London launches new Cycling Action Plan in push for greater diversity

Transport for London (TfL) has launched a new Cycling Action Plan with the aim of increasing the number of journeys made in the capital by bike by a third by the end of the decade, with encouraging people from groups that are currently under-represented among the city’s cyclists set to underpin that growth.

The Cycling Action Plan 2, published today, also envisages what is described as a “significant expansion” of the city’s Cycleway network, with plans to ensure that 40 per cent of Londoners live no more than 400 metres from it, nearly double the 22 per cent recorded in 2022.

> Cycling in London up a quarter since 2019 as TfL aims to get more people in the saddle

The two targets seek to build on the resurgence of cycling as a means of getting around the city, with the number of journeys made by bike each day rising by 155 per cent since 2000 to stand at 1.2 million last year.

TfL notes that between 2019 and 2022, there was a 13 per cent increase in the number of cycling trips made each day, at a time when the overall number of trips made using all modes of transport fell, with the decline largely due to changing travel patterns during and after lockdown, with fewer people commuting, or switching to a hybrid work pattern that lets them spend several days a week at home.

The aim now is to have 1.6 million journeys a day made by bike by 2030, and to continue to expand the city’s strategic cycle network, which has grown from 90km in 2016 to more than 340km now.

It seems that a large part of the development of the network in the coming years will be focused on Outer London, with TfL saying that its refreshed Strategic Cycling Analysis shows that there is greater potential to increase cycling within the outlying boroughs.

According to TfL, research it has commissioned shows that people from currently marginalised groups are open to start cycling, and the new plan aims to address barriers they face by implementing evidence-based initiatives such as installing 42,000 secure residential cycle parking spaces by 2030, as well as funding cycle training for tens of thousands children and adults.

It is also considering introducing concessionary charges for the city’s Santander Cycle Hire programme, to encourage uptake among people from disadvantaged communities.

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “Our new Cycling Action Plan sets out our commitment to further boost the numbers of cyclists across our city and increase participation from London’s diverse communities.

“We want London to be the best city in the world to cycle in, and breaking down barriers to participation and access to it is a big part of that. Alongside London’s boroughs and other partners we will continue our efforts to expand cycling to build a greener, fairer city for everyone.”

The new plan replaces one originally published in 2018, with TfL’s Director of Transport Strategy and Policy, Christina Calderato, acknowledging that while “significant progress” had to be made, more work needs to be done including setting the new targets for the number of journeys made by bike and access to the Cycleway network.

> Sadiq Khan launches Action Plan to double levels of cycling in London

“Cycling plays a vital role in London’s transport network as we work to tackle road danger, as well as the threats posed by toxic air, the climate emergency and traffic congestion,” she said.

“We’ve made significant progress with cycling in recent years and we recognise that we need to go even further. This plan sets out significant new targets to ensure that cycling is a realistic choice for all Londoners.

“We’ll continue to work closely with boroughs across the capital, alongside other partners, to make sure that we deliver on cycling for the benefit of everyone,” she added.

As well as launching the new Cycling Action Plan, TfL has also announced today that it has launched new guidance on access barriers on shared paths within parks as well as along waterways, which often prevent people with non-standard bikes or tricycles from accessing such routes also fail to comply with anti-discrimination legislation.

“The guidance sets out principles of inclusivity in design to make sure shared paths are properly accessible to everyone, including disabled people, older people, pregnant women and children,” TfL said.

Ben Foley, Campaigns and Policy Officer at the charity Wheels for Wellbeing, which campaigns for inclusive cycling, welcomed both the updated guidance and the new Cycling Action Plan, which he said “really appears to fit with the ambition to tackle the barriers to cycling faced by the most disadvantaged Londoners so as to ensure everyone has the opportunity to cycle.

“It is really important that Disabled people are able to share in the health and wellbeing advantages of regular cycling,” he continued. “The measures in the plan fit with that happening in London. In particular, we look forward to the new guidance on removing access barriers (such as chicanes and gates).

“We hope that it will cause a rapid reduction in the number of barriers that cannot be justified as meeting Equality Act 2010 requirements,” he added.