People across London are calling on their council to ensure that promises to deliver safe space for cycling are kept.

London Cycling Campaign (LCC) has launched a petition asking council leaders to show support for space for cycling, and to ensure that councillors keep the promises made to residents ahead of the local elections earlier this year.

In May 2014, ahead of the local elections, LCC’S Space for Cycling campaign saw Londoners send over 85,000 emails to candidates, calling for safe and inviting streets. These calls led to 862 councillors across London committing to make changes in their ward required to create safe space for cyclingwith 100% from ruling parties in 7 boroughs. In 14 boroughs, the majority of councillors committed to delivering space for cycling across all parties These changes range from creating protected space for cycling on main roads and reducing traffic speeds to creating safe cycle routes to local schools.

These much needed changes were identified by LCC’s network of Local Groups. If implemented, they would help to make London’s streets safe and inviting for anyone, of any age or ability, to cycle.

Research shows that many people would like to cycle, but currently feel unable to due to the lack of safe space for cycling. Whilst the Mayor of London is taking action on streets controlled by Transport for London, London’s councils, who control 95% of the city’s streets and have the power to create safe space for cycling, must follow suit – and make London a healthier, safer and more pleasant city in which to live, study and work in.

LCC’s Chief Executive Dr Ashok Sinha said:

“Getting the support of 862 councillors across London – that’s almost half of all of them - to commit to safe Space for Cycling earlier this year was fantastic achievement by our supporters. Londoners now expect their councils to live up to their promises, making clear how they will do so as soon as possible.

LCC asked councillors for an update on progress in October 2014. 179 councillors responded to a personalised survey, with 157 indicating they were making some progress towards implementing the designated cycle improvement in their ward. But only 19 councillors expect to deliver the improvements within the next 12 months.

Dr Ashok Sinha said:

“It’s fantastic to see some progress being made, and we’d like to thank those councillors who are taking their commitments seriously. We know that change won’t be immediate, but it’s high time that all councillors tell the public how they will try to meet their Space for Cycling promises.”

London Cycling Campaign is now urging people to sign the petition calling on their council to prioritise space for cycling and ensure that councillors keep the promises made to local residents ahead of the local elections in May this year. They hope to demonstrate that safe space for cycling is important to local people and must be prioritised immediately Signatures will be handed over to Council Leaders in the new year.

The Space for Cycling campaign has been so successful in London that it has now been adopted at a national level by cycling organisations across the UK.

Further Information:

Ahead of local elections in May 2014, LCC members and supporters sent over 80 000 emails to thousands of candidates, asking them to pledge their support for the Space for Cycling campaign, and specifically, commit to delivering one key cycling improvement in their area, as outlined in LCCs list of ‘ward asks’.

The full list of cycle improvements can be found here.

In October 2014 LCC contacted councillors for an update on progress towards delivering the cycling improvements they committed to. To date, only 179 councillors have responded. Of those responses:

119 councillors are making ‘significant progress’;

39 are making ‘some progress’;

23 have made ‘no significant progress’ towards implementing the cycle improvement

19 councillors say they expect the space for cycling improvement to be delivered in the next 12 months

Details of supportive councillors and progress made can be seen on LCCs Space for Cycling map

Party Support for Space for Cycling