Mayor launches five-year plan to boost cycling’s role in the capital

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has joined Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, in launching the capital’s five-year Cycling Action Plan.

The plan, devised in conjunction with TfL, leads on from the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and is integrated in to the Vision Zero Plan and Walking Plan.

According to the strap line on the front page, TfL and Khan are hoping to make London “the world’s best big city for cycling.”

The 59-page Cycling Action Plan sets out TfL’s aims to make cycling more accessible for all, improve cycling infrastructure through the introduction of a high-quality network of cycle routes, and enhance air quality and accessibility.

Construction of the new cycle routes is set to begin in 2019, covering areas in and around: Tottenham Hale, Camden, Hackney, Isle of Dogs, Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Tower Bridge, Kensington and Brentford, among others.

The Mayor hopes to increase the proportion of people walking, cycling and taking public transport to 80% of journeys by 2041.  On average, cycling levels across the Capital rose by 5.8 per cent per year from 2000-2017, and there was an overall 24% increase between 2012 and 2017.

The five-year plan promises to increase the number of schools engaged with TfL’s free cycle training and active travel programme, and in addition plans to double the number of adults who receive free cycle training each year.

In a statement, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Getting more Londoners cycling is essential for our city’s future health and prosperity, and our new Action Plan shows how we’re going to go further than ever before to make this a reality.

“The evidence is clear – where we’ve built new high-quality cycling infrastructure, the routes have been hugely successful in getting more people on their bikes. Despite this, too many Londoners still don’t have the high-quality cycle routes they need in their local neighbourhood. I’m determined to ensure every Londoner feels comfortable and safe getting on a bike, whatever their age, experience or background.”