Online cycle training course launched for Londoners

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched the first online cycle training course for Londoners to give more people the confidence to start cycling.

The Cycle Skills course, which is available on the TfL website, supports the current Streetspace for London programme which is rapidly rolling out more space for people to walk and cycle. Cycle Skills is the first online course to cover everything from getting your bike set up for your first ride to tips for cycling safety with children in one place, and is tailored to cycling in London.

The series consists of: guidance for pre-ride checks to your bike’s tyre air pressure, brakes and chain, along with tips for basic control and handling; practical advice for how to start cycling on the roads safely and responsibly while avoiding potential hazards; confidence-boosting tips for people looking to return to cycling after a long break, covering how to share the road safely and communicate with other road users; and guidance for cycling safely with children and in a group. Everyone who completes the four training modules will be sent a free Santander Cycles 24-hour access code, enabling them to start putting the skills they’ve learnt into practice.

TfL has also secured £2 million from the Department for Transport for cycle training in London, which will be delivered via the London boroughs. Each borough will be allocated £60,000 to deliver socially distanced Bikeability and Cycle Skills training from August onwards.

Khan said: “I’m determined to do all I can to ensure a green recovery for our city by building on Londoners’ record-breaking demand for cycling over the past few months. I am proud that we are rapidly rolling out more space for walking and cycling and upgrading cycle routes to make them safer. But we also need to equip people with the confidence and skills they need to cycle in our city, so I’m delighted to launch the first online cycle training course for Londoners.”  

17km of new cycle lanes have been created through the Streetspace for London programme so far, with a further 20km under construction. Segregated cycle lanes trebled in the first four years of Khan’s mayoralty from 53km to 162km.