Boroughs in and around central London have shown noticeable increases in the regular use of bicycles, in contrast to a general decrease in bike usage in the rest of the country over the past six years.
Despite the regular use of bicycles by England’s adult population increasing since the pandemic, rates of cycling among adults for any purpose has been in steady decline since 2016, according to data released by Gov.uk.
However, recent government data has shown that multiple boroughs in the centre of the capital have shown marked increases in the amount of people using bicycles for any purpose on a weekly basis between 2016 and 2023.
Kensington & Chelsea had the highest percentage increase, with weekly bicycle usage going up by a substantial 10% in the six-year period, while Lambeth and Haringey showed a similar tendency towards two wheels with increases of 7% and 6% respectively.
Ben Gritton, of Bon Velo West Norwood in Lambeth, has seen first-hand the increase in bicycle usage within the city.
He said: “I think, as most areas of London have probably seen, that commuting on a bike is the most reliable option to go for.
“Reliability and convenience seem to overshadow every other form of transport, especially if you’re into cycling anyway.
“It breeds it as well. The more that people cycle, the more people see people cycling. It’s a snowball effect.”
Despite not working directly with local authorities very often, Gritton noted the proliferation of projects, like Cycle2Work and various bike-sharing schemes encouraged by the government, have positively impacted cycling within London, especially in Lambeth.
Regarding the increase in hire and subscription bikes, Gritton said: “The approach around here is definitely towards schools.
“That’s one thing we have seen a lot of, more incentive around the morning commute.
“The engagement is probably happening more at the primary school level to incentivise a different way of getting to work.
“OurBike is an example which is across London in many different boroughs but is ultimately a subscription that people can get their kids into a bike and take them to school instead of in a car.”
While Tower Hamlets and Camden rounded out the five highest-placed boroughs, Richmond upon Thames had the most significant decrease in weekly bicycle usage in London.
It has dropped by 5.3% since 2016, despite being home to Richmond Park, the spiritual cycling heart of the capital.
Multiple boroughs surveyed, such as Havering, did not have the required sample size and as such data was excluded from the maps.
The upwards trend of cycling in the capital does not, however, extend to the outer boroughs.
Merton, Redbridge, Barnet and Bromley saw the most significant decreases in weekly rates of cycling among adults in the past six years and fall more in line with statistics in the rest of the country.
The data comes as the capital sees a boom in the availability of hire bikes such as Lime and Forest, which are seemingly ubiquitous in the centre of London, but whose use and accessibility is limited the further from the Thames one travels, as well as subscription-based bike-sharing services.
It must also be pointed out that Lime bikes are unusable within Richmond Park.
However, the increase in cycling activity in the capital has its limitations, and some regular commuters feel that the relationships between cyclists and other road users have rarely been more tense, a situation not helped by a surge in numbers of inexperienced riders on busy streets.
Basky Thilaganathan has been commuting through the capital for over a decade, while also riding with a club on weekends, and has seen the changes up close.
He said: “I principally commute on my bike and it is as tough has it has been for many years.
“I sense a reduced tolerance for bike delivery riders who seemed to have proliferated in number and have a reduced sense of following traffic regulations.”
London councils have made changes to the infrastructure around cycling, but Thilaganathan is aware of the restrictions.
He added: “I loved the impact of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and cycle lanes that proliferated during and just after the COVID lockdown.
“But I realise that this caused problems with drivers and further expansion will be difficult and slow.
“In general, hire bikes are not a problem except for two issues. Firstly, they seem to be left in ridiculous places sometimes and can cause an obstruction.
“Secondly, I worry about tourists who are typically not used to riding or driving in London and are a significant hazard to themselves and the traffic around them.”
As we see the UK gear up for the arrival of the Tour de France’s Grand Depart, just as it did before the 2007 edition, London, as is often the case, is the outlier when it comes to engagement with cycling in England.
However, the evident increase does have its downsides.
Tensions between motorists and cyclists continue to rise and questions remain about the suitability of London’s cycling infrastructure, and the viability of hire bikes.
Featured image credit: DS Pugh and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
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