Southwark Council is asking residents whether they think the Lower Road cycle lane should be made permanent.
The consultation on the future of the cycle lane between Rotherhithe Roundabout and Bestwood Street opened on 12 March and will run until Thursday, 2 April.
It is the third consultation related to the Lower Road cycle lane in the space of two years; however while the previous two consultations were informal, this is a statutory consultation on new designs which incorporate the feedback given by residents last year.
The 1.4km stretch of Cycleway 4 along Lower Road has been controversial ever since it was installed in 2024, with some claiming it has made traffic worse in the area and led to more accidents, while others have praised the new route as making London greener.
Whereas before there were four lanes of motor traffic, two northbound and two southbound, a southbound lane was removed to accommodate a new cycle lane.
The council carried out two informal consultations last year on proposed changes to the cycle lane which have now been incorporated into the new design.
This included reintroducing a lane of traffic between Redriff Road and Plough Way by moving a handful of parking bays from Lower Road to Cope Street, work on which will be finished by the end of this month.
The second consultation in November 2025 was focused on improving the safety of Lower Road, including changes to the layout of the Culling Road, Ann Moss Way and Chilton Grove junctions.
According to the council, cycle trips along the route have increased by more than 50 per cent since the cycle lane was put in.
Traffic sensors detected 336,750 cycle trips between March and May last year, compared with 214,653 in the same period in 2023.
Since 2018 cycling along the route has almost doubled, increasing by 81 per cent, while there has been an 8% reduction in motor vehicles and a 61% reduction in large lorries.
Officers will continue to monitor traffic and congestion in the area and consider any further action that may be needed. The council will also work with cycle safety campaign groups to promote cycling safety awareness on the route.
The council is now carrying out statutory consultation on proposed changes to the scheme and to inform its decision on whether to make the cycle route permanent.
Cllr James Batteson, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Jobs and Transport, said: “Our Streets for People programme is creating a cleaner, greener and safer borough where it’s easier for people to get around by walking, cycling and wheeling.
“The Lower Road cycleway has increased the number of trips made by bike and we’re now consulting on proposed changes to the scheme to improve it.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has already taken time to provide thoughts and feedback on Lower Road, including local residents, businesses and people who use the route, which have all helped suggest important changes to the scheme.
“The statutory consultation is now open until 2 April 2026 where people can provide further feedback.”
All residents are invited to submit views to the consultation here.
