More children cycling to school in London

A survey of eight and a half thousand children from London schools have revealed a significant rise in the number of kids cycling to school.

According to the report, 1,400 pupils now regularly cycle to school – an increase from 6.5 per cent to 16.5 per cent surveyed. The same survey found that pupils never cycling to school decreased from 83 per cent to 67 per cent, while pupils riding their bike outside of the school journey increased from 26 per cent to 32 per cent.

Over the past seven years Sustrans has worked in 23 London boroughs with 250 primary and secondary schools.

“The London Bike It Plus Schools programme has once again more than doubled cycling in the schools we work with," explained Jo Hill, education programme manager for Sustrans London. “With the programme set to expand into even more London boroughs and schools next year, we’re looking forward to seeing more happy and healthy families cycling in 2014.”

Greenwich saw the greatest increase on last year with a +31.5 per cent.

Borough % pre % 2013

Barking & Dagenham 0 5

Brent 3.8 28.1

Ealing 7.6 9.5

Greenwich 4.9 36.4

Hammersmith & Fulham 18.1 29.1

Hillingdon 5.4 12.4

Hounslow 17 19.5

Lambeth 10.4 24.8

Lewisham 9.5 8.2

Merton 7.1 20.8

Redbridge 5.5 14.5

Tower Hamlets 3.2 9.2

PICTURE CREDIT: Sustrans