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Commuters are being urged to get on a bike and travel to work in convoys on Fridays from next week.
The Cycle Friday scheme is targeting people who are nervous about riding on London roads. Experienced riders will meet novice cyclists at points in Swiss Cottage, Greenwich, Ravenscourt Park, Mile End, Finsbury Park and Brixton at 8am.
They will lead riders into the heart of the capital to drop-off points in the Square Mile, Trafalgar Square, Holborn and Russell Square. Additional drop-off points can be agreed so riders can get as close to work as possible.
Boris Johnson, who piloted the "bike the strike" scheme during the Underground walk-out in June, said the plan would run for eight weeks on successive Fridays from 14 August. The Mayor said: "I tend to go by bike but, although it is safe and getting safer, I appreciate that some people find it a little daunting at first. Cycle Fridays are a brilliantly simple way of giving thousands of commuters the confidence to get cycling."
Mr Johnson has promised to invest £111million this year and create an extra 66,000 bike parking places in London by 2012. He will also create 12 cycle "super-highways" linking outer London to the centre. Workplaces and schools are being encouraged to compete against each other to see how many people they can get to use bikes for their ride to work.
The Standard is campaigning to "make cycling simpler" in London. Koy Thomson, chief executive of London Cycling Campaign, said: "We know that a third of Londoners own a bike and many want to cycle more. But force of habit, particularly with commuting, stops them switching to the faster, cheaper alternative. Cycle Fridays will help people break old habits and exercise their choice to cycle." Business consultant Siobhan Hennelly, 37, who cycled from Hammersmith to St Paul's for the first time, said: "I was worried about going on the road so I'm glad I am getting the chance to go with the group."
About 545,000 people make at least one daily bicycle ride in London.
Reader views (1)
It is good to see improvements for cycling in London being made with initiatives like the cycle hire scheme, cycle superhighways plan as well as cycle Fridays.
However I don't understand why TFL still don't have any cycle routes along the Thames in central London?
For example a pathway on the north bank of the Thames in central London would provide a much needed East West cycle route through central London from Tower of London to Westminster on segregated quiet traffic free safe pathways. Even novice cyclists would be able to cycle on river side paths without need for supervision.
Surely this is preferable than directing cyclists to use dangerous roads such as the busy Upper Thames Street, where there have been many serious accidents in recent years.
- Stephen, London, 10/01/2010 16:19
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