In exactly three weeks’ time, London voters will be electing a new mayor to replace Boris Johnson. Despite the prominence of the job there are relatively few areas in which the mayor can enact real change. Transport, however, is one of them - not least through cycling.

Whatever you think of Johnson’s overall record, he has ended his eight years as perhaps the most obviously pro-cycling mainstream politician in the UK.

Johnson’s final mayoral document on cycling not only disowned his cautious paint-only initial generation of cycle “superhighways”, it argued strongly that the only way to keep London moving is not just through more cyclists but fewer private cars. That’s radical stuff for a British politician of Johnson’s profile.

So we’ve asked the leading candidates what they’d do for cycling and examined, where available, their policies. I arbitrarily set the limit at the five candidates placed highest in current polls, otherwise the piece would be even longer than it is.



Even if you don’t live in London this is all arguably worthy of your attention. Should the new incumbent prove as ambitious as late-stage Johnson, the changes to cycling could be a template for other UK towns and cities. But if momentum is lost amid a return to the usual caution, this could also be felt elsewhere.

We asked the same three questions to everyone (below), with one or two extra ones (three in one case), tailored to each candidate.

These are the questions put to all:

1. What message would you give to a Londoner who cycles and wants to see more cyclists as to why they should vote for you on this issue?

2. In his ‘Human Streets’ publication, Boris Johnson said, “getting people out of cars is in fact the only way to keep London moving”, and, “if more people cycle everyone else benefits, too, even if they have no intention of getting into the saddle.” Do you agree with these statements, and why/why not?

3. When did you last ride a bike in London?

Sadiq Khan - Labour

Sadiq Khan monitors pollution. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian

1.

In my manifesto for all Londoners, I outlined a range of policies to make cycling easier and safer in London. My aim is to make London a byword for cycling around the world. I know we’ve made a lot of progress as a city but there is still more to do if we are to protect cyclists from collisions, and to encourage more people to take up cycling as a way of getting around the city. I’ve committed to increase the proportion of Transport for London (TfL)’s budget spent on cycling, continue the cycle superhighway programme, prioritise quietways and complete the roll-out of town centre cycling improvement schemes. I’ll also promote cleaner, safer lorries so that there’s more ‘direct vision’ lorries on the city’s roads, review the safer junction programmes to identify improvements needed at the major accident blackspots, deliver more cycle storage in new developments on on-street in residential areas, and promote new schemes like the Rotherhithe-Canary Wharf cycle bridge to break down the physical barrier of the Thames. I also know that cyclists bear the brunt of bad air quality, so I’ve also outlined a programme of measures to clean up London’s air too.

2.

We do need to do more to tackle congestion and alternative ways of getting around the city are going to be more and more important. That means making sure London’s public transport is both affordable and efficient, doing more to encourage walking and making cycling as easy and safe as possible.

3.

A few weeks back actually. I had the privilege of cycling with Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman on one of the new cycle superhighways.

Extra question: In your transport manifesto you say you’ll prioritise quietways. However, TfL and Andrew Gilligan have been quite critical of individual boroughs’ relative inaction and lack of ambition on these. How would you make sure they’re good, safe routes, and not just some signs and paint? Would you support cutting off vehicle rat runs as part of this?

Quietways are an important part of my cycling offer but it is important we learn from the first wave. I know that there’s been some resistance, and there are always areas of contention when routes are first announced, and because of the impact during construction. That’s why proper consultation is so crucial because it really helps iron out the problems. I am confident that between TfL, the boroughs and local residents, we will learn very quickly how to deliver quietways that address the main concerns.

Additional question: After Khan talked at a recent hustings about having narrower bike lanes, and ensuring “cars flow smoother”, we asked if this was official policy:

I’m 100% committed to more superhighways and more segregated provision – real cycle lanes where people on bikes can feel safe. We do need to learn lessons from the impact of some of the past schemes, which have resulted in gridlock for months on end on some of our busiest routes – that’s bad for our economy and air pollution. We can look at all sorts of ways of doing this – but let me be clear, it’s not about reducing the scope of cycle superhighways.

Verdict: Khan talks a decent talk on cycling, but some fear his heart is not in it. The focus on quietways – which so far have delivered very little – is worrying, as is his comments at the hustings. It very much remains to be seen how bold he would be.

6/10





Zac Goldsmith - Conservative

Zac Goldsmith at the Brompton bikes factory in west London. Photograph: Andrew Parsons / i-Images

1.

Boris made it his mission to get London on two wheels. He has delivered record levels of investment and thanks to him cycling in London has doubled over the past decade. I will carry on with the good work Boris has done. Through my Action Plan for Greater London I will deliver the transport investment London needs. That means protecting nearly £1bn for cycling. I will use that investment to help more Londoners of all ages and abilities cycle, from older people to keep fit, through to children on their way to school. We need to make cycling safer and easier for everyone. So I’ll spend that money on three things. First, I’ll invest in safe segregated cycle ways wherever possible. I will continue to invest in cycle superhighways and local mini-Holland schemes – provided communities have been fully engaged in the process. I’ll also continue Boris’s plans to overhaul 33 dangerous junctions and look to go further, too. Second, I want to get HGVs off the roads, using consolidation centres – and also make the ones that remain much safer. We can retrofit lorries so drivers have much better visibility of the road around them. Third, I want to make it easier for those nascent cyclists who are on the fence to back cycling, by removing all the barriers that make it difficult. So I’ll back more cycle parking SuperHubs. I will bring Oyster to Boris bikes. And I will also consult on extending the central London Boris ike scheme to the outer London boroughs as well. In the meantime I will partner with Brompton Bikes to bring their hire docks to four more boroughs, allowing all of Greater London to benefit from these amazing schemes. I am the only candidate that can promise these levels of investment. Sadiq Khan’s £1.9bn experiment will pull money out of the transport network and you cannot sacrifice that amount of cash without something having to give. Investment in cycling would be put at risk.

2.

Yes, I absolutely agree. London has a big problem with congestion and with air pollution. And we have limited road space - cyclists take up much less room than cars. So it is good for everyone when we have more cyclists. But, that said, I don’t want to attack motorists - I support people getting out of their cars and onto their bikes but if you have a family, if you live in an area with poor public transport, sometimes you will need to drive. That’s why I am also committed to supporting the roll out of electric vehicles across London, to clean up air quality.

3.

Last Tuesday on a visit to the brilliant Brompton Bikes where I rode one of their models round the factory. I also ride with my kids in Richmond.

Extra question: What do you mean by “community consent” with regards to whether or not you approve new cycle superhighways? Do you think cycle superhighway 11 has community consent, given the results of the TfL consultation?



I’ve been a campaigner my whole life and I’m well aware it is impossible to get 100% of any community on board with any scheme - you won’t get stuff done unless you are prepared to annoy a few people. But, that said, I am also a localist and I do think local communities need to feel they are fully engaged with the process and that their legitimate concerns have been fully considered. In particular, there is a concern that the building works for CS11 haven’t taken into the impact of not just building that cycle superhighway but also of HS2 construction work and proposed changes to traffic flow in Oxford Street and Baker Street. Even London zoo has voiced concerns. So, if I am elected, I will ask TfL to clearly demonstrate that they have taken a holistic look at the combined impact of these different schemes to the local area. I expect the cycle superhighways to do a great job, but policy needs to be based on evidence. We need a cycling programme that works for everyone.

Extra question: Some cycle activists have expressed alarm at your commitment to “rip up” superhighways that don’t work. What would be your criteria for judging that one does work?

In New York - and, actually, Camden did this too - the city planners trialled proposed new cycle routes with temporary planters, to check traffic flow, before making a final decision and then fully segregating the lines. I’ve said that for some new routes, where there are concerns, we should be prepared to use temporary planters, monitor traffic flow and then, if they do a great job as I expect them to, replace them with full segregated lanes. There were lots of concerns about traffic flow on Vauxhall bridge and of course that has now been very successful. But as with all policies in all areas, if the schemes don’t work, and local resident concerns about congestion are borne out, we should be prepared to look again.

Extra question: Why do you believe Enfield council has “rushed though” its mini-Holland scheme?



I support the ambition of mini-Holland schemes - and would like to see more schemes like them to boost cycling in communities across London. But I have received a large number of complaints from local people and local businesses about the scheme in Enfield who did not feel part of the consultation process. I know that other candidates have too. I want all residents to feel that they have had a proper say and have had their view heard, which residents suggested had not happened.

Extra question: Can you be trusted to deliver on your commitments to cycling with statements like this?



It would be a lot easier for me to promise the Earth and then deliver very little if I get elected in May. But I want to be honest about some of the tensions that exist. The fact I am being honest will I hope give people confidence I’m thinking about this and am serious about overcoming them. I have said I am going to ramp up Boris’s cycling revolution and my cycling policies will deliver this. I never promise anything I can’t deliver, and you can judge me on my record as an MP, where the people who know me best gave me a massive thumbs up at the 2015 General Election because they know I am a politician who does what he says.

Verdict: Goldsmith sounds engaged and committed on cycling. But there’s a couple of very serious caveats. Firstly, his repeated stress on recognising “local resident concerns” edges a bit close to offering small and noisy groups of car-preferring objectors a near-veto over schemes. This raises fears of a mayor without the political vision or courage to deliver.

This could be in part written off as electioneering, but there a parallel worry: whether Goldsmith understands big city transport. Late last year he said London’s bus lanes would no longer be needed in a few years because “everybody” would be driving electric cars. As critics noted, this managed to ignore the main purpose of bus lanes – to allow quicker, easier passage to those in buses or on bikes, rather than be slowed by the minority in private cars or cabs.

4/10

Update: since this piece was published I’ve been told Goldsmith sought to clarify his remarks on ending bus lanes, arguing he only intended it as a temporary measure to boost electric car use.

Caroline Pidgeon - Liberal Democrat

Caroline Pidgeon at a mayoral hustings. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock

1.

Because I want to see more space for cycling on main roads and at junctions, the extension of ‘mini-Holland’ schemes to make cycling safer in our town centres (particularly in outer London) and a ban on HGVs at rush hours in central London.

2.

I do agree with those statements, although why it has taken almost eight years for the current mayor to make them is anyone’s guess. Cycling is beneficial to both our environment and health.

3.

With Chris Boardman when I met him for an interview we did together for British Cycling.

Extra question: How much do you trust the various claims of both Sadiq Khan and Zac Goldsmith to be the true proponents of cycling in London?

They promise much. But I do wonder whether either candidate actually realises the workload that a mayor of London has, and how well they would advance the cycling agenda in London?

Verdict: Pidgeon seems committed and ambitious, and it’s worth noting that she was the first candidate to agree to the London Cycling Campaign’s (LCC) ambitious Sign for Cycling series of pledges. Her manifesto is similarly positive (see p41), and includes measures to discourage driving, such as a levy on some parking spaces and changes to congestion charging.

9/10





Siân Berry - Greens

Sian Berry (R) with Green activists visiting the ‘mini-Holland’ scheme in Walthamstow, north-east London. Photograph: Green party

1.

I’ve worked in transport for many years and so I know that what works when you’re trying to get more people cycling is to make it safe, with proper space on quality cycle infrastructure. This is how Amsterdam and Copenhagen (which weren’t at all cycling havens originally) transformed themselves and now put London to shame when it comes to how many people of all ages cycle. I’ve guaranteed funding to complete Transport for London’s current cycling vision and superhighway plans and in future years I’ll increase the budget for major cycling projects and fund people-friendly streets projects in every borough at a similar level to the current ‘mini-Holland’ schemes. There’s much more in my manifesto too, such as backing new river crossings for people on foot and on bikes, and expanding the Cycle Hire scheme. Unlike the other candidates, I’m fully committed to giving more space to cycling and finding for it the biggest budget I can. Crucially, I’ll have the means to pay for all this by raising the congestion charge and levying a charge on workplace parking.

2.

I completely agree with what he says there – but I am not sure if he really believes it, as I can’t understand why he is so keen on massive new road projects, such as the Silvertown tunnel, which will make traffic worse and make it harder to cycle on the roads leading to and from it. We have to have an integrated plan, not make things better with one project and worse with another.

3.

Last week. Until a few months ago, when I gave up my job as a transport campaigner to run for City Hall, I went to work on my bike three or four times a week between my home in Kentish Town and the office in Old Street but I’m all over London now so it’s not so easy to reach the farthest away places on my bike. In Camden, I am lucky to have lots of new infrastructure being built, including the route down Royal College Street and the widened Tavistock Place segregated lanes. It just needs to be extended up to my house now. I’m looking forward to getting back on my bike more often when I have a fixed workplace again – ideally in City Hall where I can push for even better facilities for cycling for all Londoners, myself included.

Extra question: How much do you trust the various claims of Sadiq Khan and Zac Goldsmith to be the true proponents of cycling in London?

I’m really worried that both my rivals haven’t even gone as far as Boris Johnson in their commitment to cycling so far. Zac Goldsmith has said he might rip out cycle superhighways and Sadiq says he’ll only build new superhighways if there is minimal disruption, which is basically impossible. In the recent ITV hustings he even called segregated cycle space ‘obstructions in the road’ which is extremely worrying, as they actually open up the road to more people, because bike travel is much more efficient on space than vehicle travel. If Sadiq doesn’t understand that, we do have a problem. It’s also an issue that neither of them have the funds earmarked, whereas I have specifically pledged to use money raised from much-needed new congestion and air pollution measures to invest in infrastructure for people on bikes.

Verdict: Berry’s answers and manifesto could have been written by the Bike Blog (they weren’t, I should add). She’s also signed up to the LCC pledges, while her manifesto calls for the congestion charge to be replaced with a “smart” road-charging system covering all London, and measures to better enforce road safety.

10/10





Peter Whittle - Ukip

Peter Whittle at a mayoral hustings. Photograph: Steve Parkins/REX/Shutterstock

1.

In Ukip we would encourage more people on to the roads by creating a safer environment for people to travel via bicycle. We would do this by expanding the Santander cycle hire scheme and make Santander cycles available for hire using an Oyster card.

2.

I agree that London’s roads are becoming increasingly congested however I believe the best way to keep London moving is to tackle the huge increase in the allocation of private hire vehicles which is numbering around 700 a week. Putting a freeze on the licensing issuing would be a good way to tackle congestion and keep London moving.

3.

In Greenwich park 20 years ago, but I have to say I am a great walker!

Extra question: In the past Ukip has seemed quite anti-cyclist. For example, the 2010 election manifesto called for cyclists to have to walk round roundabouts and pay for parking. Has the party changed on this?

Ukip have never been anti-cycling, however we have always been pro road safety and this is something which is shared by many Londoners who are becoming increasingly concerned about the poor behaviour of a significant number of cyclists. Our roads must be as safe as possible for all road users and we do not believe cyclists should escape sanctions when their behaviour on the roads falls short.

Verdict: Oh no. Things were going reasonably smoothly and then we asked that last question. Sure, some cyclists do silly things like jump lights. But then a good proportion of drivers speed or are distracted by phones. Only one of these groups is likely to kill other people. It’s not morals, just physics. This is not to say bad cycling shouldn’t be policed, only that if you see that as a major priority in your cycling policy then you don’t even understand the basics.

Whittle’s manifesto is only out next week, so we’ll have to take him at his word that Ukip would aim to make cycling safer. That’s why the score isn’t zero.

1/10