LCC celebrates campaign success as new Cycle Superhighways open

Representatives of London Cycling Campaign (LCC) joined departing Mayor Boris Johnson to celebrate the opening of the new East-West and North-South Cycle Superhighways today.

LCC was instrumental in the creation of the Cycle Superhighway programme, in the shift from “blue paint” to protected cycle tracks, and latterly in the creation of the East-West and North-South Cycle Superhighways. The huge numbers of cyclists already using the North-South Cycle Superhighway demonstrate London is finally becoming a cycling city.

The North-South and East-West Cycle Superhighways came about directly as a result of the pressure LCC applied to the Mayor during its “Love London, Go Dutch” campaign that called specifically for all new Cycle Superhighways to be completed to tough “Go Dutch” standards put forward by LCC. The ten point agenda included specific commitments that “Londoners young or old, occasional cyclists or experienced ones, will be safe, and will feel safe cycling on main roads” and “Londoners will be able to negotiate all junctions safely and conveniently whether cycling or walking.”

10,000 Londoners joined LCC’s “Big Ride” in 2012 and 40,000 signed the Love London, Go Dutch petition in 2012. That directly resulted in a major shift in Mayor Johnson’s approach. In January 2013 he appointed London’s first Cycling Commissioner, and shortly after announced his “Crossrail for bikes” plan that became the East-West, as well as his plan for three mini-Holland boroughs.

Ashok Sinha, CEO London Cycling Campaign said: “It’s a proud day for London Cycling Campaign. We can see from the numbers already cycling on these new Dutch-style Cycle Superhighways, despite them only just opening, that the appetite for international-quality cycling tracks and infrastructure in London is huge.

"The new Superhighways, running right through the centre of the capital, have ensured the outgoing Mayor has not only made good a promise made to LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign, but put London on the map of world-class cycling infrastructure. The next Mayor has promised they will build on this great legacy by tripling the mileage of protected space on Cycle Superhighways as part of LCC’s Sign for Cycling campaign. They too can make an historic contribution to making London a greater city by keeping this promise."