Transport for London say the first Barclays Cycle Superhighways have been a big success. They cite figures from a single-day, 12-hour survey in October which found cycle usage on the two routes had increased by an average of 70 percent.
Some 4,092 cyclists used the A24 route from Merton to the City on that day, compared to 2,724 on a comparable weekday in October 2009, before the Superhighway opened – an increase of roughly 50 percent.
On the second route, along the A13 from Barking to Tower Gateway, cyclist numbers more than doubled to 2,932 from 1,388 a year earlier. And TfL say bike usage has increased by 100 percent or more on several sections of both routes during rush hour.
These figures are backed up by a survey of 506 people who live near (within 1.5km) and travel on the pilot routes, which found that 34 percent of those classed as non-cyclists prior to the opening of the Superhighways have now begun to cycle on the routes.
The Mayor of London’s transport advisor, Kulveer Ranger, said: “It's great to see that the first two Barclays Cycle Superhighways are well on the way to achieving our goal to increase cycling in the capital. This research shows that people do believe the routes are of value, make them feel safer and are allowing them to take direct and continuous routes into central London."
The next two Barclays Cycle Superhighways routes will run from Bow to Aldgate and Wandsworth to Westminster, and will launch in the summer.
Ashok Sinha, chief executive of the London Cycling Campaign, said: “Our members will continue to work with Transport for London to build on this positive result, so that we can further increase the quality of provision in the next set of routes and attract yet more Londoners to this healthy, environmentally-friendly and enjoyable way to travel.”
Have you used the Superhighways? How do you find them? Have your say in the comments section below.
