London is seeing a ‘bicycle boom’

London is seeing a ‘bicycle boom’ according to new statistics revealed by Transport for London today.

The number of trips made daily by bicycle in London has risen nine per cent since last year to 545,000.

During the course of 2009, £111 million will be invested in cycling, including funding for new Cycle Hire and Cycle Highways initiatives and safety training across London. 66,000 new cycle spaces will also be created, including 138 new spaces at Euston station.

12 new cycle highways are expected to be in place by the time of the Olympics in 2012, with announcements on that and the cycle Hire scheme set to be revealed this summer.

At the London Mayor’s cycling presentation at Trafalgar Square today, he said that commuters weren’t the only section of the community being targeted in a cycling revolution.

“Cycling is on the up in London, but there is still much to do if we want to really revolutionise the way that Londoners get about," enthused Boris Johnson.

“That’s why we are making record investments in cycling, developing the cycle highways and cycle hire schemes, and are unveiling a summer schedule stuffed full of biking events, competitions, and campaigns designed to boost cycling across London’s boroughs."

The Mayor’s Director of Transport Policy Kulveer Ranger, said: “The Mayor’s cycling revolution aims to enable millions of Londoners to get on a bike and feel that same mixture of freedom, confidence, and excitement that many of us experienced when we first learned to ride as children.”