Millions of pounds in funding has been shared out amongst 13 London borough councils as part of plans to make outer areas of the capital more attractive to cyclists. The money will be used on various schemes to improve safety such as installing more bike lanes and has come from a £4m fund set up by the mayor of London.
The borough councils were required to bid for the funds based on pledges to put cyclists at the heart of their respective local transport plans. The largest award went to Croydon council, which received £450,000 to use in its schemes. Other councils to benefit include Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Havering, Redbridge, Brent, Ealing and Hounslow. With the launch last year of the London bike hire scheme providing thousands of hire bikes across hundreds of sites in central areas, the attention of the Greater London Assembly has now turned to improving life for cyclists living on the outer edges of the city.
Speaking at the announcement of the funding awards, the mayor, Boris Johnson said, “My cycling revolution continues and I am determined to help more residents of outer London to take to two wheels. The funding I am committing to the biking boroughs will enable them to make the physical improvements that will make cycling safer and more convenient for local people.”
Do you live in one of the London Boroughs to benefit from the new funding? What are your experiences of cycling where you live at the moment and what enhancements do you hope the new funding will bring? Here at My Cycling Claim we’re always interested in hearing people’s experiences of cycling, both good and bad, so leave your comments below.