Cycle traffic up 50% on Cycle Superhighways
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
Transport for London (TfL) have released data showing that 4,695 cyclists use London's North-South cycle superhighway (CSNS) during the morning peak - a rate of 26 per minute; while 3,608 cyclists use the East-West superhighway (CSEW) during the same period of the day - a rate of 20 per minute.
To date, TfL have delivered eight Cycle Superhighway (CS) routes-including four new routes -and the first Quietways (QW), with further routes being progressed across both programmes, including seven QW routes comprising 50km due to be substantially complete by spring 2017.
TfL have pledged to reach a target of 1.5 million cycle journeys per day by 2026. As suggested by the report Cycle Superhighways and Quietways are key to this growth, with a more than a 50 per cent increase in the number of cyclists using the East-West and North-South Cycle Superhighway in just five months since its launch, taking the total number of cyclists to 8,400 using Blackfriars Bridge and 7,000 using Victoria Embankment each day in the morning and evening peaks.
According to the report, in 2014, there were 645,000 daily cycling trips, equal to one-fifth of Tube trips. Cycling is increasing and levels have doubled over the last decade.
By 2031, London's population is expected to increase by approximately 1.3 million and the city will host an additional 800,000 jobs. With increases in population, more people are needed to cycle to help reduce overcrowding on London's roads and public transport networks, hence the need to continue building more CS and QW routes.
In his manifesto, the Mayor outlined his aim is to make London a world-class cycling city with a plan to make cycling and walking safer and more attractive. Specifically, to increase the proportion of TfL's budget spent on cycling, continue the Cycle Superhighways Programme; and prioritise Quietways.
You can read the full TfL report here.