Press Release

The Mayor announces huge rise in cycling in London
1-5-2007   264

The number of cyclists in London has soared by 83 per cent since 2000, the Mayor Ken Livingstone announced today. The new figures revealed today came as the Mayor launched a new TV advertising campaign, 'You're better off by bike', to encourage even more Londoners to take to their bikes this summer.

The number of cyclists on the capital's major roads increased by a further six per cent between March 2006 and March 2007, continuing the strong annual growth since 2000. There are now an estimated 480,000 cycle journeys every day across London, around 30,000 more than a year ago.

The Mayor of London and Transport for London have increased investment in cycling by 50 per cent this year from £24 million in 2006/07 to £36 million in 2007/08. In 2000 investment in cycling stood at just £5.5 million. This money is being spent on improved cycle parking facilities, education and training, events and cycle promotion. 500kms of the London Cycle Network Plus - a network of signed routes for cyclists across the capital - has already been completed and the full 900km network will be completed by the end of 2010. Transport for London has installed 10,000 cycling parking spaces across the capital in the past two years.

Transport for London is continuing its campaign to increase safety awareness for all road users, including cyclists, and while cycling numbers have risen by 83 per cent, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on London's roads has fallen by 28 per cent. Transport for London is investing £2.8 million in cycle training through the boroughs this year. Before 2000, when Transport for London was created, there was no support for cycle training in London.

The Mayor of London said: "London is experiencing a cycling renaissance. We can now justifiably call ourselves a cycling city, a proposal that would have seemed ridiculous just six years ago. Record investment in cycling through Transport for London, an expanding network of cycle and bus lanes, and the confidence given to cyclists through tackling congestion in central London, has transformed levels of cycling in the capital.  And, critically, while numbers of people cycling are up, levels of those being killed or seriously injured on bikes are down.

"2007 is another massive year for cycling with the Tour de France arriving in the capital for the first time in July. I hope Le Tour will inspire even more cycling and a new generation of people to take to two wheels."*

Jenny Jones, the Mayor's green transport adviser, said: "This is the year of the bike in London. Cyclists are going to transform the look and feel of our city. More cyclists means less congested roads and public transport. Investing in cycling means less pollution and noise, but faster and cheaper transport. More cycling means a healthier, more pleasant London for everyone."

Simon Brammer, Chief Executive, London Cycling Campaign, said: "2007 is an astonishingly exciting year for cycling in London. This campaign will underline the message that the start of summer it is a great opportunity to rediscover your bike. We particularly want to inspire the 25 per cent of Londoners who own a bike but never ride it, to take to two wheels and find out for themselves what thousands of Londoners already know: you are indeed, better off by bike!"

The new advertising campaign will be broadcast in London on commercial TV stations for a month, starting on 4 May. A poster and newspaper advertising campaign began in April and will continue throughout the summer.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Cycle journeys in the capital are measured using flow meters on the Transport for London Road Network and have been measured since 2000.
2. The number of cycle journeys on the Transport for London Road Network has risen by 83 per cent compared with March 2000. This compares the average number of measured journeys in a year compared with March 2000.
3. Transport for London is making real progress improving safety for cyclists. Against an increase of 83 per cent in cycling since 2000, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on London's roads has fallen by 28 per cent compared with the Government's baseline figures from the mid to late 1990s.
4. Beta copies of the TV ads are available on request.
5. Electronic copies of the poster and newspaper advertising are available on request.
6. In March, Transport for London launched the latest stage of their Share the Road campaign which encourages all road users to consider the impact of their behaviour on others. A new poster which features a cyclist and an HGV, gives the message to 'take care', asks lorry drives to take care when turning left and warns cyclists to be aware of large vehicles. The posters are on display across London.
7. Transport for London has also developed warning signage for cyclists to display on the back of goods vehicles. The signs carry the message ‘cyclists - beware of passing this vehicle on the inside’. They are designed to address the particular threat cyclists face from goods vehicles turning left, as situations arise where HGV drivers are not able to see cyclists between their vehicles and the kerb
8. Approximately 2,500 goods vehicles in and around the Capital now display this signage, and Transport for London continues to work with companies that operate fleets of goods vehicles.
9. Transport for London’s Freight Unit, in conjunction with the police and the freight industry, have set up The Freight Operator Recognition Scheme. Around 70 operators are involved in the pilot stage of the scheme, which aims to drive down collisions and emissions in the capital. For more information see www.tfl.gov.uk/fors
10. The London Construction Consolidation Centre is another Transport for London initiative which is helping to reduce freight traffic on London's major roads - it means building materials can be delivered to this one-stop centre in bulk, before being sent to building sites as and when they are needed. Better journey planning by industry means supplies arrive at the right time and use less lorry trips overall, rather than being turned away when sites cannot cope. The centre has reduced the need for deliveries reduced by three-quarters, and cut journey times for lorries by up to two hour. Traffic flow is also maintained around major construction sites, reducing congestion.

For media enquiries please call Hilary Merrett on 020 7983 4753.
For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000.
For non-media enquiries please call the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.

Terms and conditions

Accessibility

Privacy 

Freedom of information