{"id":701022,"date":"2026-01-17T00:55:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T00:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/701022\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T00:55:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T00:55:37","slug":"daily-bike-usage-in-london-hits-25-year-high","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/701022\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily bike usage in London hits 25-year high"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 1.5 million daily bike journeys were made in London last year, marking a 25-year high in cycling across the capital.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The daily number of people using bikes in London has more than tripled since 2000, a Transport for London report<\/a> has found.\u00a0<\/p>\n

London\u2019s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: \u201cAs we continue to expand London\u2019s cycle network, the number of daily bike trips is soaring.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study, called Travel in London 2025, revealed that the estimated number of daily cycle journey stages \u2014 sections of trips which may include other modes of transport \u2014 reached 1.5 million last year, up from 0.47 million in 2000.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bike<\/a> usage rose by 12.7% in 2025 compared with 2024, with the daily demand for bikes in the capital similar to the number of daily travellers on the Northern and Piccadilly underground lines.<\/p>\n

Norman continued: \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt that London is fast becoming a cycling city.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report identified the most common reasons for travelling by bike since 2022, with the top three being: commuting to the workplace, leisure, and shopping and personal business.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Grace Clinton, 23, is among the Londoners cycling to work.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI enjoy being able to go at whatever time best suits me, and having the opportunity to get in a bit more exercise than if I did not.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy work has a cycle to work scheme so I can get benefits such as money to repair and maintain my bike. <\/p>\n

\u201cI also like that my office has a dedicated bike rack and places to shower should it be really hot out. <\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, it seems like a sensible way to travel for my route.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Hilliard, a cycle instructor who works with groups such as the Enfield Cycling Campaign and the London Cycling Group, said factors such as community initiatives and improved infrastructure have contributed to the rise in bike usage.<\/p>\n

Cycleways<\/a>, designated routes which are designed to be easy for cyclists of all levels to navigate, form one major part of this infrastructure.<\/p>\n

TfL\u2019s research found that 76 per cent of London residents using these routes feel safe all or most of the time.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Hilliard added that cycling, particularly on e-bikes<\/a>, can be a more efficient way for many Londoners to commute, particularly in central London.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI think it\u2019s such an easy, quick way to get around. I think electric bikes now make it so easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving e-bikes is significant and will become more significant. It just makes it so much easier to get around.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Asked what local authorities should be doing to further encourage bike usage, the instructor said that a \u2018nudge approach\u2019 is needed to get people out of their cars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cYou need to nudge people to make it a little bit harder to drive, and a little bit easier to do the shorter journeys. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s cycle lanes, it\u2019s low-traffic neighbourhoods, connecting people to the cycle lanes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Isabella Lapadula, 23, recently moved from Edinburgh to London and uses her bike both to get exercise and to commute.<\/p>\n

Lapadula said: \u201cI find cycling can be a faster way to get around than walking, especially with short to medium distances.<\/p>\n

\u201cCycling can also be more reliable than public transport, as delays on the tube and buses often lengthen journeys unnecessarily.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone new to London, cycling has become a way to get to know the city, explore, and become aware of different areas, as the city is so big!\u201d<\/p>\n

Izzy Romilly, Sustainable Transport Campaigner at climate charity Possible, celebrated the rise in cycling. <\/p>\n

She said: \u201cThe rise of cycling in London is a success story \u2013 gone are the days when the majority of Londoners would never even dream of getting on a bike for everyday journeys around the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve now got hundreds of kilometres of protected cycleways, London\u2019s air is getting cleaner, and many more people are able to enjoy the exercise and freedom of cycling thanks to a whole range of factors \u2013 from a diverse network of groups building confidence and skills, to more on-street cycle storage.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Romilly added that more steps need to be taken to ensure that all Londoners feel safe on their bikes. <\/p>\n

She cited issues such as heavy traffic, isolated routes, and harassment as reasons that some people might avoid cycling. <\/p>\n

Romilly said: \u201cFeeling safe \u2013 from vehicles and also from abuse and harassment \u2013 is the number one reason why people don\u2019t cycle more. <\/p>\n

\u201cLondon Cycling Campaign\u2019s Women\u2019s Network, for example, surveyed<\/a> one thousand women and found that one in five stop cycling because of intimidation faced on the roads.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that measures such as upgrades to roads and junctions, lower speed limits, more on-street cycle storage, and more practical e-bike schemes would contribute to making cycling around London safe, easy, affordable, and accessible for everyone. <\/p>\n

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