Love London, Go Dutch

Mayoral commitments

In 2012, LCC asked Mayoral candidates to “Love London, Go Dutch” and deliver streets that could match Dutch cycling. Following a 40,000 strong petition and 10,000 Big Ride across Blackfriars Bridge, all five leading candidates promised to implement our three Go Dutch commitments.

The commitments directly led to major changes to London, including:

• Boris effectively ended the era of “blue paint” that were the only protection his first term Cycle SuperHighways offered by constructing what were known as the East-West and North-South Cycle SuperHighways, now C3 and C6 stretching from Paddington to Wapping (and on to Barking in less high quality form), and from Elephant & Castle to King’s Cross.
• Three outer London boroughs received circa £30m each to create “mini-Holland” areas. Of the three, Enfield’s approach using wands and orcas for cycle track delivered a huge rise in km of cycle track, while Waltham Forest went on to win international awards and has been toured by hundreds of councillors, officers and others from across the UK and world, with its mix of cycle tracks, cycle parking hubs, and low traffic neighbourhoods.
• The “Safer Junctions” programme that began to tackle the biggest and most dangerous barriers to cycling such as the Elephant & Castle, Old Street and Fleet Street/Blackfriars junctions.
• Boris also appointed London’s first “Cycling Commissioner” in Andrew Gilligan. It was Gilligan’s infamous tenacity that saw schemes delivered on roads through the City and bordering Westminster despite fierce opposition and legal challenges.

The three commitments were:

Implement three flagship Love London, Go Dutch developments on major streets and/or locations.

The next mayor should show their commitment to the principles of the campaign by selecting three high-profile locations for Dutch-style cycling infrastructure, which encourages cycling and walking.

This could mean pedestrianising Parliament Square, turning Tottenham Court Road or Oxford Street into a people-friendly shopping thoroughfare, or tackling an out-of-town centre like Croydon.

The principles that must be adhered to involve segregated bike tracks where motor traffic is heaviest, and in other areas removing through-traffic and creating shared-space.

Make sure all planned developments on the main roads that they control are complete to Go Dutch standards, especially junctions.

London is a city that is constantly being regenerated. If Dutch principles of design were made standard here, then in only a few years there would excellent progress towards making many major roads and junctions safer for cycilng and walking.

For example, London Bridge and Vauxhall Cross are both due for major changes in the next few years. The next mayor must make sure cycle safety is a priority for Transport for London engineers.

Make sure the Cycle Superhighways programme is completed to Love London, Go Dutch standards.

Cyclists have been universally underwhelmed by the facilities on the Superhighways, which in many places are nothing more than blue paint and bike logos.

Dangerous junctions like Oval and Bow should never be tolerated on popular cycle routes. The next mayor should commit to designing all future Cycle Superhighways, including separating cyclists from motor traffic on the busiest roads, and providing fast and direct routes, with safe junction treatments. Existing Superhighways should be retrofitted with high-quality bike facilities.