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Amazing new maps show huge demand for cycle lanes across London

Cyclists: The move is set to improve safety at the notorious junction
Cyclists: The move is set to improve safety at the notorious junction

Amazing new maps show the huge demand for cycle lanes linking the capital’s suburbs to the city centre.

Plans for a Strategic Cycling Analysis, requested by Sadiq Khan, details how London's cycling network could grow based on the need for routes leading to the likes of Uxbridge, Upminster and Croydon.

New maps released by Transport for London show 25 routes linking Edgware, Romford and Streatham to the West End are among the top five per cent used by cyclists.

Those most used by bikers would be earmarked for development if proposals to improve cycling infrastructure were to go ahead by 2022.

The maps were published as it emerged cycling in the capital is up by 56 per cent since 2014.

This includes a 54 per cent increase in cycling along the East-West Cycle Superhighway from Parliament Square to Tower Hill, a 32 per cent increase along the entire North-South Cycle Superhighway and a 56 per cent increase in cycling along Quietway 1 from Greenwich and Waterloo since before the routes were established.

Routes connecting King’s Cross and Elephant and Castle and Ealing with the West End are among the busiest routes in the centre.

However, the same routes were also found to be the worst for road safety alongside the likes of areas around Oval and Victoria Tube stations.

In total, more than half a million kilometres are ridden by cyclists on the average day within central London, a rise of seven per cent in three years, and across London there are 670,000 trips made – the same number as on the Victoria line, figures show.

Growth in the number of commuters cycling to work showed high demand for development of cycle lanes in east London, particularly around Stratford, Canada Water and the Isle of Dogs.

Connections were prioritised by identifying the capital’s current busiest routes alongside those with the biggest growth in homes and employment.

The report says: “This allows better understanding of which connections carry the highest numbers of cyclable trips, and where Londoners have a greater propensity to cycle. Connections with the greatest potential to enable cyclable trips can then be identified.”

Areas were also identified for potential growth following the initial stage of the development.

A route between Heathrow and Hounslow and another linking Ilford with Barking and Stratford were found to be among the top five per cent for development beyond 2022.

The report also called for improvements to be made to cycling and pedestrian routes by reducing traffic emissions and urging Londoners to avoid making short journeys by car.

A case study of Orford Road in Waltham Forest, which has been pedestriansed found that “by managing motorised traffic in the daytime, the dominance of vehicles on Orford Road has been removed and the street has been improved for both cycling and walking.”

Ben Plowden, Director of Surface Strategy and Planning at TfL, said: “This exciting analysis will help to transform cycling in all four corners of our great city, making London greener, healthier and less congested.

“The latest cycling statistics and the data on future cycling demand shows there is no stopping London’s rapid cycling growth and we will work closely with the boroughs to help fuel this growth further by fixing the most dangerous junctions and delivering on major cycling improvements.”

Ashok Sinha, CEO of London Cycling Campaign, said: “Cycling is taking off in London and TfL’s new figures prove that Londoners flock to high quality cycle lanes and routes where they’re built.

“By clearly showing where cycling potential is highest, this new analysis enables the Mayor to implement his promises to triple the extent of protected space for cycling, and make sure every borough can access Liveable Neighbourhood funding in the most effective way possible. Londoners will get a great return on this investment in the form of reduced congestion and pollution, cheaper travel, better public health, and more high quality public