Increased infrastructure boosts cycling in London

The recently published Travel in London 2024 report shows that the number of cycling journeys in city have increased 26% over the last five years, with 1.33 million daily journeys taking place in 2024.

This increase is in no small part down to the increase in London’s cycling infrastructure, with the strategic cycle network having grown from 90km long in 2016 to a current length of 400km,  making it longer than the London Underground.

Year-on-year the number of journeys has increased  5%, with the greatest growth being in the centre of London, where 2024 saw an 11.6% increase on the 2023 figure. In inner London the growth was a 4.2% and in outer London 3.8%.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: ‘It is tremendous that the number of Londoners cycling in the capital continues to grow year-on-year. We are extremely proud of our work to expand the protected cycleway network.

‘This data shows that if you build the right infrastructure, people will use it. We will now look to build on this progress, working closely with boroughs to increase the cycle network even further.

‘Enabling more people to make their journeys by walking, cycling and using public transport is key to building a safer and greener London for everyone.’

In 2023/24  TfL added 20 new Cycleways routes, connecting more than 600,000 Londoners to the network and ensuring that 27.4% of Londoners now live within 400 metres of the cycle network. 

Oli Ivens, London Director at Sustrans, said: ‘This new report showing more Londoners are choosing to cycle as part of their everyday journeys is great news from both a health and environmental perspective. Incorporating activity into daily life has huge benefits for businesses too thanks to better physical and mental health, so it’s encouraging to see more people cycling.

‘At Sustrans we’re hugely proud of our work supporting TfL and London boroughs in the roll-out of new cycleways. We continue to design, build and activate new schemes and see huge opportunity for increased cycling in outer-London areas, and an acceleration of the integration of active travel with public transport.’

The report also revealed:

• The Safe and Healthy Streets programme is on course to deliver 25km of new bus lanes across the road network by March next year.
• 162 new school streets were introduced across 23 boroughs last year.
• 18 boroughs now have 20mph borough-wide road networks.
• Santander e-bikes averaged more than three hires per day, proving the most popular on October 15th when there were more than 4,900 hires.

The full report, which also includes the Consultation Report on the Silvertown & Blackwall tunnels user charge, can be read here.