London CycleNet

What is London CycleNet?

London CycleNet brings together multiple datasets in one place, including: cycle networks, bicycle parking, university locations, Underground stations, and bicycle accident data. It helps students assess bike accessibility to their universities and visualises reachability within 15-minute rides while supporting the GLA and local councils in analysing accident trends to promote safer spaces.

Quote from Sadiq Khan – Mayor of London

“THE LONDON PLAN IS PART OF REALISING THAT VISION, AND OF REVOLUTIONISING THE WAY WE GET AROUND OUR CITY – ENABLING A BOOM IN ACTIVE TRAVEL, WITH WALKING AND CYCLING BECOMING THE PRIMARY, DEFAULT CHOICE FOR MILLIONS OF LONDONERS BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE IT FAR EASIER AND SAFER.”
(The London Plan 2021, p.14)

A Cycling Culture Growing

London’s cycle network is rapidly expanding. The Cycling Action Plan aims to make cycling safer and more connected, encouraging active travel for all Londoners.

Sadiq Khan – Mayor of London has largely been in favour of active travel, setting goals such as 70% of London residents achieving at least 20 minutes of active travel per day by 2041 (Travel in London 2023, p.5).

Between 2015 and 2024, daily cycling trips rose by 237,961—a 21% increase over that period.

Source: TfL Strategic Analysis, Customer & Strategy https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/travel-in-london-2024-active-travel-trends-data-acc.xlsx
Note: Data for 2020–2021 is absent due to COVID-19 restrictions

Policies and Plans

Here are several key policies and plans that are crucial to the development of cycle networks.

Vision Zero

Safe Speed: reduce collisions, encourage walking & cycling, lower pollution and noise
Safe Streets: focus on high-risk areas to reduce injuries, enhance safety on streets
Safe Vehicles: reduce motor vehicle use, promote safer design
Safe Behavior: promote safe travel and mutual respect, reduce danger
Post-Collision Response: analyse collisions and add safer systems to lower risk

Active Travel

Cycle Sundays
Cycle Skills Training
Santander Cycling
New Cycleways
Walking & Cycling Grants
Discover London by walking or cycling

Greatest risk of injury: 80% of deaths and serious injuries occur to people walking, cycling, or riding motorcycles (Vision Zero Action Plan, 2018, p.15).

Cycling Action Plan

Key Targets:

1.6 million daily cycle journeys by 2030
40% of Londoners living within 400m of a Cycleway by 2030

Achievements:

360km of Cycleway routes – quadrupling network since 2016
17k+ TfL & borough-funded parking spaces since 2019
163k+ children and adults received cycle training

Datasets Used

Dataset Name	Timeframe	Source
Cycle Network for London	September 2021	Accessed via OSMnx: OpenStreetMap TfL Cycling Data
Bicycle Parking	September 2021	TfL Cycling Data
Universities	March 2025	Accessed via Digimap OS Student License: Digimap OS Ordnance Survey POI
Underground Tube Stations	March 2025	Accessed via Digimap OS Student License: Digimap OS Ordnance Survey POI
Road Accidents	2018 - 2023	UK Road Accidents Safety Data
Travel to Work Method	2021	Census 2021 RM077
LSOA Workday Population	2021	London Census 2021 Workday Population
LSOA Boundaries	2021	London GIS Boundary Files
Greater London Authority (GLA) Boundary	N/A	GLA Boundary Zip

Sources

“Cycling Action Plan 2” (2023). Mayor of London. Transport for London. Available at: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/cycling-action-plan.pdf
Cycling in London | London City Hall (no date). Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/transport/cycling-london
Matters, T. for L.| E.J. (no date) New TfL data shows cycling journeys in London are up by 26 per cent compared to 2019 levels. Transport for London. Available at: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2024/november/new-tfl-data-shows-cycling-journeys-in-london-are-up-by-26-per-cent-compared-to-2019-levels
Matters, T. for L.| E.J. (no date) New TfL data shows sustained increases in walking and cycling in the capital. Transport for London. Available at: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2023/december/new-tfl-data-shows-sustained-increases-in-walking-and-cycling-in-the-capital
Matters, T. for L.| E.J. (no date) Travel in London reports. Transport for London. Available at: https://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/travel-in-london-reports
“The London Plan” (2021). The Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/planning/london-plan/london-plan-2021

Welcome to London CycleNet