Descrição

Almost all of us learn to ride a bicycle when we are young.
Many of us will recall that first taste of exhilaration, and the
independence of travelling with no parental guidance! The
experience is intoxicating. But as time goes by, we find that our
love for cycling gets left behind with our childhood memories.
However, over the last ten years, an increasing number of adults have found
themselves returning to two wheels. Since 2000 an increasing number have returned
to London’s streets and now around half a million journeys are made by bicycle
on each day. So what has happened? Why this change and is this the signal that we
are in the midst of a cycling revolution?
The Mayor is passionate about cycling. I count myself more in the fair-weather
bracket. But we agree that cycling can be the cleanest, greenest way to travel
in an urban environment. We also believe that cycling can be a true mode of
public transport.
It can help to unlock a trinity of benefits: Environmental, by encouraging modal shift
from the car to the bike for short journeys we can ease congestion and improve local
air quality; Health – this one’s a no brainer – with increased physical activity; and finally
economic benefits, shorter journeys to local shops can lead to the reinvigoration of
our high streets and local businesses.
Fundamentally, there is a huge potential. The question is how do we tap into this?
The starting point is to work out where the potential exists: what sort of trips could
be made by bike and who is most likely to make these?
While the London Cycle Hire scheme in central London may be perfect for nipping
about the West End, a different solution is needed for people cycling in Outer London,
visiting friends, shopping or travelling to school. In fact, an astonishing two-thirds of
the growth potential exists in Outer London where about half of all car journeys
could be cycled in just 10 minutes.