A report from the London Assembly Transport Committee, which is chaired by Caroline, warns that the number of cycling injuries on London’s roads has risen by 50 per cent since 2006 and recommends doubling funding for cycling and targets for the number of journeys made by bike.
Gearing Up calls on the Mayor to respond to falling cycle safety by prioritising ways to encourage more people on to bikes and reduce serious cycling incidents on London’s roads.
The Assembly’s recommendations to the Mayor, Transport for London (TfL) and the Government include:
- doubling funding for cycling in TfL’s transport budget
- timetabling an action plan for the east-west cycle ‘super corridor’
- appointing a commissioner to champion cycling
- more space on London's roads for cyclists, including using the experience of Games Lanes during London 2012
- developing a plan to ensure all children in London receive cycle training
Gearing Up shows while cycle safety in London has improved overall since 2001, injuries have been on the increase since 2006. Evidence collected by the Assembly cited safety as the main reason why Londoners wouldn’t take up cycling in the capital.
The London Assembly’s Transport Committee also urges the Mayor to make his pledge to create a ‘cycling revolution’ more ambitious. The report calls for him to double his target of having 5 per cent of journeys made by bike by 2026 to ten per cent following its analysis of current trends in London and other European cities. Copenhagen, for example, has set a target of 50 per cent of journeys to be made by bike by 2015.
The investigation showed that as cycling participation increased in other European cities, the safety of cyclists improved. But in London, rising cycle numbers do not appear to be having the same positive impact. The report also calls on the Mayor to encourage more participation as currently only 7 per cent of suitable journeys are made by bike.
Following the publication of the report Caroline said:
"Our report shows measures such as doubling cycling funding, making more space on our roads for cyclists and improving junction design, and trialling creative ideas to improve safety could all play a part in encouraging more journeys in London to be made by bike.
"A more ambitious vision backed by real political will and safer conditions could help London reach the high levels of cycling seen in other European capitals."
You can read the full report here.
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