A vision for improving London’s transport

The strategy has a clear vision: London’s transport system should excel among those of global cities, providing access to opportunities for all its people and enterprises, achieving the highest environmental standards and leading the world in its approach to tackling urban transport challenges of the 21st century.

The strategy has six key goals:

• support economic development and population grow
• enhance the quality of life for all Londoners
• improve the safety and security of all Londoners
• improve transport opportunities for all Londoners
• reduce transport’s contribution to climate change and improve its resilience
• support delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and its legacy.

Read more about the Transport Strategy.

Two-year snapshot: what we've delivered so far

Since the Mayor came into office in May 2008, we've delivered the following for London's transport:

Freedom Pass

The Mayor has given older Londoners and war veterans free travel on all Transport for London services.

Bendy buses going, going...

A quarter of bendy buses have been taken off London's streets - with the rest to follow by 2012. He's also committed to launching a new bus in London from 2012. This will be a Routemaster for the 21st century.

Oysterising the rail and river

As part of the Mayor's vision to make travel in London easier and more convenient, we have Oysterised the rail network and the Thames Clipper services.

Making better use of the river

Oysterising the river is just the start of the Mayor's vision to increasing transport on the Thames. We're planning to put the river at the heart of our transport plans for the Olympics.

Cycling revolution

In summer 2010, the London Cycle Hire Scheme will launch with 6,000 shiny new bicycles for hire from 400 docking stations across eight boroughs, the City, and the Royal Parks. To help you get from A to B on your cycle, we're building new Cycle Superhighways and making cycling safer.

Transforming the Tube

We're transforming the Tube with a programme of upgrades that will increase capacity by 30 per cent and lead to more trains and faster journeys. This will be achieved despite the delays caused by difficulties with the contracts we have with the private sector companies delivering them.

Crossrail

Crossrail will increase London's rail capacity by a further 10 per cent when it launches in 2017. It's the biggest civil engineering project in Europe and will finally give an express rail service direct from the west to the east of London, straight through the centre - including vital links into Heathrow and Canary Wharf.

DLR

We're increasing capacity on the DLR by 50 per cent in order to meet its expected growth in demand from 68 million passengers now, to 83 million in 2012.

Bus information

We've installed iBus technology on all of London's 8,000 buses to provide on-board next stop visual displays and audio announcements. But that's just the beginning - we will have mobile and web information for people to find out exactly when their next bus is due by early 2011 so that you can keep your time waiting at the bus stop to a minimum. Find out more about how we're investing in London's buses.

Road works

Much of the congestion on London's roads is caused by road works and the Mayor is committed to bringing better coordination and planning to these works across the capital. As a start, he has agreed a formal Code of Conduct between utility companies and Transport for London, which requires companies to minimise the impacts of road works on traffic flow. The Mayor's goal is to implement a lane rental scheme, by which utility companies are charged for how long a road is dug up. The Mayor will continue to lobby the Department for Transport to give him the authority to make this happen.

Fewer traffic lights

There are now nearly 6,000 traffic lights in London. The Mayor has asked Transport for London to review the timings of every traffic light in the capital to ensure they provide the maximum possible time for vehicles whilst still enabling pedestrians to cross safely. He's also asked them to work with boroughs to remove unnecessary traffic signals - for example, all of those that can be replaced with mini roundabouts or simple give way signs. The Mayor is also lobbying the Department for Transport to allow countdown information on traffic lights at pedestrian crossings.