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100,000 to Freewheel in London's streets
David Williams, Motoring Editor24.01.08
About 100,000 people will ride through the heart of London in Britain's biggest cycling festival this summer.
The 2008 London Hovis Freewheel will be more than three times the size of last year's event, which was designed for 30,000 riders but saw 50,000 turn out.
Organisers have been able to enlarge the festival with extra funding from City Hall, provided as part of a £10million investment in green projects. As a result, it will be the second biggest cycling event in Europe.
The funding will also help meet many of the demands of the 12-point charter drawn up as part of the Evening Standard's Safer Cycling campaign.
These include the introduction of more "advanced stop lines" - special bays at traffic lights that allow cyclists to filter to the head of traffic queues for safety.
In future, Transport for London and councils will have to explain to the Mayor if they fail to include an advanced stop line when they update a junction.
Other projects promoted by the campaign which have now won funding include:
• Completion of the London Cycle Network.
• More bicycle parking spaces at transport hubs.
• More cycle training for children and adults.
• A review of all one-way systems in the capital. Officials want a string of gyratories that intimidate pedestrians and cyclists to revert to two-way traffic. Sites up for review include the A11 at Aldgate East, the A2 Kender Street Triangle, the A10 Tottenham Hale, and the A23 Brixton Square.
An extra 10,000 parking spaces for bicycles will also be provided at schools.
The projects were agreed with the London Assembly's Green Party in exchange for their support for Mayor Ken Livingstone's annual budget. Cycle groups welcomedthe package but called for more investment.
The London Cycling Campaign said "far more" money was needed to complete the London Cycle Network speedily.
But the group supported Mr Livingstone's call for more 20mph zones. Chief executive Koy Thompson said: "Making 20mph the standard speed limit on London's streets is top of our cycling manifesto that we have put to all Mayoral candidates.
"It is essential to reduce road danger and promote cycling in London. Coupled with the return of one-way systems and streets to two-way operation, this could have a significant role in getting people out of cars and on to cycles."
Reader views (8)
We travelled in by train from Herts. to Finsbury Park and did a total of 33 miles this year. Was way better organised than last year but maybe they should have the younger and older cyclists on the course at different times in the day. Too many people (young & old)looking backwards and cycling across an entire lane making it more dangerous than with cars around! And how about incorporating some of the big steps along the course for us mountain bikers 
- Mark, Welwyn Garden City
To Alyson Brewer: Stanmore is only a 10 minute ride from the organised group ride from Harrow & Wealdstone rail station. Loads of us set off from there last year, and the meeting time this year is 9:15am. This year the group will cycle directly to the central route - you should join us!
- Mark Fox, NW London
I really enjoyed last year's Freewheel and was looking forward to doing it again this year. However, disappointed to discover that this year they've decided not to have a hub in North-west London.
Yes, I could get a train into Central London but that defeats the object; travelling to and from the Hub last year in a group was the most enjoyable part of the event!
Looks like I'm not going to be able to do it this year unless they have a last minute change of plan.
- Alyson Brewer, Stanmore, London
I really enjoyed the Freewheel last year, what a good day.
- Sam S, London
I went on the Freewheel event last year and it was a great day! I used to work in London and never seemed to have the time to see all the sights. So to be able to cycle along the Embankment and see everything at my leisure was fantastic. Well done London and well done Hovis ( the sandwiches were great!) Can`t wait till the next one.
- Michael Bland, Ely, Cambs
The more cycling in London the better ... any efforts to increase awareness and improve safety of cyling in the Capital should be encouraged ...
I commute in to the City every day and the benefits are enormous ... door to door it's the same as the train .. about an hour ... so I get loads of exercise and it doesn't take any extra time out of my day ... I save a couple of thousand quid a year in train fare (more than 3,000 of gross income) and it's very good fun ...
See you there!
- Brien Pirkle, Kingston upon Thames, London
I enjoyed the event last year. I didn't have a "pack". I just rode into central London and enjoyed the spectacle!
- Al Stuart, Ealing
I hope to take part in the Hovis event this year, my instruction pack arrived a week after the event last summer - let's hope they're better organised this time with even more people planned to participate.
I cycle to work every day and will welcome a 20 mile limit, it makes the bikes about as quick as the cars which means much less dangerous overtaking and reduced risk to the cyclist.
- Matt Bannister, Kingston upon Thames, London
