London News
Sustrans issues cycling guidance to outer London - 10 Feb 2010
Sustrans today publishes guidance that will help boroughs in outer London share in London's cycling revolution. The document 'Delivering the Benefits of Cycling in Outer London' is a joint piece of work from Sustrans, Transport for London, London Councils and the London Cycling Campaign.
Levels of cycling are generally lower in outer London than the inner and central boroughs, but with almost half of journeys in outer London below 2 miles there is great potential for cycling to play a greater role.
The document is available to download here:
Delivery the Benefits of Cycling in Outer London (summary, pdf)
Delivering the Benefits of Cycling in Outer London (full, pdf)
Outer London gets a welcome cycling boost - 13 Jan 2010
Sustrans has recently participated in selecting 12 ‘Biking Boroughs' in Outer London. Each of the boroughs will receive funding from Transport for London to scope a programme to increase cycling levels locally.
The boroughs are: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Haringey, Havering, Hillingdon, Kingston, Merton and Redbridge.
Sustrans supports this focus on the outer Boroughs, where the greatest potential exists to increase levels of cycling. Sustrans' has sought to target its work on greenways and school travel in outer London in the last few years.
First Sustrans Bike It School Mark in London - 20 Dec 2009
Devonshire Hill Primary School in Tottenham has become the first London school to be awarded the Sustrans Bike It School Mark (Bronze), having increased cycling from 2 per cent to 17 per cent within a year.
Pupils transformed the school run by creating events to encourage classmates onto their bikes, including a water fight where teachers were pelted with water balloons as they cycled around the playground.
Sustrans is piloting the School Mark this year so the newly created cycling culture continues in schools after the Bike It officer moves on.
Street party launches London's first DIY Street - 14 Nov 2009
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Residents in Hackey today celebrate the opening of their re-designed street to unveil a safer and more attractive neighbourhood for the whole community.
Clapton Terrace is one of 11 Sustrans' DIY Streets pilot schemes taking place throughout England and Wales.
The street, which has long suffered from being a rat-run now has slowed traffic, new trees, and the unsightly wheelie bins are removed to make it a more attractive environment.
To mark the opening of their new look street, residents will celebrate with an evening of music, mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.
Kingfisher Bridge opens - 06 Nov 2009
A new pedestrian and cycle bridge opens today and provides a much-needed alternative to the existing narrow footbridge to and from Kneller Gardens in Twickenham.
Tom Sharland, Area Manager for South London says "We are sure that the new bridge will be enjoyed by commuters, rugby fans, students and anyone wanting to enjoy this green and wildlife-rich part of west London.
Sustrans is delighted to have worked with the London borough of Richmond and Transport for London on this project and look forward to seeing many people using the bridge.
Sustrans' Bike It doubles levels of cycling - 02 Nov 2009
An annual review of Bike It in London has just been published and it shows that the programme is helping thousands of children in the capital get a healthy, active start to their day.
In 2008-09 the programme actively engaged with over 19,000 pupils and achieved a doubling in the number of children cycling daily to participating schools.
The full review is available to download: Bike It London Project Review 09 (pdf).
Sustrans Strategy for London published - 21 Oct 2009
Sustrans publishes its new strategy for London, which is launched to co-incide with the draft Mayor's Transport Strategy.
The Strategy, which covers the years 2009-2013, sets out projects to help new people to get into cycling, especially those from currently under-represented groups such as women and young people.
London Regional Director, Carl Pittam, says "84 percent of Londoners never cycle, and certain groups are missing out especially - women make roughly half as many cycle trips as men, and journeys by children have actually declined recently. Our strategy has a range of exciting programmes to address this."
The document is available to download: Sustrans London 2009-2013 Strategic Plan.
Connect2 bridge opened in Tower Hamlets - 20 Oct 2009
A new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Regent's Canal in East London is now open for use.
The bridge provides a vital link between residential areas in Bethnal Green and Bow, local parks, schools, hospitals and attractions such as the Museum of Childhood. It is part of what will eventually become a two-mile greenway linking Bethnal Green through to Victoria Park and the Olympic Park.
The timber and steel bridge was developed by Tower Hamlets Council as part of Sustrans' Connect2 project, with support from Transport for London and British Waterways.
New bridge over the River Wandle - 01 Oct 2009
Sustrans and partners, Merton Council and Transport for London, officially opened a brand new pedestrian and cycle bridge on the Wandle Trail in Ravensbury Park.
The Bridge creates a much more pleasant and safe access to the park, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to avoid the busy A217 Bishopsford Road.
The development of the bridge completes an important 'missing link' on the Wandle Trail, National Route 20, a route which threads together green spaces and destinations in the boroughs of Wandsworth, Merton and Sutton.
New Sustrans Area Manager for North London - 17 Aug 2009
Michelle Quin CMLI recently joined the Sustrans London office to oversee greenway development in North London. As a qualified Landscape Architect, Michelle has spent the last four years working for LDA Design, based in Peterborough. In this post she undertook a number of projects directly relevant to Sustrans work, including designing and implementing sections of National Route 1 in the Lee Valley. Michelle was also a Sustrans volunteer ranger in Peterborough.
Mums in Tower Hamlets go back to bike school - 01 Aug 2009
Sustrans builds on its ground breaking cycling to school project, Bike It, by developing Bike It 'U Can 2', which helps mums get involved in cycling.
Sustrans' Bike It Officer James Scott devised 'U Can 2' in response to parents at his Bike It schools wanting to get into cycling too.
Initially 16 women attended a 6 week training course that gave them the confidence and skills they need to get cycling again. It was so successful that three of the Mums are going onto become cycling instructors, so the project has opened up an employment opportunity for them.