Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  Thank you, Chairman.  The safety of all road users is of paramount importance when it comes to the design and delivery of roads.  It is worth reminding colleagues that TfL is responsible for just 5% of London roads.  The responsibility for managing London’s road network is shared between TfL, Highways England and the 32 London boroughs plus the City of London [Corporation].

Since I became Mayor we have delivered 10kms of new segregated Cycle Superhighways and over 100kms of new Quietways.  These have created a safe space for cyclists by reducing volumes of motor traffic on residential roads.  I opened my first Quietway between Waterloo and Greenwich and we are seeing huge growth in that region.  I am pleased that Quietway 14, over the road from City Hall, has seen a number of streets closed to cars to benefit local residents and cyclists alike.  The Mini-Holland Quietways and Central London Grid programmes are all delivering some segregated space, too.  By 2020 more than 30kms of additional protected space will have been delivered through these three programmes.

We are committed to making London’s roads better and safer for all users, including cyclists, so that people can feel confident in using our roads.  I have committed a record average £169 million per year over the next five years via TfL’s business plan towards improving cycling conditions in the capital.  This is more than double the £79 million per year spent over the previous mayoral term.  In addition to cycle lanes we have a range of ways to provide protection for cyclists.  More people have access to safer cycling by allocating separate lanes on busy main roads.  We are reducing the speeding volume of traffic on other roads.  We continue to use both approaches and make decisions on how we provide protection on a case‑by‑case basis.

Design work is also progressing well on a major new segregated route in west London to replace the undeliverable plans for the Westway proposed in February 2016.  Through three Mini-Hollands, with Enfield, Waltham Forest and Kingston, we are putting in segregated cycle lanes.  Data from these areas are showing strong cycling growth in the network and also, of course, we have our Liveable Neighbourhoods as well in seven boroughs across London.

Caroline Russell AM:  Thank you, Mr Mayor.  The reason I asked you this question again is because when I submitted it as a written question I received a 313‑word essay but no number for the amount of stuff that had been built.  Thank you for saying 10kms.  I think you will find London Cycling Campaign, which is trying to be very generous to you, has said that you have built 14.3kms.  Therefore, it might even be a little bit better than that.  The point is that you have pledged to triple the amount of protected cycle lanes in your term.  The London Cycling Campaign has calculated that you are going to have to deliver not only on everything that you have announced that you are planning to deliver but you are also going to have to deliver on Cycle Superhighway (CS) 4, CS11 and CS9 if you are going to meet your promise of tripling the protected cycle lanes.  In January you announced six new cycling routes.  When are we going to see a detailed schedule for their delivery?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  Firstly, you are right to remind me, and I do myself an injustice, we have done far more in Mini-Hollands and Quietways ‑‑

Caroline Russell AM:  We are talking about protected cycle lanes.  Quietways and Mini‑Hollands are not protected cycle lanes.

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  Some of those are.  The Central London Grid as well.  You are right to remind me I should give myself more credit.  In relation to Cycle Superhighway 11 (CS11) ‑‑

Caroline Russell AM:  Please do not use my time.  Please, I am really short.

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  In relation to CS11, Chairman, the reason I made the point that we are responsible for 5% of the roads is we need to work in consultation with councils.  CS11 is a good example where plans were given to us that did not work.  We re‑consulted ‑‑

Caroline Russell AM:  Mr Mayor, I asked you about the six new cycling routes that you announced, the ones that you announced in January.  When are we going to see a detailed schedule for their delivery?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  I thought you had asked about segregated cycle lanes, but I will move on to those.  I can send you the letter that gives you the timeline or I can read out the brief I have here.

Caroline Russell AM:  If you can send me a written answer about when you are going to have a schedule for the delivery of those six new routes, that would be great.  On Cycle Superhighway 9 (CS9), we know from TfL’s consultation that 60% of people support that scheme.  People in Brentford have been waiting for it since it was first proposed in 2010.  It is really important because it is outer London, not inner London, and people in outer London need to get on their bikes if you are going to deliver your clean air and everything else.  When will CS9 break ground?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  This autumn, with construction planned for 2019.

Caroline Russell AM:  With construction planned for 2019?  That is useful.  We will look forward to seeing that on the ground.  Will you meet your promise of tripling protected cycle lanes?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  If the councils work with us we can do it, but it does not help when councils like Westminster are taking us to court.  It is really important for people like you to also make sure you influence councils across London.  There are 32 of them.  We cannot impose these Cycle Superhighways, segregated lanes; we need to work with them.  That means getting the public on our side.  It is a waste of taxpayers’ money, in my view, to be bringing court cases stopping cycle lanes that we desperately need.

Caroline Russell AM:  I completely agree with you about it being a waste of taxpayers’ money, but also you have a role to make sure that the communities are on board and that they understand how the cycle lanes are going to help you to clean up the air.

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  Hold on a second.  We deliberately threw in the bin the previous plans because the previous Mayor failed to do that and we re‑consulted.  The public in the communities were in favour.  Local councillors recognised the huge progress that was made by Will Norman [London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner] speaking to residents.  Camden is in favour as well.  You have a neighbouring borough bringing a judicial review.  I think genuinely this is an issue that should not be party-political.  We have worked incredibly hard to bring on board local residents.  It does not help when at the last minute a council brings these judicial reviews.  We are trying to win over the public and it is really important we do so.

Caroline Russell AM:  I absolutely agree with you on that.  These lanes do need to be built.

Tony Arbour AM (Chairman):  Thank you.  On your bike.