Cycle campaigners demand action on cycling in every London borough this local election
By London Cycling Campaign
London Cycling Campaign’s Streets for Cycling campaign has just launched at the start of the local pre-election period for the 7 May London local council elections. LCC local groups and supporters in 32 London boroughs are asking the potential next leaders of London’s councils to commit to building a cycle network fit for Londoners from every walk of life.
LCC is asking everyone who wants to cycle their local journeys – to the high street, to school and college, to the park or pool – to ask their next council leader to get on with delivering a safe cycle network. LCC is asking everyone who wants safe cycling to keep the pressure on the politicians and take their one minute action at lcc.org.uk/streets
“Cycling should be safe everywhere and fun for everyone. Kids going to school, heading to the shops, going for a splash in the pool with your family – those journeys should be easy to cycle. But too often in too many parts of London, the route’s got a gap or stops suddenly. That’s why we’re asking London’s politicians to hurry up and deliver a connected cycle network – so London’s children can be more independent, more Londoners can ditch the car and so we’re all safer getting around. Take our action and demand better from your next council leader today,” – Tom Fyans, Chief Executive, London Cycling Campaign
Too many gaps
Transport for London funding is already available for London’s ‘Strategic Cycling Network’, also called ‘Cycleways’, and TfL has identified in each borough the broad corridors where routes should go. These are routes where TfL data indicates a lot of motor vehicle journeys could be easily swapped to cycling if there was a safe route.
Although the Strategic Cycling Network has been around since 2017, LCC points out that the cycle network in too many boroughs remains far from connected up. Routes stop short of each other, links are missing and some routes are entirely absent. Too many cycle journeys in London still are like asking people to drive from A to B across a river without a bridge. LCC points out this is a huge barrier to people cycling, especially women, children, older people and disabled people. To make cycling local trips in our boroughs a safe, attractive option for everyone, a connected and direct network is vital.
“We know one of the main reasons why less than a third of cycle trips in London are by women is a lack of safe cycle routes. A safe, connected cycle network in every borough would enable women – including those who are parents and care givers – to shift those local trips to cycling, with all the health and economic benefits that come with having freedom to ride,” – Eilidh Murray, Coordinator, LCC Women’s Network
A powerful – but straightforward – pledge
Completing the basic cycle network TfL has identified for the borough is not only a gamechanger for residents’ health, road safety, traffic congestion and more – it’s also completely feasible, say LCC’s campaigners. TfL funding is available for boroughs to deliver the network it has identified. Council leaders simply need to instruct officers to design the routes and bid for the funds. Cycle routes can be protected cycle tracks on main roads, or through lower traffic side streets, or both.
Where are Cycleways needed in your borough?
LCC has created a zoomable public map that shows what cycle connections TfL has identified that are missing in each borough. The lines in brown represent the A to B corridors with the “top potential” to switch motor vehicle journeys relatively easily to cycling, if there was a safe, comfortable cycle route. Orange lines represent high potential, and teal medium potential, while the existing and already delivered Cycleway network is in blue
All the corridors on this map need a Cycleway built to TfL standards to complete the Mayor’s target of seeing 70% of Londoners living within 400 metres of a high-quality cycle route.
For more information on the campaign and to take LCC’s action to ask your borough’s leaders to deliver safe cycling for everyone: lcc.org.uk/streets
