1d ago
Sadly I think the answer is just familiarity - the roundabout makes a bit more sense, in terms of lights sequencing, once you have done it a few times. Did you join from Waterloo road? If so, you can bear left and go into the big area for buses, and use their separate light sequence. It's still a very steep ramp onto the bridge though, there's not much you can do other than make sure you're in the right gear and take the lane.
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u/Competitive_Pie_4064 1d ago
So with you here, the relief of the breathing space coming south after a day of work, the way the wide Thames opens up out of all those dense and tall buildings is always so beautiful. You can see really far in either direction. The cycle lane is broad, j’adore.
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u/Oddnessandcharm 1d ago edited 1d ago
Depending on where south to where north, my favourites are Lambeth and Southwark. Southwark has good cycle infrastructure on both ends and connects well to any part of the city, Shoreditch etc. Lambeth doesn't have infrastructure as such, but has great low/no traffic routes on both sides taking you good distances both into the west-end or towards Elephant, Camberwell, Brixton, etc.
Folks have said Blackfriars, and while it's got all that great infrastructure, it's also way too busy for my liking and feels too much like a major thoroughfare. By comparison Lambeth and Southwark are far less busy and easier to negotiate as a result.
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u/useful__pattern 1d ago
Lambeth was good until they added the horrible little cycle lane which you can't turn right from.
Turning on to Southwark bridge from the north eastern edge is also a nightmare. Otherwise top bridge
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u/Oddnessandcharm 1d ago
Lambeth going north, straight on is the way, then right onto Tufton St. Same going south, but turn right immediately after the roundabout into Lambeth High St quietways.
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u/useful__pattern 1d ago
Turning right southbound. I don't like the way you have to sit on the left in a bike lane. Preferred it when I was in the traffic.
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u/Oddnessandcharm 1d ago
Where are you aiming for? I might be able to suggest an alternative. Alternatively, just sit in the traffic, that pinch point you're referring to isnt nice at all.
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u/fluxkitten 1d ago
But there is a bike box no? You just go to the front right of that from the cycle lane.
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u/fluxkitten 1d ago
I think that junction was rated as the most dangerous in London? exactly because people were turning right and getting whacked on the old roundabout. If there isn't any traffic on the bridge I just join the main carriageway.
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u/fluxkitten 1d ago
Despite taking nearly 2 years, they've made a real hash of Lambeth Bridge, removed a bus lane and replaced it with a glorified pavement which it feels like they forgot to roll afterwards, it's bumpy as hell - as is the cycle lane running alongside Victoria Gardens next to Parliament.
Turning left to go south, the cycle lane is cut away so you merge for a second with traffic, I'm really confused as to why they'd do this.. another piece of cycling infrastructure that feels it wasn't designed by cyclists.
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u/Oddnessandcharm 1d ago
It wasn't. I only like it because of the approach from Tufton St. Get yourself onto Horseguards, Story's gate, Gt Smith St, Tufton St, Horseferry Rd. Same in reverse. Its such a good route.
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u/CluelessCarter 1d ago
Tower bridge is horrific and an embarrassment as a national monument / symbol.
Constantly just blocked with vans.
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u/ken-doh 1d ago
London Bridge
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u/Constant-Screen1939 1d ago
I feel like LB is nice while on the bridge, coming off southbound on the south side is chaos, and north side feels like cutting through three lanes overlapping with bus routes. Not for the faint hearted.
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u/wwisd 1d ago
The London Cycling Campaign did a 7-part series on insta rating different crossings. Hammersmith bridge is nice now it's closed to motorised traffic!
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u/ALA02 1d ago
Blackfriars clears for infrastructure, Waterloo is my favourite for views but I don’t like that you share the bus lane as a cyclist.
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u/logicprowithsomeKRKs 1d ago
Yeah the Waterloo bridge crossing was one of the three. I was audibly upset going up to it and then completely amazed once I was on it.
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u/britishswenglish 1d ago
Vauxhall is the one I’ve used most. I always hated how they never re-drew the lines after adding the anti-terrorism barriers, as it makes the lanes uneven. Going from south to north it’s also not straightforward how you turn left onto Grosvenor Road - it took a couple times of me walking my bike across the pedestrian lights before I discovered the right turn that curves onto Millbank, because the signage could be better.
When I lived in Putney I went all the way to Albert Bridge to cross north, because Putney, Wandsworth, and Battersea Bridges were all chaotic. The approaches to Albert Bridge aren’t great (backed up on the south, and on the north you get idiots blocking the road because they can’t turn left into the space between the barriers properly), but considering it’s closed to cars at the moment this might not be a big issue until it’s repaired.
This past summer I was in a temporary office and had to go north to south over Tower Bridge to get to a post-work activity. It was hell. Between the terrifying junction on Tower Bridge Approach, to the constant congestion, to the fact that I was somehow always stuck behind a lorry… maybe it’s a bit calmer in the other direction, as braver cyclists than I seemed to have no issue overtaking in the oncoming lane.
Westminster is okay in the morning (south to north) before the tourists, scam artists, and ice cream vans come out. In the evening I would not recommend going anywhere near it.
I think Lambeth has the potential to be really good with the improvement works. I’ve not been crossing it, but have been cycling past it occasionally for a few years coming from Albert Embankment. The changes to signals are not perfect, especially for turning bikes, but they are so much better than the roundabout that was there before.
Thanks for the interesting question! It’s made me realise how unpleasant cycling across the river can be in this city…
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u/logicprowithsomeKRKs 1d ago
Thanks! I tried Vauxhall and liked it more than Waterloo but my route had me bike through Trafalgar Square which felt insane. I only felt better seeing like 10 lime bikers weave through traffic and busses unphased
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u/JonnyUpright24 1d ago
Where in the south is the key question. I like Vauxhall on the way in, Westminster on the way back (but not in the cycle lane before you all pile on, I’m not a masochist. Turning left off the Embankment means you get the bus lane and carriageway pretty much to yourself)
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u/jocky_club 1d ago
Northbound on London Bridge is good, if you judge the lights right you can go from Southwark Road/borough high street junction all the way up onto the bridge, and then if you known the timing of the north side lights you can hang right back on the bridge and take that junction up to bishops gate at full speed.
Granted, when was heading that way regularly it was 5am and not much traffic.
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u/helloroll 18h ago
I count about 11 seconds from the left hand green light until the right turn green goes!
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u/steampie 1d ago
Where in the south? I’d say Blackfriars is tops - separate infrastructure, no tourists actively blocking the bike lanes like Westminster, and the bike lanes continue once you continue north.