There really seems to be a rise in the economy of London this year. With employment going up, spending increasing naturally and a rising demand building for housing in London that is contributing to rising prices for renting and buying houses, London is firmly placing itself on the world map as a great destination for people within the UK and outside too.
One of the big trends that I have seen increasingly within London is the amount of cyclists on the road, students, business workers, even tourists thanks to the easy to rent boris bikes mean that cyclists are starting to fill up the roads everywhere throughout London. It is a massive benefit for all of us due to less carbon emissions being omitted into the environment and a healthier population who benefit from the exercise and ultimately more space on the roads that are obviously not built for today's level of traffic. But despite all these great benefits, I feel the apprehension of cycling in London because at the same time I see all these cyclists I have seen many of them being also knocked off by motorists and bus drivers with whom the cyclists must share the same lane. The number of deaths in London for cyclists are too high and the narrow roads shared by all vehicles makes it just impossible for all road users to share.
The cycle revolution which I believe is occurring needs some firm steps towards achieving this better, cleaner and healthier London that could exist. There is enough demand from cyclists to use the roads in the current situation but how many more would there be if conditions were even more suitable, I know I would be using roads that were safer for cyclists. Maybe an idea as radical as prohibiting vehicles from within the city of London and close proximity areas, the creation of cycling roads running alongside pedestrian paths, more cyclist roundabouts that are kept separate from other vehicles. There is so much more that could be done and London could gain a great reputation for achieving such a phenomenon that would make the capital of the UK an even more attractive city to live in, with happier healthier people within.
The tfl bike hire scheme has been a good facilitator for this cycle revolution in London, lets hope more steps are taken in the future to make cycling in London increasingly safer.
Update 02/12/2013: Is now the time that London's cycling revolution can gain more ground?
There has certainly been increased media attention since several cyclists were killed on London's roads over the past two weeks. BBC news reported that more and more cyclists were choosing alternative means of transport, increasingly buses or driving into London. It seems that a turning point is being reached, with comparisons being drawn with the cycling revolution in Amsterdam during the 1970's. Cycling protests have been staged in the city, including a die in protest where cyclists laid themselves and their bikes on the road.
The passion is there from Londoners, many want to cycle (including myself) but there isn't sufficient infrastructure available for motor vehicles and cyclists to be on London's busiest roads together. The initiative is there, the demand for cycling is high, so is it really too ambitious to consider something such as banning private vehicles into zone 1 in London and keep it to just buses, cyclists and pedestrians? That would create the much needed space and keep accidents and fatalities down. Let's hope these protests continue, it may force the government to reconsider this issue.
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