commuting in London: crossing points

[czakal]

Hello,
Haven't posted for a while. My office is currently at Old Street in London. We're thinking of moving and the likeliest place is going to be London Bridge or Waterloo. I might have to use one of the bridges when commuting. How congested are the bridges across the Thames during morning rush hour? I never used them before during rush hour but imagine they must be serious bottlenecks in the morning traffic.

Seb

[Namso]

London Bridge (northbound side) has 2 lanes plus a bus lane, almost every car queues up in the right hand lane so its easy for all the morning commuting bikers to cross the bridge in the middle lane but we have to join the right lane at a bottleneck at the end of the bridge, at rush hour times I always have to wait to get into the lane and through the lights that are right there but pass almost 50 stationary cars before I get there lol

[Pete.]

Neither of the bridges are seriously congested, as said London Bridge queues on the right so you only need to filter the last bit between the kerb and the traffic. Waterloo is okay if you are taking the underpass so long as the underpass isn't closed - if it is then you're in for a long wait. Southwark Bridge is easy on a bike and right between the two. Just keep off Victoria Embankment. Travel up and down the South side and choose a bridge to cross on.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Shaft]

Northbound Waterloo is OK, providing the Kingsway tunnel is open; if not, I've seen it queueing back almost to St George's Circus.

TBH, none of the crossings on that side are particular hot spots (Tower Bridge is probably the worst) they all have good and bad days.
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[Kris]

Avoid Lambeth and Tower really, all others are generally fine.
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[sebastianw]

As the above but Blackfriars is not good due to the Blackfriars Station works atm.

Southwark bridge is a pain as you have to approach from the East, no right turn from the West.

[TheDonUK]

As said, should not be bad enough to factor into your decision making process about where you live...
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[czakal]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess the traffic is pretty bad already at the moment from East London where I live, Olympics works and all, but I get around ok. So some bridges definitely nothing to worry too much about.

[arry]

[Taught2BCauti...]

Never had major problems between Lambeth Bridge and Tower Bridge, except for road works - but I think that bikes are allowed in some of the bus lanes since I was last in London, so that might affect your overall route and choice of bridge.
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[czakal]

Indeed I go in via Great Eastern St, which is half closed.

[arry]

[hellkat]

[Pete.]

[arry]

[c_dug]

arry do you travel back the A13 way? I regularly see a sprint 1050 on my way home and I know we live reasonably close.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[dangerousdave]

[hellkat]

[c_dug]

I wonder how many of us pass each other regularly and don't realise, seems to be lots of routes criss crossing the same area.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[hellkat]

[Pete.]

You'll see me as I nearly always have a red and black Wickes toolbag bungeed on the back of my bike. Must be on my fifth bag now.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[arry]

[Serendipity]

[Muscle Bike Rider]

I was behind you hellkat about 2months ago on the Beckton slip road off the A13, tried to pull up beside you before the lights changed but never made it and you were away pretty sharpish...loll
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