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Cycling, Environment, Life and style, London, London politics, Politics, Sadiq Khan, Transport, Transport policy, UK news - December 31, 2018

How London is aiming to become the world best big city for cycling | Will Norman

I reject the suggestion that the capital’s action plan contains nothing new

Two weeks ago, the mayor of London and I spent a morning cycling with the leader of Enfield council looking at their excellent new protected cycleways and secure bike parking hub at Edmonton Green station. Together we unveiled Transport for London’s new cycling action plan, which aims to make London the world’s best big city for cycling and to double the number of cycle journeys in five years.

The launch follows the publication of this year’s TfL business plan, in which Sadiq Khan demonstrated his continuing commitment to cycling by not only protecting the record level of funding for cycling, but increasing it from an average of £169m to £214m a year. This commitment is despite central government’s complete withdrawal of the £700m annual operating grant, which has left TfL in a tough financial position, compounded by the delay and increased cost of Crossrail.

London's new official plan for cycling is bold but has a major flaw

With no new infrastructure or funding, questions remain on how to genuinely democratise cycling in a big city

London has a new official plan for cycling. It’s full of bold statements of intent and has some interesting ideas. That’s the good news. Here’s the drawback: within the 59 glossy pages I could detect no new plans for cycling infrastructure.

This all might seem a bit niche, not to say London-centric. But there is a wider lesson here: if cities are to truly move ahead in making cycling everyday and for everyone, good intentions aren’t enough. It involves political boldness, and taking risks.

Who's behind the bid to get London's flagship bike lane ripped up?

A new group supported by the Canary Wharf Group property company and lorry, coach and taxi drivers is attacking one of the city’s most popular routes

Even on a wet, cold November night, London’s flagship cycle superhighway along the Embankment is thronged. Across the whole 24 hours, it is used by 10,329 cyclists, an average of seven a minute. But at this time of day, it is one every three seconds. In the rush hour, the bike track – which takes up one lane of this four-lane road – carries more traffic than the other three lanes put together.

It’s an extraordinary success, and it looks like a permanent fixture. But it might not be. Behind the scenes, a powerful property company, Canary Wharf Group, is working with a political lobbying firm and major road organisations on a campaign to get it ripped out.

Ten everyday ways drivers make cyclists feel unsafe

From speeding and light jumping to parking in bike lanes and passing too close, driver behaviour is one of the main deterrents to widespread cycling

What prevents significantly more people in the UK from riding bikes for everyday transport? The primary answer is simple: a lack of safe infrastructure.

If cyclists are expected to share the roads with a tonne or so of speeding metal then, global experience shows, you won’t get more than a certain, small percentage of the population doing it, predominantly the young and gung ho.

Who belongs in the Everyday Cycling Hall of Fame?

As a new road cycling pantheon is launched, we ask who should be honoured for their efforts to promote cycling for all. Add your suggestions in the comments and we’ll select some of the best in a future post

The world of mountain biking has had a hall of fame since 1988. Road cycling has a few of them, including a UK-centric one from British Cycling – and now a new international one from Rouleur magazine launching on Thursday. But, to the best of my knowledge, transportation cycling has never had one.

Nature abhors a vacuum, so here’s our chance to start the Everyday Cycling Hall of Fame. I’ve taken the liberty of suggesting who I think ought to be the first 10 inductees. Who would you include?

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How London is aiming to become the world best big city for cycling | Will Norman

London's new official plan for cycling is bold but has a major flaw

Who's behind the bid to get London's flagship bike lane ripped up?

Ten everyday ways drivers make cyclists feel unsafe

Who belongs in the Everyday Cycling Hall of Fame?

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