There are already more cyclists in London than people who travel by car

Bicycles have become the most popular form of transport on the streets of London, overtaking cars and private hire vehicles.

The data is contained in a report by the City of London’s Department of the Environment. And in this way it is the most important means of transport in the English capital.

The report notes that between 2019 and 2022 there was “a relatively minimal change in the overall composition of vehicular traffic, except for bicycles”.

More cyclists in London

The bicycle had already stood out in 2019 as the most popular means of transport on city roads during peak hours, in 2019, but the traffic counts for 2022 -carried out, like the previous ones, in the autumn of each year-It represents the first time they have achieved first place all day.

In the latest traffic count, carried out on November 23 last year, lAll-day motor vehicle volumes were approximately 80% of pre-pandemic levels, while all-day rider volumes were at 102% of those observed in 2019.

Meanwhile, the number of pedestrians stood at 63%, although the report acknowledged this walking is still “by far the main way people navigate city streets“.

“As in 2019, cyclists in London were the most important vehicular mode on city streets,” the report said.

Changes in transportation after the pandemic

The impact of the pandemic, which has led many Financial District employers to encourage their employees to work from home, is also clearly shown in a table included in the report. There it is shown how the different modes of travel in 2022 compare to the figures observed in 2019, with only the bicycle showing growth.

It is unclear why cycling alone is picking up the trend, although the reasons may be reduced levels of motorized traffic and improved infrastructure, which have prompted more people to commute.

Some cyclists may have bought a bicycle for the first time during the pandemic and have chosen it for commuting rather than public transport.

The availability of rental bikes, including electric ones, has also increased in London for replace, for example, the walking journey on the final part of the journey from a railway terminal to the workplace.

In recent years, the City of London has sought to make its streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, in recognition of the large numbers of people who walk from public transport hubs to get to work or out for a bite to eat at lunchtime .

In its most important intervention to protect vulnerable road users, which is also linked to the objectives of its climate action plan, London City Council launched a plan in 2017 to exclude all vehicles, except bicycles and buses, from various areas of the city.