Mayor of London confirms six new cycle routes

30 January 2018

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, has confirmed where further funding for cycling will be spent, announcing the six routes where design work will begin immediately. The six new routes, across nine London boroughs have some of the highest potential for cycling but currently lack safe infrastructure.

The new routes aim to help create a pan-London network of high-quality cycle routes and improve Londoners’ health, tackle congestion and clean up London’s air.

Design work to begin on the next generation of high-quality cycle routes in inner and outer London £142m to be invested in new routes that will help grow cycling across London and also deliver benefits for pedestrians Latest year–on-year figures show that cycling grew by nearly 10% in 2016

The new routes have been developed using Transport for London’s (TfL’s)  Strategic Cycling Analysis which identified connections where new cycling infrastructure is required to enable more people to cycle.  The six new routes will run from Tottenham in the north, to Peckham in the south, and from Barking in the east, to Willesden Junction in the west.

The new routes form part of the Mayor’s ambitions for 80% of journeys to be made by foot, bike or public transport by 2041. 

TfL and the boroughs will now begin design work on:

1. Wembley to Willesden Junction

5km route would be north-west London’s first major cycle route, connecting Wembley, Stonebridge Park and Willesden Junction. Future sections will connect to planned infrastructure in west London such as CS9 and CS10.

2. Lea Bridge to Dalston

3km route to link City and Waltham Forest by filling the gap between Lea Bridge Road and Cycle Superhighway 1 at Dalston.

3. Ilford to Barking Riverside

8km route to link two bustling outer London town centres and a major growth area with up to 10,800 new homes and a new London Overground connection – while enhancing access to the Elizabeth line and London Overground services.

4. Hackney to the Isle of Dogs

8km route to stretch from Hackney to the Isle of Dogs via Canary Wharf, Mile End and Victoria Park.

5. Rotherhithe to Peckham

4km route to  link Peckham with key and growing destinations such as Canada Water and Surrey Quays, and connect up other cycling routes such as Quietway 1 and the proposed Cycle Superhighway 4.

6. Tottenham Hale to Camden

8km route to connect major town centres and will cover seven junctions identified as being among the 73 with the worst safety records.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said:

“I’ve committed to invest record amounts in making cycling easier and safer for Londoners, and I’m delighted that work is now beginning on designing the next generation of high-quality cycle routes across the capital.

“Working closely with the boroughs, we’re providing new routes in both inner and outer London, including in areas that haven’t previously seen serious investment in cycling infrastructure.

“Encouraging more Londoners to cycle as part of their everyday routine is vital – providing huge benefits to people’s health, cutting congestion and air pollution for every Londoner, and improving quality of life in local neighbourhoods. 

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said:

“High-quality cycling infrastructure cannot simply be an option available to a minority of Londoners, and our new Strategic Cycling Analysis shows that there is huge potential for getting more people to cycle all across the city.

“Backed up by the Mayor’s record investment, we’re working in close collaboration with London boroughs to design six new cycle routes that would connect key town centres, join up existing cycle infrastructure, and start to create a genuinely pan-London network of cycle routes accessible to millions more Londoners.”

Matt Winfield, London Director for the walking and cycling charity, Sustrans, said:

​ “Last year’s figures demonstrate that investment in Dutch-style cycle routes works - with many schemes boosting cycling levels by over 50% in one year alone.

“The Mayor’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner is right to focus the investment where evidence shows it will have the greatest benefits, and start working collaboratively with boroughs to deliver these routes to Dutch standards.

“With cycling and walking levels growing rapidly, the Mayor, TfL and London’s Boroughs need to act quickly to make our streets safer, healthier and better places for people.”

Interested in our work in London? Find out more about our recent London Review 2017 

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Wanted - new cities to join Bike Life 2018/22

25 January 2018

Bike Life is the UK’s biggest assessment of cycling delivered by Sustrans in collaboration with seven cities. We are now looking for at least three new cities to join the project and are inviting local authorities to apply.

What is Bike Life?

Inspired by the Copenhagen Bicycle Account, Bike Life is an assessment of city cycling development, including infrastructure, travel behaviours, resident views, and the impact of cycling.

Bike Life provides the participating cities with in-depth information, through a set of city reports and other publications, allowing them to comprehensively assess and report on the development of cycling in their area.

Bike Life is designed to capture overall cycling development in a way that is meaningful not only to transport specialists, but also to a wide variety of audiences, from city leaders to the business community and the wider public.

The first Bike Life reports were published for seven major UK cities in 2015 and the second set of reports were published in November 2017. We’re currently developing a number of other Bike Life publications using last year’s data on inclusive cycling, air quality and congestion.

Extending and expanding Bike Life from 2018 - 2022

We have secured funding from The Freshfield Foundation to continue Bike Life from 2018 to 2022. We want to work in partnership with an expanded group of ten cities to develop the project further, publish reports in 2019 and 2021 and enable positive change across UK cities.

This means we are searching for new cities, combined authorities or London Boroughs to join the programme. We are holding an open competition during February for new cities to apply.

We require match funding from each Bike Life city of £15,000 per year for four years, from April 2018 until March 2022 (£60,000 in total). This contribution covers approximately one third of the total costs of Bike Life.

What do you get as a Bike Life city?  Production of a comprehensive report for your city and other publications Promotion of the Bike Life project and findings, including a stakeholder launch event in your city The opportunity to work in partnership with nine other cities, including attendance at the Bike Life Partners Summit Benefits of becoming a Bike Life city An opportunity to join an innovative project – work alongside nine other cities collecting the most comprehensive picture of cycling An opportunity to involve and inspire – Sustrans will produce two Bike Life reports for your city over four years, alongside other valuable publications, for example focused reports on air quality and inclusive cycling. Sharing best practice – ten key cities from across the UK will share data and help shape the political and funding landscape for cycling in the UK. Technical advice and support to enable cycling data capture, analysis and reporting for your city – working with our award winning research and monitoring team. How are Bike Life reports being used? 

Local authorities are using the report findings as an opportunity to talk about the benefits of cycling for everyone. Cities are also using Bike Life to develop and monitor new strategies and action plans, and to justify investment in cycling.

Examples of how Bike Life has contributed to increased investment and influenced development include:

Greater Manchester’s cycling commissioner Chris Boardman’s used Bike Life in the ‘Made to Move Strategy’ to underpin his call for £1.5bn of funding to transform Greater Manchester, welcomed by the Mayor; Edinburgh Council has used the finding that people want more protected cycle lanes in its decision to proceed with the major Roseburn to Leith cross-city route, in the face of vocal opposition

Further information on Bike Life, including downloadable reports, methodology, videos and blogs are available on the Bike Life homepage.

Interested in taking part? Applications close 28th February 2018  If you have any questions before then please do not hesitate to contact: Dene Stevens, Bike Life Manager<, T: 0121 633 5501 

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75% of pupils at Bike It Schools in York cycle, scoot and walk to school

19 January 2018

Three quarters of children at schools which are part of our Bike It project cycle, scoot or walk to school, a new report by our Research & Monitoring Unit shows.

Results taken from 15 schools in the city show that after just two years of engagement in the project, 75% of pupils usually travel to school via active modes. Car use by parents dropping children off to school also declined over the period to 23.7%, from 25.4%.

Erin Gray, our Active Travel officer for York, worked with school staff, governors, parents and pupils to inspire everyone to travel more actively, reduce car travel and create a culture of cycling and walking in the school environment. Erin organised activities to encourage people to try active ways of travelling to school, such as led bike rides, bike breakfasts and maintenance sessions and our annual Big Pedal, in which schools compete nationally to win prizes for the most journeys cycled or scooted to school.

During 2016-17, there were 12,662 pupil attendances at 197 events in 21 schools to promote cycling and walking in the schools, with 998 attendances from parents and teachers.

The children take part in activities which link to other areas of the curriculum from physical education, such as geography and maths. In one activity children survey their streets to look at how improved design could make a safer and more attractive environment for walking and cycling. Five-minute parking zones were also set up around schools to encourage parents to ‘park and stride’ when they drop their children off to school, to improve safety and reduce air pollution around school entrances.

Erin said:

“It’s been fantastic to work with York schools and help inspire the next generation of residents to choose cycling or walking for short journeys. York is very congested with traffic, particularly during drop off and pick up times at the school gates. By working with parents and teachers as well as children we help to encourage a culture of active travel in the whole school community.”

Adrian Mann, Year ¾ class teacher at St. Oswald’s CE Primary School said:

“This has been a very empowering and exciting experience for the children. It’s been wonderful to see their passion and enthusiasm for improving their local area. They’ve some great ideas to address the issues identified through our learning walk and Big Street Survey activities.”

We have been working in schools in York since 2009, funded by City of York Council’s iTravel York programme.

Find out more about our travel behaviour change work in Schools

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World record breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont backs Sustrans Big Pedal 2018

17 January 2018

World record breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont is calling on families to take up the challenge of ‘Around the world in 10 days’ as part of Sustrans Big Pedal 2018 - a UK-wide event to get more young people cycling and scooting to school.

The Big Pedal 2018, which runs from Monday 23 April to Friday 4 May, will see pupils, parents and teachers across the UK leave their cars at home and get on their bikes and scooters for their journeys to and from school.

Organised by us, and sponsored by Micro Scooters and Tonik, the Big Pedal is the largest competition of its kind in the UK.

During the 10 days participating primary and secondary schools will compete with one another to make the most journeys by bike or scooter.

Endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont, who holds the Guinness World Record for cycling around the world in 78 days, is backing the Big Pedal 2018.

After 18,000 miles on the road last summer, covering 240 miles a day and taking in 16 countries, Mark smashed the previous record by 44 days.

The theme of this year’s Big Pedal is ‘Around the world in 10 days’, with pupils tracking their progress on a map of the world, learning about the countries Mark passed through on his trip.

Mark said: “I’m delighted to be supporting the Big Pedal 2018.  It’s a great initiative for getting more young people on their bikes and scooters, building their confidence and independence in a fun and engaging way. 

“Encouraging young people to cycle and scoot from an early age not only boosts physical and mental health, it also helps build good habits for independent and active travel into teenage and adult life. 

“I hope as many schools as possible will take part in this year’s ‘Around the World in 10 days’ Sustrans’ Big Pedal challenge.”

According to government guidelines, children and young people aged 5 to 18 need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day (1).

Walking, scooting or cycling to school is one way of boosting children’s activity levels and helping them maintain a healthy weight.

Furthermore, teachers find that pupils who walk and cycle arrive at school more relaxed, alert and ready to start the day than those who travel by car (2).

Xavier Brice, CEO at Sustrans, said: “At 1.6 miles the average primary school journey is a distance that can be walked, scooted or cycled as an easy way of building more physical activity into our busy lives (3).

“As well as being fun, Big Pedal can help kick-start entire families into leading more active lives, while reducing congestion and air pollution around the school gates.

“Although the competition runs for just two weeks, it can be a catalyst for long-term changes in the way pupils, parents and teachers travel to and from school.”

Last year nearly 1,700 schools registered to take part, with teachers, parents, siblings and pupils making more than a million journeys to school by bike or scooter.

Participants travelled almost three million miles – that is nearly 119 trips around the world – and saved almost 728 tonnes of CO2 being emitted by cars. 

With more than 75,000 gallons of fuel not being used on the school run, parents also saved over £400,000 on fuel.

The Big Pedal 2018 is open to individual classes as well as whole schools, with hundreds of thousands of pupils expected to take part.

For schools unable to take part in the main challenge there is also a one-day version, which can include cycling and scooting activities during the school day as well as on the journey to school.

To celebrate the finale of the challenge there is the option to join a Superhero Fundraising Day.

Schools and classes will be entered into daily prize draws for rewards, including bike stunt shows, if more than 15% of a school cycle or scoot on each day of the challenge.

Ask your child’s school to sign up to Sustrans’ Big Pedal 2018.

For more information, images and interviews please contact: Anna Galandzij, Senior Press Officer at Sustrans, anna.galandzij@sustrans.org.uk, 07557 915648 or Amy Jones, Press and Media Officer at Sustrans, amy.jones@sustrans.org.uk, 07768 035318.

References

(1)  Physical activity guidelines for children and young people (5-18 years)

(2)  Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES - 2012) Evaluation of Sustrans’ sustainable transport infrastructure work surrounding schools.

(3)  National Travel Survey 2014 (England)

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Welsh Assembly inquiry into walking and cycling law welcomed by Sustrans Cymru

10 January 2018

Sustrans Cymru welcomes Assembly inquiry into walking and cycling law.

The Assembly’s Economy, Infrastructure & Skills Committee recently announced that it will review the success of the Active Travel Act. 

The Act, which was passed in 2013, was the first of its kind in the world, and requires local authorities to improve conditions for people making everyday journeys on foot or by bike. 

The law came into force in 2014 after a campaign by Sustrans, mandates local authorities to map existing routes people use for everyday walking and cycling, and lay down plans for future improvements. The aim is that that each local authority will have a network of safe, convenient and connected routes that will allow people to ditch their cars, and make shorter trips by foot or by bike instead.

The Assembly committee will question Welsh Government ministers and officials over how the Act is being implemented, as well as hearing from other interested parties.

Commenting on the announcement, Steve Brooks, National Director of Sustrans Cymru said:

“We warmly welcome the move by the committee to review how well this important legislation is being delivered. Wales is very good at writing laws and drafting strategies, but all too often, things fall short when it comes to delivery.

Having led the campaign for the Act, Sustrans is eager that it’s implemented properly. Whilst Welsh Government and individual local authorities have made a good start, there’s still much that needs to be done. 

The Assembly committee has a vital opportunity to look in detail at what’s working, what’s not working and provide recommendations back to government on how it can make improvements. Funding is hugely important, and Welsh Government needs to lever in more investment if we’re to see change on the ground. But action also needs to be taken so that people working in the field of transport across Wales better understand the Act and are able to deliver.”

Sustrans Cymru urges partners and those interested in the success of the Act to have their say by the deadline for responses on the 14 February 2018.

Consultaition closes 14 February 2018: Email the Welsh Assembly with your views Or visit the Assembly webpage

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Sustrans' London Review 2017

8 January 2018

Our most recent London review is a great opportunity to reflect how far we have come, working with our partners across the capital. Matt Winfield, Sustrans Director in London shares his thoughts.

Last year started with a stark reminder of why we want to make it easier for Londoners to walk and cycle. Brixton Road in Lambeth breached its annual limit for NO2 pollution within just five days of the new year. Then in October, the Mayor revealed how every corner of London breaches safe air quality levels. As the evidence increases, the need to reduce traffic becomes ever more urgent. 

Reducing air pollution is just one reason why we work tirelessly to make it easier for everyone to walk and cycle. The physical inactivity crisis - so central to the Mayor’s new Transport Strategy and Healthy Streets agenda - is having a profound impact on Londoners’ lives and our Health Service. Both challenges require a redoubling of efforts to tame our love affair with the car, reduce traffic and provide great alternatives for everyday active travel.  I’m proud of what our team achieved in 2017, working with boroughs and Transport for London (TfL) and other partners to do just that.

“ The results are starting to speak for themselves, with the number of people cycling in London rising 8.8% to 730,000 per day. The combined Cycle Superhighway and Quietway network is now over 100 km long, and 10% of Londoners live within at least one of these routes. ”

This review highlights just some of our achievements, including progress on delivering 50 km of new Quietways and laying the foundations for CS9 through industry-leading design work and community engagement. Once built, this new Cycle Superhighway will transform cycling for thousands of people in West London.

And our award-winning team have worked with communities across London to help streets work better for more people. From Marks Gate in Barking and Dagenham to Malden Manor in Kingston, we’ve worked with communities and local authorities to bring about the changes needed to make streets healthier and neighbourhoods more liveable. 

Our work with the ‘next generation’ of Londoners reached another level this year. Working with schools we have helped 66,244 pupils, 1,340 staff members and 2,640 parents to cycle, enabling more Londoners to live car-free lifestyles. 

We’ve continued to make the case to London’s leaders and policy-makers for Healthy Streets. Supporting the London Assembly’s calls for a London-wide road pricing strategy, hosting Deputy Mayor, Val Shawcross and Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman at our StreetTalks and developing a set of recommendations for the new London Plan are just some examples.

We’ve seen London Boroughs take the initiative and bring forward innovative projects to make walking and cycling easier. Camden and Hackney’s Schools Streets programmes have shown parents and pupils what a street free of traffic can do for health and happiness.

“ Working with schools we have helped 66,244 pupils, 1,340 staff members and 2,640 parents to cycle, enabling more Londoners to live car-free lifestyles. ”

And Waltham Forest’s ever impressive ‘Enjoy’ programme has gained national recognition for transforming local streets. Whilst CityMapper through its provision of an actual bus route, and the arrival of dockless hire bikes are making our streets and transport more connected than ever before.

TfL continues to transform London, with a focus on giving London healthier streets by pressing ahead with major projects including transforming Westminster Bridge Roundabout. We are delighted that our proposal for a new crossing between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf went out to consultation at the end of 2017. Sustrans first conceived the idea of a bridge at this much needed location back in 2008. We’ve worked hard to make this a reality, to unlock the huge potential in East London. None of this could be achieved without the Mayor’s continued investment in vital infrastructure.

When we look at London’s sheer pace of growth, the challenges to our environmental sustainability and the inequality that overshadows our wealthy capital, it feels as though changing the way we travel is more central than ever before to secure a healthy, prosperous and vibrant future for London.

Download the Sustrans London Annual Review 2017 report (pdf)

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Safety fears cited as main reason why more children don’t travel actively to school

8 January 2018

Fears over physical safety has been cited as the main barrier preventing parents from allowing their children from travelling actively to school, new research has revealed.

The findings come from the School Travel Survey for Parents, released today by Sustrans Scotland and the Scottish Parent Teacher Council.

It found that 42.4% of parents felts that unsafe walking and cycling routes, a lack of or inadequate pavements, ineffective or lack of crossings, unsafe school entrances and dangerous driving were all major factors which prevented their children from walking, cycling or scootering to school.

29.0% of parents also said a lack of cycle routes was a barrier for their child travelling actively to school each day.

The survey, of 1,232 parents from across Scotland, also revealed that convenience for parents was a key factor in influencing whether or not their children travelled actively to school (32.0% of responses). A lack of time (24.7%) was also the third highest barrier for parents when it came to active travel for their children.

Safety concerns were the common theme for parents in urban and rural areas along with areas of high and low deprivation in Scotland. In rural and deprived areas these concerns manifested themselves in higher levels of driving and bus travel, along with more children being accompanied  to school by an adult in areas of high deprivation.

Sustrans Scotland Acting Head of Behaviour Change Lynn Stocks said: “These findings formalise what we have been hearing anecdotally from parents and teachers for some time.

"Increasing the number of pupils travelling actively to school is a simple way of providing children with the moderate intensity of exercise required every day.

"However it is clear that as long as parents feel that these journeys are not safe, they will be unwilling for their children to travel actively.

Whilst funds such as Sustrans Scotland’s Safer Routes to School, which can be used to make routes to school and school entrances and pavements safer, help to make active journeys safer and easier for parents and children, it is clear that there is still more which needs to be done to improve safety around schools if we are to encourage healthy travel habits in children which can last a lifetime.

Eileen Prior, Executive Director of SPTC, said: "Parents often get conflicting messages. They are expected simultaneously to be responsible for keeping their children safe, for ensuring they are fit and active, and very often, for getting to work on time.

"These pressures often lead to a vicious circle of competing imperatives. For instance, we know driving too close to schools to drop off children actually creates danger in many ways. Schemes which encourage parents to park and walk; some distance away from school gates, or walking buses, help children to be healthy and remove congestion from outside schools.

"SPTC actively encourages parent groups to work with schools to come up with approaches that help their families to tackle these issues: it is often not an easy fix but sometimes the most difficult things are the most rewarding.”

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