News
Bicycle motorways planned for London
Carlton Reid Feb 11 2008, 10:30am
Comments (12)
£500m plan to catapult London to forefront of world cycle cities
The Mayor of London today announced a £500m plan to transform walking and cycling in London. The package of measures will create a new network of quick, simple, and safe routes for cyclists and pedestrians that will attempt to change the profile and priority of walking and cycling on London's streets.
With the introduction of a central London bike hire scheme with 6,000 bikes available every 300 metres, cycling will be accessible to many more Londoners and will become a fully-funded part of the public transport network for the first time. This is not quite a Velib scheme, but it's a start.
There will also be new commuter cycle routes from inner and outer London and cycle zones around urban town centres.
These radical measures, which will ensure the needs of cyclists and pedestrians are given a higher priority on the Capital’s streets will make a significant contribution to tackling climate change, aiming to have one in ten round trips in London each day made by bike, and saving some 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year as Londoners increasingly choose to walk or cycle for short trips instead of taking their car.
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said:
"The aim of this programme is nothing short of a cycling and walking transformation in London. We will spend something like £500m over the next decade on cycling - the biggest investment in cycling in London's history, which will mean that thousands more Londoners can cycle in confidence, on routes that take them quickly and safely to where they want to go.
“The cycle hire scheme in Paris has proved a huge success, and I have now instructed Transport for London to work with the London boroughs and interested parties to develop and implement a bike hire scheme in central London, accessible to all Londoners. By ensuring that Londoners have easy access to bikes in the centre of the capital, as well as making our city a safer and more enjoyable place to cycle, we will build upon London’s leading position as the only major world city to have achieved a switch from private car use to public transport, cycling and walking.
"Over 50 per cent of tube journeys in central london are quicker on foot. The new Legible London signage system will help people use their feet to get around and see more of London at the same time.
"The expansion of cycling and walking will help reduce our impact on climate change and reduce traffic congestion. Around 20 percent of the carbon emissions savings we've calculated we can make from transport by 2025 will come from changing the way we travel. We know Londoners want the opportunity to walk and cycle more. One in two people say that they want to walk for short journeys where they currently use their car.
Forty per cent of Londoners have access to a bike, but currently only one in eight use it regularly."
Part of the plans include radial 'Cycling Corridors' - bicycle superhighways - for commuters to provide high-profile, easy to follow cycling streams into central London.
There will also be the creation of a series of Bike Zones for shoppers and the school run in Inner and Outer London, with cycle priority streets, 20mph speed limits and quick, clear and simple routes that link key local destinations and open parks and waterways for cyclists.
The new programmes are in addition to existing commitments, which will continue the investment in projects including cycle training, cycle parking, the greenway programme, and the London Cycle network Plus, as well as funding for a bigger and better London Freewheel, the summer mass bike ride for cyclists of all abilities, for at least 60,000 participants this year.
Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly, said:
"These plans for promoting cycling and walking are more ambitious than anything which has been tried before in this country, but they are exactly what we need to persuade large numbers of Londoners out of their cars."
David Brown, Managing Director, Surface Transport, TfL, said:
“With London’s population set to grow and the need to promote sustainable transport we must do all we can to make cycling and walking a viable transport choice for Londoners and visitors.
"We need to accelerate progress to ensure we make it much easier and much safer to choose to walk and cycle and to further reduce dependency on the car.”
The programme's aim is that by 2025 five per cent of all daily trips are made by bike - 1.7 million in total, and that 22 per cent are made on foot.
But cyclists wonder whether the new 'bicycle motorways' could be the start of enforced segregation.
In The Guardian, Edmund King, president of the AA, said: "I think separating out cyclists can only be good for everyone and the only provision I would raise is that we still need to have roads for the movement of trucks, cars and buses - so we need to make sure we get the balance right."
King is pro-car, naturally, but he's also an urban realist: he rides a Brompton.
Responding to London's £500m plans, CTC's Campaigns and Policy manager Roger Geffen said: “Aiming to get people to cycle for ten percent of round trips is a fantastically ambitious proposal from the Mayor and will revolutionise life in the Capital. With so many free bikes to hire, and major cycle-ways to get you in to town and back quickly and safely, it’s a wonder that anyone wouldn’t want to cycle."
Comments
“Mr”
Posted by: Jon Catling - Feb 11, 1:12pm
At last!
Some city-center-sense. It would be nice to see it spread...
“Livingstone”
Posted by: Jon Catling - Feb 11, 1:18pm
...although cyclists/walkers should not be filtered out of roads.
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: andywinz - Feb 11, 2:18pm
This truely is the future for a happier healthier capital city! Less traffic congestion, fewer motor accidents.
I hope this works out and this system is implemented to other areas of britain too. Greater consideration should be given to promote and advertise this notion nation wide. I think you would be suprised by the public vote on this. Lets get britain cycle commuting to work like many other european countries, more employer bike related incentives. There are afew about at the moment...see Halfords for example. Good luck!
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: A V Lowe - Feb 11, 4:28pm
Ironic that the only name for express rouytes for cyclists that they can think of is a motorway - should be cycle expressway and a means on managing the growing snakes of cyclists which one joins heading along arterial routes like Rosebery Avenue where the Islingtonites head for their jobs in the service economy.
However it almost misses the point that people cycle because it integrates with the city and thus individual journeys will use every street - which is where the 20mph regime is the more important delivery.
There are 2 key details not mentioned first if we are to make cycling safe and pleasant the issue of big trucks needs to be faced - there is a 2-part video dedicated by a father to his daughter who died under the wheels of a truck in London which shows just how inappropriate these vehicles are in our towns & cities - in London HGV's are involved in over 50% of cyclist deaths yet are a miniscule 5% of all the vehicles on the street - the video shows why and calls for the UK to come in line with saner cities and ban huge trucks from their streets.
The other detail is parking - Glasgow's programme of delivering on street parking sees a 37% year on year growth in parked bikes count. Residential parking is needed - you won't cycle regularly if it takes 10 minutes to get the bike out of the cupboard or back of the shed every time. Workplaces too need to address this - no parking and it's not surprising no one cycles...
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: A V Lowe - Feb 11, 4:29pm
Ironic that the only name for express rouytes for cyclists that they can think of is a motorway - should be cycle expressway and a means on managing the growing snakes of cyclists which one joins heading along arterial routes like Rosebery Avenue where the Islingtonites head for their jobs in the service economy.
However it almost misses the point that people cycle because it integrates with the city and thus individual journeys will use every street - which is where the 20mph regime is the more important delivery.
There are 2 key details not mentioned first if we are to make cycling safe and pleasant the issue of big trucks needs to be faced - there is a 2-part video dedicated by a father to his daughter who died under the wheels of a truck in London which shows just how inappropriate these vehicles are in our towns & cities - in London HGV's are involved in over 50% of cyclist deaths yet are a miniscule 5% of all the vehicles on the street - the video shows why and calls for the UK to come in line with saner cities and ban huge trucks from their streets.
The other detail is parking - Glasgow's programme of delivering on street parking sees a 37% year on year growth in parked bikes count. Residential parking is needed - you won't cycle regularly if it takes 10 minutes to get the bike out of the cupboard or back of the shed every time. Workplaces too need to address this - no parking and it's not surprising no one cycles...
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: A V Lowe - Feb 11, 4:29pm
Ironic that the only name for express rouytes for cyclists that they can think of is a motorway - should be cycle expressway and a means on managing the growing snakes of cyclists which one joins heading along arterial routes like Rosebery Avenue where the Islingtonites head for their jobs in the service economy.
However it almost misses the point that people cycle because it integrates with the city and thus individual journeys will use every street - which is where the 20mph regime is the more important delivery.
There are 2 key details not mentioned first if we are to make cycling safe and pleasant the issue of big trucks needs to be faced - there is a 2-part video dedicated by a father to his daughter who died under the wheels of a truck in London which shows just how inappropriate these vehicles are in our towns & cities - in London HGV's are involved in over 50% of cyclist deaths yet are a miniscule 5% of all the vehicles on the street - the video shows why and calls for the UK to come in line with saner cities and ban huge trucks from their streets.
The other detail is parking - Glasgow's programme of delivering on street parking sees a 37% year on year growth in parked bikes count. Residential parking is needed - you won't cycle regularly if it takes 10 minutes to get the bike out of the cupboard or back of the shed every time. Workplaces too need to address this - no parking and it's not surprising no one cycles...
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: GNSR - Feb 11, 10:13pm
I've yet to see a map of the "ABOUT 12 cycle highways", ken may control the A roads but it's the first the boroughs have heard of it, it all stinks of an election promise.
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: bob - Feb 13, 2:00pm
Excelent idea (so long as all cyclists pay road tax, and obligitory insurance) as i am sure there will still be accidents (but hopefully) on a smaller scale, a great idea better still how about we rename London- Amsterdam then we could get rid of cars altogether.
You think im being synical? yes too right because where do you think the funding is coming from? i can gaurantee some will be from car/lorry road tax license fee
“Motor City”
Posted by: Jon Catling - Feb 19, 2:56pm
Perhaps motor vehicle users, some of whom might be cyclists too - and vice versa - should be glad of the application of some road license funds; after all every cycle on the road equals (approximately) 'a motor vehicle's worth of fuel per-trip' still existing for those that cannot, or will not cycle. Similarities apply with regard to pollution/CO2 production in your environment and possibly an inverse rule with regard to general fitness, and sometimes size, of the humans going about their business.
“Re: Motor City”
Posted by: Philip Hunt - Apr 1, 6:06am
Many cities in Australia are developing cycling strategies. Geelong in Victoria presented their new plans last December after several months of community consultation.They incorporated many ideas from their citizens and have come up with a practical plan that is not too ambitious. Melbourne is buzzing with cyclists and new ideas. One problem for cyclists is where to put your bike and clothes, etc. when you arrive at work all sweaty. Melbourne City Council Mayor John So, recently announced the City would be installing secure bike racks and changing 'pods' in several city car parks with showers, lockers, etc.New city buildings have to incorporate in their design similar facilities for bike riders. We too have the same old problems of car driver versus bike riders.
“Re: Motor City”
Posted by: Mick sas - Apr 22, 11:56am
Cycle expressway, should be called a byway I would have thought
“Re: Livingstone”
Posted by: Richie Rich - May 4, 11:15pm
I think that the implimentation of cycle zones and `super Highways' are a brilliant idea. The fact of the matter is that the Co2 being emmited in England and the rest of the world is putting a strangle hold over our future. I hope that the government is going to put this plan into operation as soon as it is viable to do so because if it can even reduce 5-10 mile journeys by 15 - 20%, then there will be far less cars on the road. With properly designated areas, safe lanes and cycle ways, there is no reason why it should not work, even in London. If it can work there, then it should work in every other Town, City or Village. With the advancements made in modern Bicyles, they are comfortable and reliable enough to be used in every day tasks. We should all
`CYCLE INTO A GREENER FUTURE'