Cycling in London

Have you heard about the recent $1 billion cycling programme unveiled by the Transport for London and Ken Livingstone yet? Pretty exciting reading... Here's a little taster:

The five new programmes are:

· A Central London bike hire scheme, similar to the recently launched Paris scheme, with up to 6,000 bikes located across docking stations every 300m so Londoners and visitors have quick and easy access to a bike. This will be supported by a series of easily navigable routes so that people can enjoy London’s sights by bike.

· Around a dozen radial Cycling Corridors for commuters to provide high-profile, easy to follow cycling streams into central London.

· The creation of a series of Bike Zones for shoppers and the school run in Inner and Outer London, with cycle priority streets, 20mph speed limits and quick, clear and simple routes that link key local destinations and open parks and waterways for cyclists.

· The expansion of the Legible London signage system to help people make short trips around the capital on foot, rather than driving, or taking the bus and tube

The 'dozen radial cycling corridors' might sound like corporate speak for 'cycling path', but apprently they will cut through high density traffic areas. Although we'll wait to see how it progresses this sounds like the most radical shake up of inner city transportation in ages. Just imagaine, a safe way to cycle to work in London...