Take a hike, get on your bike says John Biggs AM
‘Get on your bike’ is the message this week from Labour London Assembly Member John Biggs, as Mayor Ken Livingstone announces record
amounts of investment to make walking and cycling in London easier for everyone.
Five key programmes of investment will mean a central London bike hire scheme, based on a similar initiative in Paris, a new network of ‘Cycling Corridors’ – high profile and easy
to follow routes into Central London, ‘Bike Zones’ for shoppers and schoolchildren across inner and outer London, the expansion of the Legible London network – easily marked walking routes in the
capital, and 200 ‘Streets of Gold’ schemes to make over key local destinations and make them more accessible and pleasant.
John Biggs said ‘These new measures mean the highest level of investment ever seen in London for pedestrians and cyclists. Walking and cycling are obviously more
environmentally friendly than using motorised transport – including public transport like the bus or train, so the more people who start making journeys in this way the better for improving
London’s carbon footprint.
‘As part of the measures, 6000 bicycles will be available for hire at key locations throughout London, there will be cycle priority on many roads, commuters and children will be
encouraged to go to school or work by bike instead of on the bus or in a car. But obviously we won’t achieve this without investment in making our streets safer for cyclists and walkers – people
will need to feel safe and confident, hence these measures.’
John concluded ‘I often walk to work and to meetings. I’m looking forward to seeing these dramatic measures being rolled out across East London and I’ll be saying to everyone
– take a hike or get on your bike!’
ENDS
Notes:
· John Biggs is London Assembly Member for City & East London, covering The City, Tower
Hamlets, Newham and Barking & Dagenham.
· Bike hire in central London
TfL has been working with the boroughs and the Royal Parks to examine the feasibility of a bike hire scheme in central London. The Mayor is now instructing TfL to work with the boroughs and
interested parties to develop and implement a bike hire scheme in central London.
Phased implementation within the first Mayoral term, with earliest delivery date of summer 2010.
Implementation will start with about 6000 bikes available at docking stations every 300m and at key destinations such as railway stations and major attractions.
A free period of use will encourage higher take up.
Approximately £75 million will be invested over ten years .We'd hope some of this could be met through sponsorship and revenue raised through the scheme.
3. Cycling corridors for commuters into central London
Around a dozen easily accessible routes into central London, aligned with known key cycle flows, the LCN+ and bus lanes
· New cyclists won’t need to struggle with a map, as high-profile, clear signage guides them on, through and off the corridor
· Improved safety for all cyclists due to large cycle flows along these corridors, delivering streams of bikes into Central London
· First corridor in place and other key routes defined by 2009
· Based on Aylesbury’s ‘Gemstone’ routes which delivered a 25% increase in cycling levels in less than two years
TfL will be consulting with the London boroughs, and walking, cycling and health stakeholders to define and develop the plans.
· Bike Zones for short trips to shops, schools and work in inner and outer London
· A package of measures that will help people make the choice to use their bikes for local trips, rather than their cars
· Zones will cover a 5km radius around town centres, with 20mph speed limits on all appropriate roads, cycle priority streets where cars give-way to bikes, greenways, and a clearly signed
network of cycle-friendly routes, linking schools, stations, residential areas and workplaces
· Delivered through partnership with the Boroughs, local community groups, and local businesses – the first in place by 2010
· Communicated through public cycle counters, and maps distributed through local shops and direct to homes
· Modelled on Cycling England’s successful Cycling Demonstration Towns
TfL will be consulting with the London boroughs, and walking, cycling and health stakeholders to define and develop the plans.
· Expansion of Legible London – the first comprehensive pedestrian wayfinding system to help
people navigate London
· An on-street signage and information system to help people find their way for short trips which they currently don’t know how to make on foot
· Currently being piloted in Bond Street Legible London will be rolled out to key Central London locations and the Olympics area by 2012, with major town centres covered by 2015
· Streets of Gold – 200 premium walking areas, linking key local destinations such as
stations, schools and shops in Inner and Outer London.
·TfL will be consulting with the London boroughs, and walking, cycling and health stakeholders to define and develop the plans.
Around a 1/4 mile2 catchment area connecting shops, schools, stations. Urban makeovers will deliver safe, vibrant areas that are more welcoming for pedestrians and make people want to walk rather
than take their car
· Better infrastructure provision and design for pedestrians will be compliment with regeneration measures and promote walking as a way of getting around
· Driven through Borough delivery and local community involvement
· The full report can be found at www.london.gov.uk
· For further information please contact Ami Ibitson, Labour Group Communications Officer on
020 7983 6558 or ami.Ibitson@london.gov.uk
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