The London Cycling Campaign has pledged to monitor the Mayor Boris Johnson's first 100 days in office, delivering a verdict on his cycling commitments after that time.

In the days before the election, Johnson promised to deliver the three Love London, Go Dutch commitments during his first mayoral term:

1. Create three flagship Love London, Go Dutch developments on major streets or locations;
2. Ensure all planned developments on main roads under his control are completed to Love London, Go Dutch standards, especially junctions;
3. Complete the Cycle Superhighways to Love London, Go Dutch standards.

Chief executive Ashok Sinha said, "Our Love London, Go Dutch mayoral election campaign has been great success, delivering a mayoral promise for our Love London, Go Dutch commitments.

"The first 100 days of the new mayor’s term will be the most important because this is when he will make important appointments, set out new policies and allocate budgets.

"That's why we'll be delivering our verdict on his actions to promote Dutch-standard infrastructure after 100 days.

"We'll also be asking our supporters where they want the Mayor to deliver the flagship walking and cycling projects that he has committed to building."

Mayor brings cycling closer to his inner circle

The first post-election reshuffle of Boris Johnson's City Hall team has seen responsibility for cycling policy given to Isabel Dedring, his Deputy Mayor for Transport.

During the last administration, cycling policy was handled by Kulveer Ranger, who was Director for Transport Policy.

As Deputy Mayor, Dedring is one of the Mayor's most trusted advisors.

New composition of London Assembly

A reduction (by two) in the number of Conservative Assembly Members means the Conservative group will no longer be able to stop debates taking place. 

Twice in 2011, Conservative Assembly Members walked out of debates on cycling safety, citing unrelated conflicts with the Labour group, leaving the Assembly inquorate and unable to continue.

Brian Coleman (Barnet & Camden) and Richard Barnes (Ealing and Hillingdon) failed to be re-elected in their constituencies, with Labour increasing its representation by four seats, taking one each from the Liberal Democrats and the BNP via the list system.

Assembly Member Andrew Boff, a regular cyclist and resident of Hackney, becomes the new leader of the Conservative group.

The London Cycling Campaign and British Cycling have written a joint letter to re-elected Mayor Boris Johnson reminding him of his pre-election commitments to cycling, and to offer support in meeting those pledges. 

Read the text of the letter below or download it as a PDF.

On 27 April 2012, the eve of the Big Ride, Johnson promised to implement the three commitments of the Love London, Go Dutch campaign during his new mayoral term:

1. Create three flagship Love London, Go Dutch developments on major streets or locations;
2. Ensure all planned developments on main roads under his control are completed to Love London, Go Dutch standards, especially junctions;
3. Complete the Cycle Superhighways to Love London, Go Dutch standards.

Johnson also committed to putting a cycling representative on his new Roads Task Force and to lobbying the Ministry of Justice for tougher sentencing for road users who kill or seriously injure cyclists.

At The Times cycling hustings, Johnson also committed to appointing a cycling commissioner within City Hall to make sure cyclists' interests are properly represented.

He also re-stated a commitment to use mayoral powers more fully to force unwilling boroughs such as Barnet and Newham to adopt cycling measures.

The hustings, which took place on 30 April 2012, were notable for the audience booing suggestions from the mayor that people on bikes in London are typically dreadlocked Lycra-clad racers. 

British Cycling survey endorses Love London, Go Dutch

In a British Cycling survey of London cyclists over half of respondents named cycle lanes as a priority issue.

Of the 1471 people polled, 52% said dedicated space for cycling on roads was a major issue, echoing the campaign aims of our Love London, Go Dutch campaign.

Six out of ten (61%) respondents named bad driving as their biggest fear when riding in the capital, while only 2% named other cycilsts as their top hazard.

Olympic gold-medal-winning cyclist Nicole Cooke said, "By creating more dedicated space for cyclists and fostering a culture of mutual respect, London could create a cycling experience that could one day rival great cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam."

Text of the letter to Boris Johnson

Dear Mr Johnson,

Congratulations on your victory in the London Mayoral election, one in which cycling was a major issue as never before. We would like to wish you the very best in meeting the many challenges London faces over the next four years.

Please allow us to also reiterate our immense appreciation for your public pre-election commitments to appoint a cycling commissioner, put a cycling representative on the London Roads Task Force, and meet the three key tests of LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign.

We also look forward to working with your Sentencing Unit to assist you in making representations to the Ministry of Justice to strengthen the criminal justice procedures and sentencing guidelines that deal with cyclist deaths and serious injuries. 

We stand ready to help in the delivery of these very important commitments and in particular would greatly welcome a meeting with you to discuss their implementation. We do hope you will be able to look positively on this request given your undoubtedly hectic schedule as you begin the next mayoralty.

Dr Ashok Sinha, Chief Executive, London Cycling Campaign
Martin Gibbs, Policy & Legal Affairs Director, British Cycling

A herd of zebras, a boatful of sailors in oilskins, a pack of bandits on bikes, along with hundreds of families and children waving flags and balloons helped make the 10,000-strong Big Ride a spectacular success, sending a powerful message to the capital’s and the country’s politicians.

The massive crowd, representing every age and background, braved at-times atrocious weather to be part of the UK’s largest-ever bike ride supporting safer streets for cycling, organised by the London Cycling Campaign. 

Chief executive Ashok Sinha, riding with his partner Lucy and their children, said: “The Big Ride has been a spectacular success: we’re incredibly grateful to the thousands who braved the very British weather, and showed our politicians the amount of passion there is for safer cycling in the capital and beyond.

“An extra special thanks must go to the hundreds of volunteers, without whom we couldn’t have made the Big Ride happen.

“The five main mayoral candidates have all put their names to our Love London, Go Dutch campaign, so now it’s time to see action and funding that match the aspirations of London’s voters.”

Participants on the ride hailed from all corners of Greater London, with hundreds arriving on the 40 guided rides, and groups coming from as far afield as Bristol, Cambridge and even Copenhagen.

At one point the ride, taking place on traffic-free streets, stretched from the north end of Park Lane all the way to Piccadilly Circus, with more still arriving.

Jamie Crick from Classic FM, Jen Kerrison from Resonance FM, and Mark Ames from iBikeLondon entertained the crowd, as thousands gathered on Park Lane.

At the start line, politicians from all the main political parties were presented with the 37,000-name Love London, Go Dutch petition, calling for streets that are safe and inviting for cycling.

Journalists from the BBC (http://tinyurl.com/bbcbigride)  , ITN (http://tinyurl.com/itnbigride) , Sky News, Dutch and Chinese TV, along with The Times and The Guardian newspapers (to name a few), saw the 10,000 riders set off to a huge cheer, despite the drizzly conditions.

Persistent rain couldn’t dampen spirits as cyclists passed cheering crowds at Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square, with the ride ending on the Embankment.

A crew of St John’s paramedic cyclists were in attendance, along with two fully equipped ambulances, but there wasn’t a single serious injury reported, despite the sometimes slippery conditions.

The London Cycling Campaign thanks the hundreds of volunteers who helped marshal the event with officers from the Metropolitan Police Cycle Task force, and the ride stopped regularly to allow pedestrians to cross the road.

LCC’s Mike Cavenett said, “The feedback from Twitter after the ride has been amazingly positive, though the general feeling seems to be that people are glad to be back home in the warmth after braving the conditions, which were more Glastonbury than the Algarve.”

Everyone who took part in the ride is reminded they can donate to the London Cycling Campaign by texting ‘LLGD12 £10’ (or another amount under £10) to the number 70070 via their mobile.

The London Cycling Campaign is a charity, whose work is funded by our members, donations and supporters.

Thanks to Brompton, the main supporter of our Love London, Go Dutch campaign, and the Dutch National Embassy and Bywaters, without whom the Big Ride could not have taken place.

Early reports from the Pedal on Parliament in Edinburgh are of an excellent turnout, with over 1000 people meeting on the Meadows to ride to the Scottish Parliament calling for better conditions for cycling.

Photos by Ben Broomfield and James Perrin

Boris Johnson has joined the other four main mayoral candidates in promising a Dutch-style cycling revolution in London.

After intensive lobbying from the London Cycling Campaign, Johnson today promised, “I am fully committed to meeting the three key tests of LCC’s ‘Love London, Go Dutch’ campaign,” which are to be completed during his next mayoralty.

LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha said, “We’re delighted to give Boris Johnson an ‘A-grade’ for his promise to learn from the successful Dutch model to make London’s streets as safe and inviting for cycling as they are in Holland.

“We now have a commitment to a Dutch-style cycling revolution from all the main candidates, with the promise of immediate action in the next mayoralty.”

“Johnson must still do a lot more to catch up with the other candidates in other areas of cycling policy, but it’s fantastic news that he has responded to Londoners by committing to meet the three key tests of the Love London Go Dutch campaign.”

On Saturday 28 April thousands of Londoners will join the Love London, Go Dutch Big Ride, the biggest event supporting safer streets for cycling ever seen in the UK

The Big Ride will be a huge, colourful celebration of this success for our Love London, Go Dutch campaign, but also a massive signal to the candidates that Londoners will hold whoever is elected to their promises to introduce Dutch-style cycling provision to London.

The three Love London, Go Dutch demands to which the candidates have agreed are:

1. Implement three flagship Love London, Go Dutch developments on major streets and/or locations. 
2. Make sure all planned developments on the main roads that they controls are completed to Go Dutch standards, especially junctions. 
3. Make sure the Cycle Superhighways programme is completed to Love London, Go Dutch standards.

Green candidate Jenny Jones gave her full commitment to the 'Go Dutch' campaign at the launch in February.

Labour's Ken Livingstone said: “I'm fully committed to meeting the Love London, Go Dutch three tests over the next mayoralty, and I look forward to working with the London Cycling Campaign and its members to deliver this if Londoners choose to elect me as their Mayor on 3 May."

Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick said, "London Liberal Democrats and I are fully committed to meeting the LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign three tests."

Independent Siobhan Benita said, “Siobhan Benita is fully committed to meeting the three tests of LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign over the course of the next mayoralty.

From 10.30am on Saturday 28 April 2012, freelance journalist Laura Laker will be blogging exclusively for the London Cycling Campaign, live from the Big Ride.

Please email her your thoughts on the ride, photos and videos, and ideas to make London's streets more safe and fun for cyclists:

laura@lcc.org.uk

or tweet/instagram #theBigRide

Live blog

13.45pm: I'm now signing off and heading in search of some lunch. It's been a fun afternoon chasing the Big Ride, and trying to stay dry. Thanks to all who came along and who followed my progress today. This is Laura signing off.

13.35pm: Passing under the baloon arch on the Victoria embankment I've finally reached the end of what has been the largest cycle protest ride the UK has seen. A great success for the London Cycling Campaign today, and a clear message to the mayoral candidates, all of whom have signed up to LCC's three mayoral demands, that Londoners love cycling.

13.10pm: By donning my trusty boots and waterproof trousers I'm adding to the general festival feeling here in Piccadilly Circus (I'm thinking Glastonbury Festival circa 2007 aka the rivers of mud year). Thank heavens for warm feet. Another cereal bar down, and I'm off towards Trafalgar Square.

13.00pm: It's official: 10,000 people have turned out for today's Big Ride! This is testament to the growing feeling among Londoners that we want cycling taken seriously by our next mayor. Though we're serious, there's a lot of smiling faces. There is also a Lord of the Rings-style trumpeting coming from somewhere, which is doing a good job out here, too. Tally Ho!

12.30pm: I can see cyclists from Hyde Park Corner to The Ritz, it's an incredible sight (the mention of hotels is purely coincidental by the way, it's not that I'd rather be indoors). It's amazing out here, the numbers of cyclists are simply astonishing. And if it couldn't get any better, someone just handed me a kazoo. I'm fast being left behind so will get out of this bus stop and hop back on my bike now.

12.13pm: Arrived at the tail end of the ride on Park Lane. I'm outside the Dorchester Hotel and the three wide lanes of traffic are wall to wall with cyclists as far as I can see, and further, right up to Hyde Park Corner. The air rings to the sound of soul music , cow bells and bicycle bells. Londoners really are out in numbers today, despite the drizzle. Oh, and someoone's playing Convoy on a stereo. Kudos to them.

12.05: Just leaving with the last of the pack leaving from Hyde Park; had a cereal bar and ready for more cycling. Some great photos on our Facebook page in the meantime (http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/121498807978958/).

11.59am: Just seen Petor from London Bike Kitchen hop off his tall bike (it's taller than him), while a guy with red leggings, a well-loved blonde mullet wig and red face glitter is standing on a bench taking photos

11.53am: Arrived at Hyde Park now, where the hundreds of LBK bandits and Hackney Cyclists have joined hundreds more. Lots of kids here, which is great to see, and people with music trailers playing anything from Primal Scream to some 80s rock I'm not sure I know.

11.32am: I am going to rejoin the ride now and will log in again in Hyde Park for the start of the main event!

11.30am: After a speedy pedal over to London Bike Kitchen I arrived just in time to slipstream a trail of cyclists wearing bandit masks. We met up with Hackney Cyclists at Old Street and have made it to Central London! After a few technical difficulties my laptop is getting used to the rain (I hope) and seems to be enjoying the ride as much as everyone else.

10.30am: After 100 days of campaigning the Big Ride is go! I've arrived just in time to join the Hackney led ride from Hackney Town Hall. There's a spot of drizzle but a good turnout. Am cycling to London Bike Kitchen now, will check in again in a few minutes

Leading mayoral challenger Ken Livingstone has opened a massive gulf between his and Boris Johnson's cycling promises by committing to make London's streets safer for cycling with Dutch-quality facilities.

The Labour candidate joins Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick and Green Jenny Jones in accepting all three of the London Cycling Campaign's stringent 'Go Dutch' campaign demands to make streets as safe and inviting for cycling as they are in Holland.

Boris Johnson sits with independent Siobhan Benita and the UKIP and BNP candidates in not supporting the three Go Dutch demands, which were published in February 2012.

LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha said, "We're delighted one of the leading mayoral challengers has earned an 'A-grade' for his commitment to Dutch-standard cycling provision, but we're disappointed Boris Johnson is still at the bottom of the class because his promises to cyclists remain so weak.

"We know he supports cycling, and call on him to match those candidates committing to a Dutch-style cycling revolution."

Livingstone said, "I'm fully committed to meeting the Love London, Go Dutch three tests over the next mayoralty, and I look forward to working with the London Cycling Campaign and its members to deliver this if Londoners choose to elect me as their Mayor on 3 May."

Paddick said, "The London Liberal Democrats and I are fully committed to meeting the LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign three tests."

Nearly 40,000 have signed LCC's Love London, Go Dutch petition, calling for streets that are as safe and inviting as those in Hollands, a figure equivalent to 2% of the two million Londoners who voted in the 2008 mayoral election.

Recent opinion polls show Livingstone within 2% of Johnson in the race to be London's next mayor.

LCC has undertaken a policy-by-policy analysis of all the mayoral candidates' promises for cycling.

Livingstone, Paddick and Jones have now accepted the following three Love London Go Dutch demands:

1. Implement three flagship Love London, Go Dutch developments on major streets and/or locations.
2. Make sure all planned developments on the main roads that they controls are complete to Go Dutch standards, especially junctions.
3. Make sure the Cycle Superhighways programme is completed to Love London, Go Dutch standards.

Find out more about our Love London, Go Dutch campaign.

The London Cycling Campaign has written to Addison Lee chairman John Griffin to make him aware of a study by the independent Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) that shows that bad driving is the major cause of crashes involving adult cyclists.

Griffin, head of London's largest minicab firm, has made it clear he thinks cyclists are chiefly at fault in collisions, calling for them to have compulsory training and insurance.

However, the 2009 TRL report, 'Collisions involving pedal cyclists on Britain's roads: establishing the causes' (download it for free), contradicts Griffin's view, finding that the most common reason for crashes involving a cyclist was that the driver "failed to look properly" (p36).

The report publishes data showing the percentage of crashes in which the police concluded the cyclist or motorist was at fault, or whether they were jointly reponsible.

Among crashes involving children, the fault is most likely to be that of the young cyclist, but for those involving adults, the fault is most likely to be entirely that of the driver.

Figures show drivers cause bicycle crashes

In crashes where a cyclist over 25 sustained minor injuries (the vast proportion of collisions), the motorist was entirely at fault in between 67% and 75% of incidents, and the cyclist solely at fault in only 16% to 22% of cases (p33).

When a cyclist over 25 sustained serious injuries, the motorist was entirely at fault in between 64% and 70% of the time, with the cyclist at fault in between 23% and 27% of incidents (p33).

In cases when a cyclist over 25 died in a crash, the motorist was deemed entirely at fault in between 48% and 66% of incidents (p33), and the cyclist in 33% to 43% (p33).

NOTE: The figures for faults in fatal and serious crashes are likely to underestimate the number attributable to drivers because the victim's ability to give evidence against the driver is strongly affected by the crash.

Overall, the report shows conclusively that, among adults, bad driving causes crashes to a much greater degree than irresponsible cycling.

Therefore, strategies for reducing cyclist deaths and injuries should prioritise stricter law enforcement against motorists and tougher penalties for those that put vulnerable road users in danger.

We're urging all Londoners to join the Big Ride on 28 April, when thousands will take to the streets in support of safer cycling.

www.lcc.org.uk/big-ride

London’s largest private hire firm, Addison Lee, has been in the news for the wrong reasons already this week for urging its 3500 drivers to drive illegally in bus lanes, to the detriment of cyclist safety.

Now, its chairman John Griffin has published a deeply unpleasant and ill-informed column in the firm’s corporate magazine, Add Lib, which appears to say it’s acceptable to run over people on bikes because they’re probably a "beginner cyclists".

There are strong concerns the article will create anti-cyclist sentiment among the firm's drivers, putting lives at risk.

It’s not always clear precisely what Griffin means in his article (it's reproduced below also), because its poorly written as well as containing numerous factual errors, but the tone is clear: my drivers and I are safe in our metal boxes; vulnerable people like cyclists don’t deserve to be on our roads; and if cyclists get hurt it’s their own fault.

Addison Lee already has a very poor reputation among cyclists, with its drivers being frequently accused of inconsiderate or dangerous behaviour on the road.

Now it appears from the article that Griffin is prepared to deliberately infest his whole company with anti-cyclist sentiment, putting the lives of Londoners at greater risk.

It’s hard to see how the government departments and corporate clients that currently use Addison Lee services can continue to do so without appearing to condone the chairman’s complete disregard for cyclist safety.

We strongly urges all cyclists working in companies that use Addison Lee to urge them to only hire private hire car firms that show a reponsible attitude towards cyclist safety.

For the record:

• The chairman makes no demands or requests on its drivers to act responsibly by giving vulnerable road users adequate space (as required by the Highway Code), and suggests that any cyclist swerving to avoid a pothole or drain must be a beginner and is apparently deserving of being run over, even if it’s a “granny”.
• It fails to acknowledge that urban congestion is caused by motor vehicles and alleviated by bicycles.
• It suggests that cyclists currently have no right to be on the road, and won’t be deserving of such a right until they pay for the privilege. Cyclists have an equal right to use road space as any motor vehicle, and contribute to the upkeep of roads through general taxation, like everyone else.
• It implies the existence of ‘road tax’, which was abolished in the 1930s, replaced by Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) , which is now based on emissions. Bicycles are zero-rated for VED, as are many low-emissions cars. It's incredible that the chairman of a private hire company would fail to understand tax law, unless he's being deliberately misleading.
• He suggests that riding a bike is characterised by "Green party" politics, even though all the main mayoral candidates have featured cycling prominently in their manifestos, and cyclists are known to come from all a broad spectrum of political and social backgrounds.

As Danny on the Cyclist in the City blog reminds us, it is unspeakably awful for John Griffin to print an article like this in the same week that Debbie Dorling is dealing with the pain of spending her 25th wedding anniversary without her beloved husband, killed last year for no better reason than wanting to ride to work on his bike.

A peaceful protest has been organised by concerned cyclists on Facebook, to take place outside the head office of Addison Lee on Monday 23 April at 6pm.

On 28 April the London Cycling Campaign is organising the UK's largest ever ride in favour of safer streets for cycling – find out more.

John Griffin's article in full

Green party candidates and others are up in arms about what they see as the murder of Cyclists on London Roads.

There has, as we all know, been a tremendous upsurge in cycling and cycling shops. This summer the roads will be thick with bicycles. These cyclists are throwing themselves onto some of the most congested spaces in the world. They leap onto a vehicle which offers them no protection except a padded plastic hat.

Should a motorist fail to observe a granny wobbling to avoid a pothole or a rain drain, then he is guilty of failing to anticipate that this was somebody on her maiden voyage into the abyss. The fact is he just didn’t see her and however cautious, caring or alert he is, the influx of beginner cyclists is going to lead to an overall increase in accidents involving cyclists.

The rest of us occupying this roadspace have had to undergo extensive training. We are sitting inside a protected space with impact bars and air bags and paying extortionate amounts of taxes on our vehicle purchase, parking, servicing, insurance and road tax.

It is time for us to say to cyclists, ‘You want to join our gang, get trained and pay up’.

Cyclists are being warned to take extra care on the roads after the chairman of private hire company Addison Lee told thousands of his drivers that it's lawful for them to use London's bus lanes, when in fact it remains illegal.

There are widespread fears that, as well as presenting an increased risk to cyclists, this action will also delay hundreds of thousands of bus passengers if bus lanes are filled with private hire vehicles.

Addison Lee chairman John Griffin wrote to thousands of his drivers (see letter above) over the weekend, telling them he would reimburse them for fines incurred for driving in bus lanes.

UPDATE: Thursday 26 April: The High Court ruled today that it remains illegal for Addison Lee cars to use bus lanes.

The company has been forced to remove the message to drivers from their website and the indemnity offering to pay for fines is "void and uneforceable", it cannot be repeated.

Despite that they will be allowed to re-imburse drivers in the future - but are not allowed to promise to do so - that would be encouraging law breaking. 

Both sides are claiming victory. TfL say Addison Lee cannot continue to tell driver to break the law.  Addison Lee say they don't have to instruct drivers not to.

Transport for London had already responded swiftly saying any private hire drivers using bus lanes are likely to face personal criminal prosecution.

If there is a crash between a cyclist and a Addison Lee car  in a bus lane the company could be liable. In the most serious cases they and their directors could face prosecution for negligence.

The response from TfL compares favourably with the last time hundreds of Addison Lee drivers flouted the law in 2010 when the Crown Prosecution Service decided to abandon 216 court summonses and 130 penalty fares given to the firm's drivers for illegally driving in the M4 bus lane.

The Coalition Government removed the M4 bus lane to show support for motorists, even though there arguments that the measure was just as likely to increase motorist journey times. 

LCC's Mike Cavenett said, "It's a measure of the poor quality of cycling provision in the capital that many cyclists see the bus lane network as a safe haven, even though it's shared with buses, black taxis and motorcycles.

"Adding tens of thousands of extra motor vehicles to bus lanes will severely disadvantage bus passengers and cyclists.

"We urge Transport for London to look at the City of London, where both black taxis and private hire vehicles are banned from bus lanes, and to repeal its harmful motorbikes in bus lanes measure."

Lorries in bus lanes

Safe cycling in bus lanes is also under threat from Transport for London plans to allow large lorries in a bus lane on Church Road, Northolt (A312).

Lorries are currently only allowed in a tiny number of bus lanes in Greater London, including Nine Elms Lane in Wandsworth, and the A23 in Coulsdon.

LCC's lorry expert Charlie Lloyd said, "Sadly, cycling in this part of the 'biking borough' of Ealing is already extremely difficult with few safe or inviting routes.

"Allowing HGVs on any bus lane is likely to discourage even more people from making local journeys by bicycle."

In an unexpected turn of events, motoring journalist and News International columnist Jeremy Clarkson has inadvertently put his weight behind our Love London, Go Dutch campaign by heaping praise on continental cycling culture, including physical separation of bikes and motor vehicles.

Love London, Go Dutch is calling for Dutch-style cycling provision in the capital, including segregated bike lanes on main roads (please sign the petition).

Writing in The Sunday Times on 8 April 2012, Clarkson praises Danish capital Copenhagen as a “fan-bleeding-tastic” city where “best of all: there are no bloody cars cluttering the place up. Almost everyone goes almost everywhere on a bicycle”.

Recognising the importance of segregation of motor and cycling traffic, he writes: “I know that sounds like the ninth circle of hell, but that’s because you live in Britain, where cars and bikes share the road space. This cannot and does not work. It’s like putting a dog and a cat in a cage and expecting them to get along.”

Despite this praise for cycling, Clarkson errs in forgetting that in the UK many of the same people that drive also cycle, and that in Copenhagen there are many shared-use streets where road users coexist comfortably.

Another mistake he makes is to assume urban planners must choose between cars or bikes: “City fathers have to choose: cars or bicycles. And in Copenhagen they’ve gone for the bike.”

As anyone who’s visited Copenhagen (or Amsterdam) knows, these cities are most certainly not devoid of motor traffic; it's simply that planners do much more to encourage cycling.

Nevertheless, despite occasionally returning to bad habits, it’s still something for Clarkson to write that he’s jealous of a city “that works”, saying of Copenhagen: “It’s pleasing to look at. It’s astonishingly quiet. It’s safe. And no one wastes half their life looking for a parking space. I’d live there in a heartbeat.”

Yes, his column contains misunderstandings, but he appears to have grasped the important point that removing conflicts between road users – for example, by allocating road space to cycling – is a significant step towards creating harmony in urban transport.

We’ve invited him to join the Big Ride on 28 April 2012.

We're hopeful he and his family will join our ride calling for a safer and more people-friendly city... just like Copenhagen.

LCC's Tom Bogdanowicz put the key cycling question to the mayoral candidates at the Evening Standard's mayoral hustings at the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, London last night (11 April 2012).

He asked if the candidates were prepared to introduce continental-standard cycling provision in London on the Cycle Superhighways and Transport for London roads.

His question also mentioned the nearly 30,000 signatures on our Love London, Go Dutch petition (video: 25mins 6s).

There was extensive coverage of the debate on Twitter (#mayordebate) and in the Evening Standard, as well as on BBC's 10 O'Clock London News which ran the cycling answers at length.

Chief news reporter Ross Lydall of the Evening Standard tweeted our question as did Caroline Russell of Islington Living Streets.

Summary of cycling responses

• Jenny Jones said she has signed our petition, and will extend Go Dutch principles to both TfL and borough roads.
• Boris Johnson said he wants safety, but it can't be done without investment. He said Ken Livingstone would cut the transport budget.
• Livingstone said Johnson scrapped priority for pedestrian cyclists safety in favour of traffic flow  quoteing mayoral adviser  Kulveer Ranger on Bow roundabout as saying "the Mayor’s priority is traffic flow". He said he'll put Jones on the TfL board to deal with cycling.
• Jones said if she does get the job she wants "millions and millions" for cycling.
• Johnson said he is a militant cyclist but cyclists must obey the rules or risk 2losing the natural sympathy that cycluists deserve"
• Brian Paddick reminded Boris of video showing him riding through red lights (Johnson said it was 'before I was Mayor').
• Paddick also said LCC came up with reasonable solutions for junctions such as Blackfriars and Kings Cross, but TfL said it would slow traffic flow. He said, "The mayor’s current priority of speeding traffic flows is killing people" and that 'we have to make the roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.'

Representatives of the Dutch National Embassy attended the debate and complimented LCC on the work we're doing promoting Dutch cycling culture in London.

Leaflets promoting the Big Ride were distributed to enthusiastic Londoners outside the event, and several hundred petition signatures were gathered.

A London Cycling Campaign member was victim of a hit-and-run collision with a motor car at 8:35am this morning (10 April 2012) in East London, and he's appealing for witnesses.

The collision took place at the junction of Campbell Road and Bow Road (E3) where the cyclist was allegedly struck by a silver Daewoo Lanos SX, causing damage to his bike but fortunately no injuries (see photos above and below).

Michael Duff said, "The driver of the car got out, asked me if I was okay, but when I told him we needed to exchange details and I showed him my buckled front wheel, he said, "Oh no, no way!" and got back in his car and sped off." 

Mr Duff managed to photograph the car before reporting the incident to police, submitting the photos taken at the scene

However, Mr Duff has no witness details, so if you saw the incident, please contact info@lcc.org.uk and we'll pass on your details to him.

In a separate incident last month, a 17-year-old in Deptford was killed after being struck by a car that failed to stop at the scene. In this instance, the driver subsequently handed himself in to police.

Download the manifestos

Siobhan Benita's Transport Manifesto

Boris Johnson's Transport Manifesto

Jenny Jones' Cycling Pledges

Ken Livingstone's Transport Manifesto & Cycling Manifesto

Brian Paddick's Mayoral Manifesto

Click on either of the images below to download the PDF of our comparison of the leading candidates' cycling policies:

Download the manifestos

Siobhan Benita's Transport Manifesto

Boris Johnson's Transport Manifesto

Jenny Jones' Cycling Pledges

Ken Livingstone's Transport Manifesto & Cycling Manifesto

Brian Paddick's Mayoral Manifesto

Boris Johnson's and Brian Paddick's manifesto promises fail to meet the needs of cyclists, according to detailed analysis (see link below) of all the leading candidates’ manifestos by the London Cycling Campaign.

Johnson comes last in every category, and there's also a strong concern that Paddick's policies wouldn't do enough to improve safety for existing cyclists or encourage many more new people to cycle, as all four candidates claim they want to do.

The Green Party’s Jenny Jones has by far the strongest manifesto for improving conditions for cycling, with Ken Livingstone in second place, considerably ahead of Johnson and Paddick.

LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha said, “Boris Johnson’s transport manifesto commitments to cycling are very weak, undermined by an emphasis on keeping motor traffic moving.

“Livingstone’s cycling policies are more encouraging in many ways, but there’s still a major concern that, like Johnson, he won’t prioritise cycling over motor traffic.

“Perhaps having Jenny Jones – who is by far the most impressive candidate for cycling policies – as Livingstone’s cycling advisor, as he has committed to doing, will change his approach?

“We want Londoners to join our Big Ride on 28 April to tell Johnson and Livingstone they must create safe and inviting space for cycling, prioritising cyclists as they do in Holland."

Johnson and Paddick are weakest of the four leading candidates when their policies are scored against LCC’s three Love London, Go Dutch campaign demands, which call for continental standards to be applied to future cycling provision.

Pleasingly, three out of the four candidates (the exception being Johnson) draw inspiration from ‘Dutch’ cycling solutions, and Livingstone says he’d adhere to the principles of LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign when designing cycling facilities.

LCC’s conclusions are the results of an exhaustive line-by-line analysis of the four mayoral candidates’ transport and cycling manifestos, with the full details published below, along with the candidate manifestos.

None of their manifestos makes overall funding commitments for cycling provision, nor do they set targets for increasing the proportion of London journeys taken by bike.

Please sign the Love London, Go Dutch petition.

More information

Read an in-depth summary of each candidate's cycling policies

Read our policy-by-policy analysis

Download this as a .doc

Download the manifestos on cycling

Download Boris Johnson's Transport Manifesto

Download Jenny Jones' Cycling Pledges

Download Ken Livingstone's Transport Manifesto & Cycling Manifesto

Download Brian Paddick's Mayoral Manifesto

After years of campaigning by local groups, including Wandsworth Cycling Campaign (WCC), an east-west walking and cycling link has been installed under Wandsworth Bridge.

The link provides valuable separation of cycling and walking traffic from a high-traffic roundabout, in accordance with Dutch principles of street design (please sign the petition calling for streets that are as safe and inviting as they are in Holland).

On 30 March 2012 members of WCC and Wandsworth Living Streets were present at the opening to try out the route and celebrate the removal of one of the last major blockages to the Thames Path in Wandsworth.

Local pedestrians and cyclists were quick to discover this new route, making use of the underpass to cross the northern arm of Wandsworth's York Road roundabout, avoiding the dangerous, noisy and polluted 1960s-legacy roundabout.

WCC campaigner Bob Broad said, "The new link will open up this part of London to cyclists in Wandsworth and beyond, encouraging them to explore London's fascinating riverside."

Susie Morrow, chair of Wandsworth Living Streets, said: "Much effort over many years from local sustainable transport campaigners has gone into pressing for this underpass, and it's gratifying to see it in place."

Local resident Janet said, "I both walk and cycle along the riverside in Wandsworth and this new connection is wonderful."

The new walking and cycling east-west link has been funded by St George
PLC, the developer of Battersea Reach, the 13-acre tract of formerly industrial land immediately east of Wandsworth Bridge on the south bank of the Thames.

The site to house a gin distillery, oil depot and warehouses, until the land was cleared in 1992 and lay derelict until 2002 when developers started construction.

In 1996, the site was subject to a
famous occupation by 'The Land Is Ours' group, creating the 'Pure Genius!' Eco Village Wandsworth.

Wandsworth Cycling Campaign and Wandsworth Living Streets will continue to work with property developers, such as St George PLC, as well as Wandsworth Council, to put improved provision for cycling and walking much higher up the agenda in Wandsworth.

PHOTOS Eric Ainsworth

It’s hard to believe that anyone could have designed, built or approved the latest cycle lane disasters at the new Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, East London (see photos above and below).

The shopping giant has already been embarrassed, not once, but twice by a flawed cycle track with concrete cobbles every 20 metres, and another sorry example with a car parking sign and a utility box in the middle of it.

The latter caused hoots of derision when a typically Westfield non-solution was installed a few weeks later (in case you missed it).

Instead of removing the previous disasters, the planners at Westfield have now installed another cycle track with both cobbles and a road sign in the middle, presumably to improve cyclists' slalom skills (see photo above).

London Assembly Member Andrew Boff told us that such poor cycle facilities were "an embarrassment". 

You can visit the new track at the end of Westfield Avenue, but you won’t be able to travel further because the road beyond is off limits to cyclists and pedestrians due to "increased security" around the Olympic Park.  

One-metre cycle lanes are still being installed?

To add to the embarrassment, there's a new on-road cycle lane that’s just one metre wide in Warton Road (see photo below), which leads from Stratford High Street to the shopping centre, contravening all recommendations on width from in Department for Transport guidance and the London Cycling Design Standards.

You’d think that if the road builders could barely squeeze in the picture of a bicycle in the lane, they would might notice something is wrong with the design.

To compound cyclists' misery, this lane ends at a junction where walkers and cyclists using the cycle/pedestrian crossings can wait for as long as two minutes to turn right even though the road is near empty.

On the other side of Warton Road, you'll also find a cycle track that spews cyclists out straight into the path of passing traffic.

And don't forget the bike lane that stops in the middle of a roundabout.

It's extraordinary that the bike routes around Westfield can be this badly designed: this is supposed to be a flagship project that will form part of the ‘sustainable legacy’ of the Olympics.

Please sign our petition for Dutch-standard bike lanes

We're calling on all the mayoral candidates to make London more liveable by making our streets as safe and inviting for cycling as those in Holland.

Please take a second to sign our petition to make it clear to the next mayor that cyclists won’t settle for such appalling facilites.

Our campaigns team has also written to Westfield's transport director highlighting the problems of the cycle routes and the lack of signage. 

Over 100 volunteers will be out on London's streets today and during the next three weeks collecting signatures for the Love London, Go Dutch petition and telling people about 28 April's Big Ride in support of safer streets for cycling. 

So far, after only a couple of days of street action, 5000 extra people have signed our petition, with volunteers collecting signatures in parks, around universities and in other central locations where Londoners have been enjoying the good weather.

The response to the petition on the streets has been spectacularly good, and it's no exaggeration to say that the vast majority of people have been keen to support it.

Yes, as soon as we ask Londoners if they'll support safer streets for cycling they instinctively agree, even if they don't cycle themselves, which is often the case.

22-year-old art student Sachia Milani said, "I live in Camberwell and want to cycle to college, but there are too many cars and I don't feel safe.

"If there were good bike lanes I would feel much more confident."

Pensioner George Waitwell from Camden said, "I ride my bike all over London, even though my wife thinks I'm crazy.

"When we travel overseas in places like France and Holland we often cycle together, but never at home.

"Things are better here now there are so many more cyclists, but much more needs to be done."

LCC's Mike Cavenett, "We were astounded by how many people have said they don't cycle, but want to, when signing the petition. 

"And those who do cycle all seem to agree that the streets don't feel safe enough."

"Londoners are also thrilled by the thought of continental-standard bike facilities in the capital... this is clearly the way forward." 

Please sign the petition

A silver Audi hit the cyclist on Deptford Church Street, near the junction with Bronze Street at around 5pm on Friday 23 March 2012.

The young man was airlifted to King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill, but he died soon after.

According to reports in the local press, the car sped off after the crash, but then turned around and stopped on the opposite carriageway before driving away again.

The car was later found abandoned, in nearby Watergate Street, SE8.

Deptford Church Street is a dual-carriageway used as a high-speed rat-run by drivers, and it has a bad crash record.

The fatal crash took place adjacent to the Sue Godfrey Nature Park in the borough of Lewisham.

Several locals on message boards have noted the sad connection between the recent death and this green space that was named in memory of a local campaigner who was killed while cycling in 1994 after being hit by a left-turning lorry.

News update: man arrested

The BBC are reporting that a 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop.

Reports suggest he handed himself in to police some time on Saturday, and has been bailed to appear in court in May.

Anyone who saw the crash or the car being abandoned should contact the Road Death Investigation Unit at Catford Traffic Garage on 020 8285 1574 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

"STAY BACK"

A short, sharp message from Transport for London headlines their latest PR campaign warning about the danger of HGV lorries.

Thousands of handlebar leaflets are being put on bikes all over London and there will be posters re-enforcing the message.

The posters give a very quick warning to all cyclists. Beware of all lorries, staying behind is the safest option.

Being hit by a large lorry is thankfully rare but always serious and more likely to be fatal than any other crash. If there is a junction nearby, don't try to overtake as lorries turn quickly, cutting across your path.

TfL's website gives more safety tips:

Cycle sensibly and assertively to help yourself stay safe, especially at traffic lights and junctions.

• Recognise that lorry drivers may not be able to see you
• Never cycle up the left side of a lorry stopped at a junction 
• Look out for lorries turning left from beside or behind you
• Don't stop too close to the front of a stopped lorry and stay away from the lorry's front near side. If a lorry comes up behind you, move forward enough to ensure you are in the driver's field of vision 
• Take up a visible position at lights or advanced stop lines: three metres out in front and not by the left kerb or very close to the lorry
• Behind a lorry is often the safest place to be. When you need to overtake a large lorry, do so on the right-hand side, so that the driver can see you

TfL links to London Cycling Campaign's advice for staying out of the lorry risk zone.

They also link to our Safer Cycling Code and the See Me, Save Me campaign for reducing lorry danger.

Lorry drivers also targeted

Transport for London is keen to point out that it is also targeting lorry drivers.

There are press campaigns in the truckers' magazines, as well as a webpage for drivers.

They will be putting on information events at channel ports and lorry service areas, aimed at drivers heading for London.

About half the lorries on London's roads come from outside London, many of them from overseas.

TfL's FORS freight team are promoting training for drivers, getting them out on bikes to experience the risks cyclists face every day.

Men under 35 at risk

Extra effort is being put in to reach cyclists who feel overconfident, the 'assertive risk-takers' because these cyclists are more often victims than cautious new cyclists.

Most commonly they are men under 35, and TfL will be placing ads in magazines they read.