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Fri 29 May, 1:00 pm UTC

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London bike use continues to grow

By Richard Peace

Bike use in London continues to grow (BikeRadar)

Cycling in London is up by nine percent on last year, with around 545,000 bicycle trips each day, according to the latest figures from Transport for London.

The statistics were revealed at an event in Trafalgar Square where city mayor Boris Johnson outlined his plans for cycling investment and summer events were promoted.

Johnson revealed that £111 million is due to be spent on cycling in the capital in 2009, a large chunk of it on the much-anticipated public cycle hire scheme.

Alhough there is still much detail to be filled in – especially on the mayor’s promised 'cycle super-highways’ – the Trafalgar Square event did throw up some encouraging figures:

66,000 new cycle parking spaces, including 138 at Euston Station

12 new ‘cycle super-highways’ by 2012

Despite these improvements, Johnson admitted there was still a long way to go. He said: "Cycling is on the up in London, but there is still much to do if we want to really revolutionise the way that Londoners get about."

Forthcoming events:

June: London Workplace Cycle Challenge – organisations compete to get the highest number of workers travelling by bike.
June 15-30: London Schools Cycle Challenge for 11- to 14-year-olds.
August 19: Freewheel-style traffic-free ride in Hounslow.
September: Tour of Britain begins and ends in London.
September 20: London Freewheel – this year the traffic-free ride expands to cover a larger area of the capital, including St Paul’s Cathedral and the City. Last year’s event attracted 50,000 people.

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easy

Posted Fri 29 May, 2:43 pm UTC Flag as inappropriate

Does anyone know how they come up with these figures? I mean, 545,000 is _reasonably_ specific. If I commute to work and home and then pop over to, say, race at Palace and then home again, is that four or five of those journeys? Does the race count? What defines a bicycle trip? Then, how do they know to count my four/five journeys?
It's not that much different than when they tell me that a Tube strike cost businesses £43.6bn (estimate - I didn't look it up). Again, how do they know? Clever bunch, I suppose.
Doesn't the ToB only end in London?