Cycling champion joins the Mayor to promote cycling in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets Mayor, John Biggs, and cycling champion Councillor Kyrsten Perry are today underlining their commitment to promoting cycling in the borough.

Earlier this year, Canary Wharf Councillor, Kyrsten Perry was appointed as the Mayor’s cycling champion with a brief to monitor progress on the borough’s cycling strategy and suggest measures to improve opportunities to cycle.

Over the last two years, the council working with residents and stakeholder groups have worked together to progress the actions set out in the 2016 cycling strategy.

Progress has been demonstrated by:

An overall increase in cycling of 8% during 2018 compared with 2017, as data from the council’s four automatic cycle counters show a 7% increase in cycle journeys made using the Santander Cycle Hire scheme in 2018 compared with the previous year.

The road closure of Cressy Place with a new residents cycle hangar in the closed end

Over the summer, 50 individual cycle lockers were installed across the borough, nine on street bike hangars and four communal cycle shelters installed on housing estates.

Further commitment is underlined by the council’s design officers working closely with Transport for London (TfL) to develop new routes including:

A strategic route from Hackney to the Isle of Dogs.

The extension of four central London grid routes eastwards into the borough.

A review of the Santander cycle docking stations  to move them to positions of maximum use.

Work to improve cycling accessibility in low traffic neighbourhoods throughout the borough, which will improve cycling on quieter side streets.

This signals Tower Hamlets’ continued dedication to continuing the cycling revolution in the borough. Tower Hamlets has been at the forefront in promoting cycling as a mainstream transport mode. The busy off-road Cable Street cycle route was the prototype of the successful Cycle Superhighways that followed and the school cycle training and participation programmes pioneered by the borough became the template for TfL across London. The Santander bike hire scheme is available right across the Borough and has around 150,000 hires a month.

The commitment to increasing safe cycling throughout the borough is part of a wider range of works and consultations taking place (from the #Breatheclean campaign to the recent waste management consultation) to meet the aim of improving the safety, air quality and environment of Tower Hamlets.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, said:

“Our vision is for cycling to play a central role in the borough’s growth in order to relieve congestion on the roads, buses and train systems. Our strategy recognises that increased cycling not only has an important role in improving the health and quality of life the borough’s residents, but brings with it economic benefits and helps to make the borough more attractive, ‘liveable’ and safe.”

Cllr Kyrsten Perry, the Mayor’s Cycling Champion said:

“I’m delighted to be the Mayor’s Cycling Champion.

I am a cyclist myself and know that cyclists in Tower Hamlets are passionate about improving  the provision of a safe, wide ranging cycle network, and providing significantly more secure cycle parking spaces throughout our area. My role will be to progress chase and lobby the Mayor for further and better action on cycling initiatives to get the borough moving cleanly and efficiently. We want to make the borough easier to get around for cyclists and pedestrians linking up infrastructure so people are encouraged not to drive particularly for short journeys to the station, school or shops.