Laura Laker16 February, 2022
link to original articleLevels of cycling and walking in London reached 42% of all journeys in 2021, with record usage of London cycle hire schemes, both official and hosted, plus rapid people-friendly changes to hundreds of kilometres of streets, including new and improved cycle lanes – but is the capital on the cusp of European levels of active travel?
According to Transport for London (TfL’s) latest Travel in London report, during the pandemic cycling and walking were up to 46.4% of all trips in the city in April-June 2020, compared with 27.4% in 2019. Since the pandemic active travel levels remained at more than one third of all trips, to July-September 2021, when the latest figures exist.
Are we reaching European levels of cycling, though? In a word, no. Walking represents the lion’s share of those trips, reaching a peak of 60% of all trips made by Londoners during the first quarter of 2021, according to the London Travel Demand Survey (LTDS), and more than 40% of all trips during the pandemic, compared to 35% before. Meanwhile cycling trips rose to a rather modest 3.4% of all trips, up from a tiny 2.3% pre-pandemic.
Simon Munk of LCC, points out this cycling and walking growth is against a backdrop of huge decreases in overall journeys. Munk told CIN: “The short answer is no, we’re not reaching EU levels of active travel, and when you see the difference in pace and boldness between even previously car dominated cities such as Paris and London, the gap is not closing fast enough.”
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