Saturday 10 December 2011

Imperial War Museum to Westfield Stratford - a safe, fun ride?

All things going to plan, next Wednesday's Pedal Power Kennington ride will see our teenagers riding after school to see the Olympic Park. I suspect the best view will be from the Observation Deck behind the John Lewis store at Westfield Stratford City, the gateway to the Olympics.


Conveniently cycle specific route planners are provided by Westfield Stratford City and by Transport for London. Our starting postcode is SE1 6HZ, the Imperial War Museum.

From the TfL site I chose the Easy option: Mainly quiet backstreets, canals and park routes. The speed is 12km/hr. Here's an extract of the route:

Turn Left Into Whitechapel High Street
Straight Up Whitechapel Road
Straight Up Mile End Road
Straight Up Bow Road
Straight Up Bow Interchange
Straight Up
Turn Left Into
Turn Right Into
Straight Up
Straight Up High Street
Straight Up High Street Cycle path
Straight Up High Street
Straight Up High Street
Turn Left Into Great Eastern Road
Turn Left Into walk your bicycle (230m)
Straight Up walk your bicycle (150m)

And here is part of Westfield's recommended cycle route:
14. Slight right onto Whitechapel Rd/A11
Continue to follow A11
15. Slight left onto Mile End Rd/A11
16. Slight left to stay on Mile End Rd/A11
Continue to follow A11
17. Slight left onto Bow Rd/A11
18. Slight left to stay on Bow Rd/A11
19. Slight right to stay on Bow Rd/A11
Continue to follow A11
20. Turn left onto Warton Rd
Destination will be on the left

Cycle friendly shopping centre? Cycle friendly Olympics? That's what we've been promised. We'll find out next Wednesday when we follow the recommended routes. Gulp.