H&F Council Approves Hammersmith Road Cycleway 9 Plans
TfL will entirely fund £20million cost of segregated route
A visualisation of Cycleway 9 on Hammersmith Road from the 2019 consultation. Picture: TfL
October 15, 2026
Hammersmith & Fulham Council has agreed to support Transport for London’s plans for a permanent Cycleway 9 (C9) scheme along Hammersmith Road, following a Cabinet meeting this week in which members voted unanimously to endorse the proposals. The decision advances a key section of the wider segregated cycling route intended to link Kensington Olympia, Hammersmith, Chiswick and Brentford.
The Hammersmith Road leg was first introduced in 2020 under emergency traffic powers made available during the pandemic. King Street, also part of the C9 corridor, was made permanent in 2023. TfL originally consulted on the full route in 2017, with different sections progressing in stages since then.
The Cabinet report presented on 12 October recommended that the borough proceed with the segregated route between Kensington Olympia and Hammersmith. TfL is to fund and deliver the scheme at an estimated cost of £20 million, with no financial contribution required from the Council. As Highway Authority, the borough must sign a legal agreement covering design approval, construction, governance, risk, monitoring and maintenance.
Council officers argued that the scheme would improve separation between cyclists and motor traffic, upgrade crossings and footways, and strengthen links to public transport, jobs and shops. They also highlighted expected increases in footfall associated with the Olympia redevelopment and said the scheme supports a shift away from private car use. Rejecting the proposal, they warned, would risk losing TfL’s investment and leave temporary arrangements in place. A council-led alternative was judged higher risk, more resource-intensive and unlikely to secure TfL funding.
Cyclists on Hammersmith Road are currently separated from traffic by wands
However, the meeting also heard strong objections from resident David Tarsh, who urged councillors not to support the proposal. He raised concerns about casualty figures and argued that essential information was missing from the Cabinet papers. He claimed that accident rates had worsened since the interim scheme’s introduction in 2021, saying: “Let’s be clear, describing C9 as a ‘safer cycle pathway’ is about as justified as calling cigarettes healthy.” He also criticised reliance on TfL’s 2017 consultation, pointing instead to a 2020 council-commissioned report which he said showed residents were not in favour.
Mr Tarsh suggested removing C9 entirely and replacing it with a rush-hour bus lane that cyclists could use during peak times, arguing this would provide more space for riders and reduce congestion at other times.
Cabinet members rejected his concerns. Council Leader Stephen Cowan said there had been “extensive safety reviews” of cycling schemes across London, including C9, and that segregated cycle lanes remain a manifesto commitment. Cllr Nicole Trehy, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Travel, said regular monitoring is carried out and took issue with Mr Tarsh’s reference to two fatalities on King Street, noting that one incident was unrelated to the cycleway: “That was a hooligan on a bike, and I think it’s disrespectful to use that politically against this cycleway.”
The Cabinet report acknowledged that the Blythe Road junction remains the most contentious element of the design. The Council has raised concerns about junction performance, pedestrian accessibility and interactions between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, particularly given expected footfall from Olympia. TfL says its design meets standards and has been technically assured, though discussions continue about potential improvements including planting and soft segregation, refinements to materials and signage, neighbourhood traffic management, signal timing adjustments and a future review of whether the junction should be signalised.
Three floating bus stops are planned on the northern side of Hammersmith Road. Some disabled residents and representative groups have expressed concerns about bypasses and crossing arrangements. TfL has said it is open to targeted changes, expected to follow new national statutory guidance on floating bus stops due in January 2026.
Once the scheme is handed over, the Council expects to maintain the new highway assets, with costs for inspection, maintenance and renewal falling to the borough. Discussions with TfL continue regarding asset ownership, signal maintenance, commuted sums and funding for the Council’s project management and monitoring.
The risk assessment accompanying the report flagged a high operational risk around governance and recommended embedding Council staff at project-board level, with defined plans, change control and an independent assurance review at the project’s midpoint. It also rated a judicial review as a medium legal risk, citing the 2020 Hounslow challenge, which was rejected but caused significant costs and delays.
Despite the debate, Cabinet members voted unanimously to support the Hammersmith Road plans. Detailed design development will now continue, with the scheme still subject to TfL’s internal governance and funding processes.
Written with contributions from Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
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