News
City cycling up 91 per cent on 2000
Mark Sutton Jun 17 2008, 12:08pm
Comments (5)
More than half a million journeys made daily in London
Transport for London figures suggest that there has been a 91 per cent increase in city cycling since TfL's creation in 2000.
In the past 12 months to March, cycling on major roads has grown by approximately 4.5 per cent, with an estimated 20,500 extra cycle journeys taking place every day. It's worth bearing in mind that last summer was the wettest on record since 1912 when taking in the magnitude of these figures.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London said: 'I'm delighted that a growing number of people - like me - are choosing to cycle around London, and great strides have been made.
'But the overall number is still too low, which suggest that many Londoners need further encouragement to take it up.
'£2m is to be invested in new secure parking facilities, and alongside the forthcoming bicycle hire scheme and other ambitious initiatives in the near future I'm hoping to inspire a whole new generation of cyclists.'
This year the Mayor and TfL plan to invest £55 million into city cycling – up from £36 million last year and ten times the amount invested when TfL set up. This money is being spent on improved cycle parking facilities, education, events and cycle promotion.
Peter Hendy, Commissioner of Transport for London said:
'A 91 per cent growth in cycling levels in just eight years is a great achievement, but we are working to build on this steady growth and improve conditions for cyclists still further.
'The Mayor has made cycling a top transport priority, and this year we are investing a further £55m in cycling.
'As we continue to invest in new cycle lanes, improved parking facilities and bike training for people of all ages, I am confident that we will see the number of people cycling in the Capital continue to rise.'
Comments
“They have come - NOW BUILD IT!!”
Posted by: Phil Cavell - Jun 17, 1:09pm
So why are the facilities so poor, the cycle-lanes so badly designed, the whole road-system so skewed towards the car, the air so poor, the environment so dangerous. All those promises of a new world of cycle-friendly steets so many lies?
I ride in it every day and it is a national humiliation.
“Re: They have come - NOW BUILD IT!!”
Posted by: Mick - Jun 17, 2:00pm
While I agree with Phil, I'm afraid I can't see a day when London suddenly becomes like Holland or even York ! It's just too large an area with very narrow streets and years of pandering to car-owners.
However, if you can't change the physical infrastructure quickly, what you can change is the minds of people who drive and deride cyclists and bikes in general. These latest figures prove the increasing popularity of the bike and, with petrol costs soaring, I predict that this trend will continue as more and more people come to realise the benefits of cycling. Let us know where all this £55m is actually being spent, though, and let us cyclists have some input into where we think some of it should go.
“Re: Re: They have come - NOW BUILD IT!!”
Posted by: carltonreid - Jun 17, 2:44pm
91 percent rise sounds a lot and it's all to the good, but the percentage of bike journeys in London is just 2 percent, about the national average. More needs to be done...and is being done. Go, Boris, go!
“Re: Re: Re: They have come - NOW BUILD IT!!”
Posted by: Gary - Jun 17, 4:54pm
I agree. I cycle to work 14 miles each way and choose to go the long way around because some of the roads (not cycle lane specific) are terrible. Even some of the cycle lanes and bus lanes are horrible to cycle in.
Mind you, its nice to get a cycle friendly mayor at last.
“Re: Re: Re: They have come - NOW BUILD IT!!”
Posted by: Phil Cavell - Jun 17, 5:00pm
Whilst we are waiting for a fair appropriation of city space we are because of Dann v Brackman de facto obliged to use even dangerous and indirect cycle-lanes (or possibly lose compensation). The older I get the more militant I feel. I don't truct Boris to change a thing. £52m is nothing. A drop. Pure tokenism. Nothing will change until it has to or we all force it. Mick has a point in that we have invested too much in this lunacy to reverse without a fight.