Cycling in London

Andrew Stunell and John Hemming

Cycling in London has enjoyed a renaissance since the millennium. London's cyclists enjoy a cheaper, and often quicker, way around town than those by public transport or car, and as many trips in London are local, these can easily be done by bike. As London's public transport system is over-stretched at peak times making cycling a cheaper, quicker and more pleasant alternative. Though a quality bike and accessories can be expensive overall it may be cheaper than a year's fares on public transport, and a bike should last many years: good condition secondhand bikes would make this even cheaper.

Over one million Londoners own bicycles but as of 2008^[update] around 2 per cent of all journeys in London are by bike: this compares to Cardiff (4.3 per cent), Berlin (13 per cent), Munich (15 per cent), Amsterdam (37 per cent of all journeys)^[1] Copenhagen (23 per cent of all journeys / 36 per cent of commutes)^[2] and Groningen (57 per cent of all journeys). In 2007 there were more than 500,000 cycle journeys each day in the capital - a 91 per cent increase compared to 2000 - even though 2007 was England's wettest summer since 1912.^[3] Nevertheless, it rains less in London than in Amsterdam which, along with Copenhagen, is the most bicycle-oriented European major city.

From July 2010, 6,000 bicycles are available for short-term rental from Transport for London under the Barclays Cycle Hire at 400 docking stations in nine central London boroughs.

History

Starting in the 1960s, Britain experienced a decline in utility cycling due to increasing wealth and affordability of motor vehicles and the favouring of vehicular traffic by planners. Cycling's comeback began in the 1970s^{[citation needed]} when cycling advocates gained more concessions for cyclists and voiced ecological and social concerns about car use.

Conditions

Cycle lanes and paths

Main article: Cycleways in London

On-road cycle lanes vary. Some have raised concrete kerbs that separate the cyclist from the traffic, whilst others are defined by lines painted on the road surface. The Cycle Superhighways went into use in May 2010.^[4]

Cycle paths include routes through the royal parks (St. James's Park, Hyde Park, Regent's Park and Green Park), along the Thames Path and London's canals and waterways. There is a code of conduct for riding on London's towpaths.^[5]

Cyclists can legally cycle in London's Bus lanes.

On road conditions

London's main roads often have heavier and quicker-moving traffic than other major European cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen — though there is a push for 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) maximum speed limits across London.^[6] There are also dangers on and along the roads such as the pedestrian railings that bedeck many London corners and streets. Because of all these factors London's cyclists need considerably more experience and skill to ride in such a challenging environment.

Vehicular cycling tactics such as don't hug the kerb are important: cyclists need to stay out of the left-most side of the road. Many deaths have occurred when vehicles pass kerb hugging cyclists and crush them against the pedestrian railings.^{[7] [8]} Rather, cyclists need to hold their ground by riding in the middle of their lane and maintain a good pace; by doing so the cyclist maintains a high visibility and it also helps prevent vehicles overtaking within the same lane and thereby forcing the cyclist to the left of the lane.^[9]

Bicycle parking

As 15,000 bikes are reported stolen each year in London (though the Metropolitan Police believes the actual number closer to 60,000.^{[citation needed]}) secure bicycle parking facilities in London boroughs are needed.

Bicycle parking is available at many Tube, mainline, tram or DLR stations.^{[10][dead link]}

A bike rack on a Thames Clipper commuter catamaran on the River Thames

Cycling and London's public transport

A major disadvantage of cycling in London is that (unlike some other European cities) bicycles are not allowed on many forms of public transport. The DLR and most inner London tubes do not carry bicycles; they are generally permitted on National Rail, Circle and District Line trains outside the rush hour, and certain other tube lines in outer London.^[11] However, folding bicycles are allowed on all tube lines, trains and trams; they are also allowed on buses at the driver's discretion.^[11]

As mentioned above bicycle parking facilities are available at many public transport hubs.

Safety

Cycling in London is sometimes perceived as unsafe. However, as London Cycling Campaign and Transport for London write, the risks are negligible if certain rules are followed.^[12][13]

According to Andrei Morgan et al. (2010),^[14] "the biggest threat remains freight vehicles, involved in more than 4 out of 10 incidents, with over half turning left at the time of the crash." Hence the London Cycling Campaign and others strongly recommend that cyclists should never undertake a lorry, especially in front of red lights.^[15] The correct positioning on the road is also important.^[16]

Between 1986 and April 2011, 439 cyclists have been killed in traffic accidents in Greater London.^[17] The yearly numbers of cyclists killed in London vary considerably. On average, from 1986 to 2010, 17.2 cyclists died per year. In more recent years, the numbers have declined slightly. The average from 1986 to 1999 was 18.3 while from 2000 to 2010 it was 15.9. However, there is a large yearly variation. For example, in 2004 only 8 cyclists died. One year later the number rose to 21. The worst year was 1989 with 33 fatalities.

According to Andrei Morgan et al. (2010) "the number of cyclists killed in London remains small, meaning that even if trends were present, they may not have been detected."^[18]

The absolute numbers of deaths have to put into perspective with regard to the number of cycles on the road. The absolute number of bike journeys in London has roughly doubled since the 1990s. According to Transport for London in 1993 300,000 daily journeys were made by bicycle. In 2007 the number of daily trips has increased to 500,000.^[19]

Andrei Morgan et al. (2010) estimate a "death rate per 100,000 cyclists per kilometre per year". This number came down significantly in recent years: In 2006 it was 11.1, while the average between 1992 and 1999 was 15.5. Morgan et al. estimate that this figure declined by 2.7% per year.

A map showing all cycling fatalities in Greater London since 2006 is available on the internet,^[20] as well as a spreadsheet containing publicly available information about the crashes.^[21]

Recent changes

The number cycling in the city of London has grown in recent years. For example, the introduction of two new "cycle superhighways" led to an increase of cycling numbers on those routes by 70% overall (one of the two routes actually double in numbers) within one year to 2010.^[22]

Growth is assisted by governmental encouragement of cycling and the construction of improvements to enable safe and efficient cycling.^[23] Other conditions are:

• Bicycle advocacy
• cost of public transport and running private cars, including the London congestion charge and petrol price increases.
• safer roads for cyclists, this includes allowing cycling in bus lanes, 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) default limits, and redesign of roads to make cycling safer.
• better support facilities, including parking spaces
• better bicycles and gear, including waterproof bags and panniers, better lighting
• concern over terrorism on public transport networks since the 2005 bombings

In 2009 London real estate agents reported that close-by bike paths and on-site bike parking facilities were influencing the decisions of prospective property buyers and tenants.^[24]

Future plans

Barclays Cycle Hire docking station in Southwark Street.

Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone set a target of a 400% increase in cycling between 2008 and 2025. On 9 February 2008 Livingstone announced an estimated £400 million of initiatives to improve and increase cycling and walking. To be co-ordinated by the TfL and London boroughs the aims include having 1 in 10 Londoners making a round trip by bike each day and five per cent of all daily trips by bike by 2025.^[25]

These initiatives include:

• Barclays Cycle Hire: From 2010, 6,000 bicycles were available for rental. The scheme, run by Montreal-based BIXI, will initially cover about 17 square miles (44 square kilometers) over nine central London boroughs, and will include 6,000 bikes and 400 docking stations.^[26] The docking stations will be at every 300m and mainly at key destinations and tube stations (but not at train station) in Central London. There will be a charge for hire but there will be free use to encourage the scheme. The scheme was designed based on the feasibility study produced by German Dector-Vega and Charles Snead in Nov 2008.

• Extra cycle parking : There will be thousands of new bike parking facilities at train and tube stations.
• Cycle routes: New cycle routes from inner and outer London and cycle zones around urban centres will be established, the first by 2009. This will include 12 Cycle Superhighways across central London.;^[4] The firsts two pilot routes will be implemented by July 2010 and will go from Barking to Tower Hill in the East of London and from Colliers Wood to Bank in the North. The concept was designed by German Dector-Vega and will include the trial of cycle lanes through junctions (as in Denmark), convex mirrors at traffic signals to reduce the blind spot between lorries and cyclist (as used in Switzerland), new signage, and the re-design of some traffic junctions to improve safety among other things.
• Bike Zones: Throughout Greater London 15 Bike Zones will be created for shoppers and children going to school around "urban town centres".^[27] These areas will have cycle priority streets, 20 mph limits and "quick, clear and simple" routes along roads, through parks and alongside waterways. This will complement TfL's school cycle parking programme which was to add 5,000 cycle parking spaces in schools by 2005.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering schemes to allow cyclists to turn left at red traffic lights.^{[citation needed]}

Regular events

London Freewheel 2008

• Mayor of London's Skyride: an annual event launched as London Freewheel in September 2007, for which certain roads in central London are closed to motor vehicles for several hours on a Sunday

• Critical Mass, which leaves the National Film Theatre on the South Bank around 6.30 on the last Friday of each month

• World Naked Bike Ride, held annually in 70 cities in 20 countries, including London every June since 2004,^[28]

• Bike Week, an annual UK celebration of cycling with many local events in June^[29]

• London to Brighton ride for charity each summer; about 30,000 cyclists take part

• London to Paris rides for various charities^[30]

• Dunwich Dynamo, annual midsummer overnight ride to Suffolk since 1993

• London Cycling Awards: the London Cycling Campaign celebrates some of the best improvements for cyclists each year with the London Cycling Awards. 2008 winners included cycle parking at Frampton Park Estate in Hackney and at Shadwell DLR station; Kingston Council and Metropolitan Police for the Recycling Bikes Back Into The Community scheme; Newham University Hospital NHS Trust for the Well at Work project; STA Bikes and Hackney Council for Family Cycle Clubs; and Jenny Jones for services to cycling.^[31]

See also

• Cycleways in London
• Transport in London
• Cyclists' Touring Club
• Bicycle transportation engineering

References

1. ^ "Mayors Transport Strategy - Cycling". Transport for London. 2008-06-16. http://mts.tfl.gov.uk/Read-the-strategy/Public-Transport-(1)/Cycling.aspx. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
2. ^ "Bike City Copenhagen". Copenhagen Municipality. http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/content/tourist/what_to_see_and_do/events/event_calendar/major_event_-_information?EventID=590. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
3. ^ "More than half a million cycle journeys now made every day in the Capital". Transport for London. 2008-06-16. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/8631.html. Retrieved 2010-10-18. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Cycle Superhighways". Transport for London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11901.aspx. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
5. ^ "London's Towpath Code of Conduct". British Waterways Board. http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-rivers/regents-canal/londons-towpath-code-of-conduct. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
6. ^ David Williams and Ross Lydall (2009-01-09). "20mph limit for London". Evening Standard. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23433523-20mph-limit-for-london.do. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
7. ^ Rashid Razaq (2009-04-09). "Woman cyclist crushed to death by lorry as she turns corner". Evening Standard. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23674161-woman-cyclist-crushed-to-death-by-lorry-as-she-turns-corner.do. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
8. ^ Helen Pidd (2009-12-03). "Cycling: the key ways to stay safe". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/03/cycling-ways-to-stay-safe. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
9. ^ Ballantine, Richard (2007). City Cycling. London: Snowbooks Ltd.. pp. 180–181. ISBN 978-1-905005-60-4. http://www.snowbooks.com/citycycling/. 
10. ^ "Bike parking at stations". http://www.tfl.gov.uk/. Transport for London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11947.aspx. Retrieved 2010-10-18. 
11. ^ ^{a b} "Cycling / Bikes on public transport". http://www.tfl.gov.uk/. Transport for London. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11701.aspx. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
12. ^ London Cycling Campaign. "Confidence and safety on the road". Confidence and safety on the road. http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=445. 
13. ^ Transport for London. "Get Cycling: Cycling Safety". Get Cycling: Cycling Safety. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14798.aspx. 
14. ^ Morgan, Andrei S; Helen B Dale, William E Lee, Phil J Edwards (15 November 2010). "Deaths of cyclists in london: trends from 1992 to 2006". BMC Public Healt. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-699. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/699/. 
15. ^ London Cycling Campaign. "Four steps for cyclists to stay out of the lorry/HGV danger zone". Four steps for cyclists to stay out of the lorry/HGV danger zone. http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=2044. 
16. ^ Allen, John S.. "Cycling Street Smarts, left-hand drive version". Cycling Street Smarts, left-hand drive version. http://bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/lhd/index.htm. 
17. ^ Storbeck, Olaf. "Cycling Accidents London - Figures 1986 to 2011 (Spreadsheet)". Cycling Accidents London - Figures 1986 to 2011 (Spreadsheet). https://spreadsheets0.google.com/ccc?hl=de&key=tvjlFu5W-U0UxTjNcUlfgmw&hl=de#gid=2. 
18. ^ Morgan, Andrei S; Helen B Dale, William E Lee, Phil J Edwards (15 November 2010). "Deaths of cyclists in London: trends from 1992 to 2006". BMC Public Healt. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-699. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/699/. 
19. ^ Transport for London. ""Travel in London" - Report, p 20". "Travel in London" - Report, p 20. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/Travel-in-London-report-1.pdf. 
20. ^ Storbeck, Olaf. "Cycling in London: Severe crashes, 2006-2011 (map)". Cycling in London: Severe crashes, 2006-2011 (map). http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=de&msa=0&msid=207305429162328382245.00049de451f464602f536&z=11. 
21. ^ Storbeck, Olaf. "Cycling in London: Severe crashes 2006-2011 (Spreadsheet)". Cycling in London: Severe crashes 2006-2011 (Spreadsheet). https://spreadsheets1.google.com/ccc?hl=de&key=tvjlFu5W-U0UxTjNcUlfgmw&hl=de#gid=0. 
22. ^ "Cycle Superhighways boost cyclist numbers". Bike Biz. 11 January 2011. http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/cycle-superhighways-boosting-cycle-numbers. Retrieved 9 February 2011. 
23. ^ New Statesman - Vote Cycling on May 1st
24. ^ Miranda Bryant (2009-10-28). "Bike sheds and cycle paths rival Tube stations and car parking". London Evening Standard. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23761609-bike-sheds-and-cycle-paths-rival-tube-stations-and-car-parking.do#at. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
25. ^ Taylor, Matthew (9 February 2008). "City's two-wheel transformation". Guardian.co.uk. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/09/transport.world1. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
26. ^ Quigley-Jones, Jennifer (2009-11-13). "On yer bikes". The World in 2010. The Economist. http://www.economist.com/theworldin/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14742214&d=2010. Retrieved 2009-11-23. 
27. ^ "Press Release: Mayor unveils programme to transform cycling and walking in London". London Cycling Campaign. 2008-02-11. http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=15612. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
28. ^ http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/index.php?title=London
29. ^ "Bike Week 2009". London Cycling Campaign. 2008-12-19. http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=817. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
30. ^ "Charity rides & events". London Cycling Campaign. 2008-11-20. http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1222. Retrieved 2009-12-08.  on LCC website
31. ^ "London Cycling Award Winners 2008". London Cycling Campaign. 2008-11-20. http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1222. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 

Further reading

• Creating a Chain Reaction, The London Cycling Action Plan, February 2004
• Ballantine, Richard (2007). City Cycling. London: Snowbooks Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905005-60-4

External links

• Cycling | Transport for London
  • Free local cycle guides from Transport for London
• Sustrans
• The London Cycle Network
• London Cyclist Blog
• Cyclists in the City, critiques on the implementation of new bicycle infrastructure in London.
• Central London CTC
• Survey results: the truth about bikes in London, Time Out London, 18 July 2006