London Assembly report calls for action on cycling

The London Assembly Transport Committee - made up of a cross-party panel of Assembly Members - has published a report into cycling in London, entitled 'Gearing Up - An investigation into safer cycling in London.' The report states that

In the last four years TfL has spent more money than before on cycle infrastructure.... However, the majority of this investment has been spent on the Cycle Hire Scheme. TfL’s cycling budget has not been spent on the type of cycling facilities used in leading cycling cities that maximise safety for vulnerable road users.

It notes that cycling casualties, in relative terms, have risen since 2007, despite an ever-increasing number of people cycling. It calls for continental-style infrastructure, using European best practice, to encourage more people to cycling, and to ensure the safety of those that do. 

Political will is needed to make cycling a mainstream form of transport that is supported by high quality, safe cycling routes. There could, and should, be more segregated cycle space in London. Currently, decisions to give cyclists protected space are often turned down because there is a lack of political will to take space from motorised traffic.

The Committee's investigation - to which the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain submitted evidence - has produced a series of recommendations.

• 1) That the Mayor should raise his target of 5% cycling modal share by 2026 to 10%, and that a Cycling Commissioner should be appointed to oversee progress to this target.
• 2) That the Mayor should commit to doubling the funding for cycling.
• 3) That the Mayor should introduce fundamental safety improvements at the junctions in Transport for London's junction review, in line with the Go Dutch design principles the Mayor has pledged to support.
• 4) That the Mayor should reallocate roadspace to cycling, using protected infrastructure, with schemes to be trialled in 2013. The revised London Cycle Design Standards should be published by February 2013, and should incorporate London Cycling Campaign's Go Dutch design principles.
• 5) That the Department for Transport (DfT) should introduce legislative changes to traffic regulations to enable TfL to use new cycle safety solutions. TfL should also write to the DfT to renew the case for transport authorities to install internationally-proven cycle safety measures. 
• 6) That the Mayor should revise the Road Safety Action Plan in the light of a forthcoming TfL report on the design and operation of construction vehicles.
• 7) That TfL should report back to the Assembly by February 2013 on the steps it is taking with the Metropolitan Police Service on cycle safety.

The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain wholeheartedly welcomes the conclusions of the report.