How Old Street could look in the 2020s. Pic: TfL

Transport for London’s development of Old Street roundabout has been met with a “mixed reception” from a variety of cyclist organisations.

The proposal is part of the £4 billion Road Modernisation Plan and will see the north-western portion of the roundabout paved over.

TfL hope this will improve safety for vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. A new entrance to Old Street station would also be added in the centre of the peninsula.

The plans are designed to improve access to Tech City, a hub of the London technological industry.

However, critics have said that it would have been simpler to revert the roundabout to the prior crossroads format. Charlie Lloyd, campaigns officer for the London Cycling Campaign, is leading these calls but does agree that it is nevertheless right to be dealing with one of the most dangerous roundabouts for cyclists in the capital.

Plans for redevelopment of Old Street. Pic: TfL. Click on the image to expand.

The blog, London Cyclist, said of the roundabout “ride around it and you get the feeling you’re really not supposed to be there.” TfL statistics show 35 pedestrians and cyclists were involved in accidents at Old Street roundabout between February 2010 and January 2013.

Consultation plans explicitly state that: “We do not have any specific plans and any new development at Old Street would go through the usual planning approval processes as well as proposals being made publicly available.”

There are on-going consultations to discuss the plans which will end on January 11 2015. Click here for more information.