Six new cycle routes in London will help improve health, tackle congestion & clean the air
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, has confirmed where further funding for cycling will be spent, announcing the six routes where design work will begin immediately. The six new routes, across nine London boroughs have some of the highest potential for cycling but currently lack safe infrastructure.
“ With cycling and walking levels growing rapidly, the Mayor, TfL and London’s Boroughs need to act quickly to make our streets safer, healthier and better places for people. ”
The new routes aim to help create a pan-London network of high-quality cycle routes and improve Londoners’ health, tackle congestion and clean up London’s air.
- Design work to begin on the next generation of high-quality cycle routes in inner and outer London
- £142m to be invested in new routes that will help grow cycling across London and also deliver benefits for pedestrians
- Latest year–on-year figures show that cycling grew by nearly 10% in 2016
The new routes have been developed using Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Strategic Cycling Analysis which identified connections where new cycling infrastructure is required to enable more people to cycle. The six new routes will run from Tottenham in the north, to Peckham in the south, and from Barking in the east, to Willesden Junction in the west.
The new routes form part of the Mayor's ambitions for 80% of journeys to be made by foot, bike or public transport by 2041.
TfL and the boroughs will now begin design work on:
1. Wembley to Willesden Junction
5km route would be north-west London’s first major cycle route, connecting Wembley, Stonebridge Park and Willesden Junction. Future sections will connect to planned infrastructure in west London such as CS9 and CS10.
2. Lea Bridge to Dalston
3km route to link City and Waltham Forest by filling the gap between Lea Bridge Road and Cycle Superhighway 1 at Dalston.
3. Ilford to Barking Riverside
8km route to link two bustling outer London town centres and a major growth area with up to 10,800 new homes and a new London Overground connection – while enhancing access to the Elizabeth line and London Overground services.
4. Hackney to the Isle of Dogs
8km route to stretch from Hackney to the Isle of Dogs via Canary Wharf, Mile End and Victoria Park.
5. Rotherhithe to Peckham
4km route to link Peckham with key and growing destinations such as Canada Water and Surrey Quays, and connect up other cycling routes such as Quietway 1 and the proposed Cycle Superhighway 4.
6. Tottenham Hale to Camden
8km route to connect major town centres and will cover seven junctions identified as being among the 73 with the worst safety records.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said:
“I’ve committed to invest record amounts in making cycling easier and safer for Londoners, and I’m delighted that work is now beginning on designing the next generation of high-quality cycle routes across the capital.
“Working closely with the boroughs, we’re providing new routes in both inner and outer London, including in areas that haven’t previously seen serious investment in cycling infrastructure.
“Encouraging more Londoners to cycle as part of their everyday routine is vital – providing huge benefits to people’s health, cutting congestion and air pollution for every Londoner, and improving quality of life in local neighbourhoods.
Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said:
“High-quality cycling infrastructure cannot simply be an option available to a minority of Londoners, and our new Strategic Cycling Analysis shows that there is huge potential for getting more people to cycle all across the city.
“Backed up by the Mayor’s record investment, we’re working in close collaboration with London boroughs to design six new cycle routes that would connect key town centres, join up existing cycle infrastructure, and start to create a genuinely pan-London network of cycle routes accessible to millions more Londoners.”
Matt Winfield, London Director, Sustrans, said:
“Last year’s figures demonstrate that investment in Dutch-style cycle routes works - with many schemes boosting cycling levels by over 50% in one year alone.
“The Mayor’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner is right to focus the investment where evidence shows it will have the greatest benefits, and start working collaboratively with boroughs to deliver these routes to Dutch standards.
“With cycling and walking levels growing rapidly, the Mayor, TfL and London’s Boroughs need to act quickly to make our streets safer, healthier and better places for people.”