Old Kent Road: new link to Cycleway 62 at Ilderton Road
The new segment brings the prospect of safe cycling from Rotherhithe to Peckham a bit closer. It is surrounded by high density new development of the Old Kent Road opportunity area.
Open any planning application for a new tower going up in the Old Kent Road opportunity area, and you’re likely to find an illustration showing a cyclist zipping along and perhaps even some plein air seating.
All this seems at odds with the currently busy major road, sometimes widening to eight lanes for motor vehicles, and featuring no cycle lanes in the stretch between Southwark/Lewisham border and Elephant and Castle.
But for residents on Ilderton Road, cycling infrastructure is about to improve as a new cycle lane and improved crossing at Old Kent Road are under construction and near opening.
Though cyclists may still be deterred by Old Kent Road on their east or westbound journey, the new section of Cycleway 62 will improve journeys for those going north to south from Rotherhithe to Peckham.
The new cycleway is protected, with pathways in both directions on the west side of Ilderton Road.
Ilderton Road and Cycleway 62
Ilderton Road stretches from Old Kent Road to Rotherhithe New Road. The new cycleway runs for several blocks bidirectionally at the southern end of the road, but ends before Hornshay Street, where northbound cyclists will need to take an unprotected right turn.
Though construction of the Ilderton Road segment is nearly complete, the Hornshay Street stretch, which will serve as the connection between Ilderton Road and Bridgehouse Meadows, is still work in progress.
There's an abrupt end to the cycleway at Tustin estate and unprotected right turn. The section through Hornshay Street is still under construction. Images: Tomilyn Rupert
At the time of consultation, Southwark Cyclists advised against this routing, noting that sending the cycleway through parks and alleys didn’t “create a safe or inviting route.”
They instead advocated for low traffic neighbourhoods and some design changes.
At the southern end of Ilderton Road, three lanes for motor vehicles feed to and from Old Kent Road, but the road narrows to two lanes further in.
Other improvements include building out the pavement and revised pedestrian signalling, as well as improvement to the intersection with Old Kent Road.
Before and after at the junction with Old Kent Road. 2024 layout, image: Google Street View. Jan 25, image T Rupert. Image from consultation: TfL
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Cyclists heading towards Peckham will be keen for the next phase, as the southbound side of the marked bike path ends at a shrub, and the entrance to the park includes barriers that less experienced cyclists may have to dismount to pass.
Further north on Ilderton road, starting at the intersection with Surrey Canal Road, a painted unprotected cycle lane heading south appears for a few blocks, unconnected to Cycleway 62.
According to Southwark Council: “The Cycle route between Rotherhithe and Peckham was originally proposed as part of the package of cycling routes to connect to the pedestrian /cycle bridge across the Thames from Rotherhithe to the Docklands.”
That crossing was cancelled due to rising costs. A new ferry route opened as a "short term solution" in December 2025, but has little space for cyclists and has faced criticism.
New developments in Old Kent Road opportunity area
The Ilderton Road improvements come at a time of increased density in the area, which is part of Southwark council's Old Kent Road opportunity area, specifically, sub-area 4 of the Area Action Plan: Hatcham, Ilderton, and Old Kent Road South.
The sub-area is earmarked for over 3,000 new homes, either recently completed, in construction, or consented.
Old Kent Rd Action Plan, sub area 4, sites under construction. Image: Southwark Council. CGI of building G1 of Tustin Estate Redevelopment. Image: Southwark council planning application.
The Area Action Plan identifies future locations of the Bakerloo Line extension, which is unfunded, and Surrey Canal infill station on the Windrush Line.
Transport for London (TfL) design work for Surrey Canal station is expected to start this year, but long term funding for the project is uncertain.
The nearest station for new residents is South Bermondsey, towards the north end of Ilderton road.
At 349 Ilderton Road, near the Old Kent Road junction, there is a development by YourTRIBE, the purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) arm of property giant Aitch Group.
YourTRIBE's planning application covers a block of PBSA student accommodation, offering 250 student bedrooms and a block of affordable housing, offering 58 homes.
But YourTRIBE petitioned Southwark council in January 2025 to permit the affordable housing to be privately sold. The application is not yet decided.
Across the street, Southwark council are building new homes. In 2021 the council balloted residents of the Tustin Estate for their views on possible regeneration.
The existing 1960s estate included 529 homes, Pilgrims’ Way Primary School and a number of shops, restaurants and community facilities.
The new estate will see a total of 690 homes over the course of four phases, with a net gain of 161 homes.
On Old Kent Road, next to the cycle lane through Brimmington park, there are new towers with a ground floor supermarket.
The site was previously a single story Aldi and 68 car spaces, and now rises up in the form of two towers, one with 21 storeys and one with 13 storeys, with retail space on the ground floor retaining the Aldi and 168 flats above.
The planning application proposed a tenure split of 43 Affordable Homes for Rent, 18 as Affordable Intermediate, and 107 as Private Housing.
Flats in the tower block above Aldi are being advertised at London Living Rent.
For now, the car parking lot has been retained, with the planning application noting: “The Proposed Development has been purposefully designed to accommodate the future development of the car park (“Phase 2 development”) once the Bakerloo Line Extension has been delivered, and in the event, that the Aldi store is operationally viable without the car parking area.”
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