Cycling in London up 5% vs last year
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
Latest report from Transport for London shows more than 15,000 cyclists using two new Cycle Superhighways in peak hours.
According to the TfL Commissioners Report, the number of people using the Cycle Superhighways continues to grow - up 5% in Q1 2016 compared to last year.
There has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of cyclists using the North-South and East-West Cycle Superhighways, taking the total number to 8,400 using Blackfriars Bridge and 7,000 using Victoria Embankment each day in the morning and evening peaks.
Growth rates along Vauxhall Bridge on Cycle Superhighway 5 have been equally strong. Along Victoria Embankment, cyclists account for 52 per cent of all traffic during the peak.
Cycling in Central London has increased by five per cent in 2016 compared with the same period last year (Q1). An estimated 142,000 journeys were cycled in the Congestion Charge zone during quarter 1 2016.
The report also highlighted the success of the Santander Cycle Hire scheme. The scheme had a record breaking July that saw nearly 1.2 million hires across the month and has since celebrated its sixth birthday in August.
London Cycling Campaign's Infrastructure Campaigner, Simon Munk, said the figures make the case for further investment in cycling and walking.
"This report demonstrates what a massive success the high-quality new infrastructure has been," Munk told road.cc.
"Now we want to see the new Mayor and his team to move forward with not just approving schemes that received positive public consultation results such as Westminster Bridge and CS11, but also with new schemes - for instance the long-awaited Cycle Superhighways CS4 and CS9.
"We want the momentum on cycling, walking and "Healthy Streets" maintained," he said.
Concerns were raised recently over the future of London's cycling budget as a large portion of central government funding is set to be withdrawn over coming years, but were branded "complete nonsense" by Khan's office.