Skip to main content

Mayor secures record investment in cycling in London

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has committed to spending US$194 million (£154 million) per year on cycling over the next five years, representing an average US$21 (£17) per head per annum, a level of spending on a par with Denmark and the Netherlands. The investment, part of the Transport for London (TfL) draft Business Plan, goes beyond his manifesto commitment to increase the proportion of TfL’s budget spent on cycling. It will also include substantial benefits for pedestrians with new pedestrian crossings an
December 9, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has committed to spending US$194 million (£154 million) per year on cycling over the next five years, representing an average US$21 (£17) per head per annum, a level of spending on a par with Denmark and the Netherlands.

The investment, part of the 1466 Transport for London (TfL) draft Business Plan, goes beyond his manifesto commitment to increase the proportion of TfL’s budget spent on cycling. It will also include substantial benefits for pedestrians with new pedestrian crossings and more pavement space.

Over the course of the Business Plan, up to 2021/2022, a total of US$971 million (£770 million) will be spent on infrastructure and initiatives to promote cycling.

This new cycling budget, which will help achieve the target of 1.5 million cycle journeys per day by 2025/26, includes the completion of phase two of the North-South Cycle Superhighway from Farringdon to Kings Cross, which will begin construction next year. It also includes the extension of the East-West Cycle Superhighway from Lancaster Gate and work to deliver Cycle Superhighway 11 from Swiss Cottage to the West End.

The plan also includes two new Cycle Superhighways, Cycle Superhighway 4 from Tower Bridge to Greenwich and Cycle Superhighway 9 from Olympia towards Hounslow, with each route also tackling a number of traffic-dominated junctions. Consultations will begin next year.

Working with London boroughs, the three ‘mini-Hollands’, Dutch-style pedestrian and cycle friendly streets, in Enfield, Kingston and Waltham Forest and at least 20 more Quiet-way routes will be planned or rolled-out, making cycling safer and easier in different parts of London.

The investment also includes a new cyclist and pedestrian bridge over the River Thames linking Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf, creating easier connectivity in the area.

Sadiq Khan, who will shortly appoint a new walking and cycling commissioner for London, hailed the amounts of money being committed for cycling in the capital and promised 'further detailed plans for making cycling a safe and obvious choice for Londoners of all ages and backgrounds'.
UTC

Related Content

  • October 22, 2013
    London launches four new road safety campaigns
    Pedestrians, drivers and motorcyclists are being targeted in four new campaigns to improve road safety in London. Appearing from this week, the campaigns will run for the next six weeks and use various tactics to raise safety awareness among different road users. Earlier this year the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) launched a new road safety plan which set out a clear path towards helping to reduce accidents on London's roads. These new campaigns will build on the progress already made and aim to c
  • December 5, 2017
    New Mersey crossing ends Halton’s congestion misery
    Plagued by intolerable congestion but denied government funding for its solution, tiny Halton Borough Council relentlessly pursued its vision and achieved what many believed impossible. Halton may be a small local authority in north west England, but it had a big traffic problem. However, as the road, or more particularly the bridge, involved was not deemed a strategic route, central government would not commission or even fund a solution - a problem that many other local authorities will recognise.
  • May 21, 2015
    First pan-London Car Club Action Plan launched
    Around 85 per cent of UK car club members already based in London New plan will help reach new joint target of one million London car club members by 2025 Future growth of car clubs will help improve London’s air quality and reduce congestion in the Capital A new ‘strategy for car clubs’ in London has been launched today (21 May), to encourage residents and businesses across the capital to sign up to car club schemes as an alternative to direct car ownership. The new action plan, jointly developed b
  • June 15, 2015
    Danish cities receive funds for cycle infrastructure
    Three Danish cities have received over US$1.4 million to develop cycling infrastructure. Odense, Faaborg-Midtfyn and Middelfart received the funding from a national transport fund which aims to build bicycle infrastructure, strengthen rural public transport and increase the use of buses across Denmark.