Record investment for cycling in London

The Mayor of London has announced that a record £154 million per year will be spent on cycling in the capital over the next five years.

Forming part of the Transport for London (TfL) draft Business Plan, the funding will allow Sadiq Khan to deliver his manifesto commitment to be the ‘most pro-cycling mayor London has ever had’ - moving the city on par with Denmark and the Netherlands in terms of its cycling offering.

Over the course of the Business Plan, up to 2021/2022, a total of £770 million will be spent on infrastructure and initiatives to promote cycling. At an average of £154million per year, it is almost double the £79 million per year spent over the last mayoral term.

The new budget will aim to achieve a previously set target of 1.5 million cycle journeys per day by 2025/26, including the completion of phase two of the North-South Cycle Superhighway from Farringdon to Kings Cross, which will begin construction next year.

The Business Plan also confirms funding for two new Cycle Superhighways, and plans to appoint a new walking and cycling commissioner for London.

Khan said: “Making cycling safe and easier can provide huge benefits for us all – improving our health, cleaning up our toxic air, and helping tackle congestion. By spending £770 million over the course of the next TfL Business Plan, we’ll now be spending the same per head as Denmark and the Netherlands – places famous around the world for their cycling.

“With record amounts of money now committed for cycling in London, we will continue to work over the coming months developing further detailed plans for making cycling a safe and obvious choice for Londoners of all ages and backgrounds.”

Ashok Sinha, CEO of the London Cycling Campaign, added: “This unprecedented investment in cycling shows the Mayor is serious about meeting his promises to triple the extent of London’s protected cycle lanes, fix the most dangerous junctions and enable boroughs to implement major walking and cycling schemes. It will help make London a better, greener, healthier and less congested city.”