Last week the City of London unveiled its plans for transport in the Square Mile for the next 25 years. Though currently in draft form, the transport strategy marks a huge step forward in thinking around transport and inclusivity.

The draft document, which will be finalised next spring, sets out a number of promising proposals to support active travel in central London. Amongst other things, it outlines plans to reduce motor traffic by 50% before 2044 and to implement a city-wide 15mph speed limit. It also lays the groundwork for the next generation in road user charging.

The City of London has also taken great strides to make cycling more inclusive. Below are just some examples of how they are planning to do this:

• People using cycles as mobility aids or mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs will be able to use new and improved cycle lanes
• The cycle network will cater for all types of cycles, including cycles as mobility aids and cargo cycles
• We will support cycle logistics and the use of cycles as mobility aids by ensuring that all parts of this network are designed to be accessible to non-standard cycles, such as cargo cycles or adapted cycles
  Encourage the provision of parking facilities that are suitable for non-standard cycles, including providing off-street storage for cargo bikes and hand carts in developments that include ground floor retail and takeaway food outlets

Wheels for Wellbeing and the Beyond the Bicycle Coalition greatly welcome this draft transport strategy and see it as an exemplar in inclusive cycling policy. We would encourage other London Boroughs to take City of London’s lead when updating their own cycling and transport strategies and to ensure that they are developing policies that are equally inclusive.

Ruth-Anna Macqueen, co-chair of the Beyond the Bicycle Coalition and founder of Hackney Family Cycling said:

“As a parent who uses a cargobike to transport my children around London, I’m very excited by these plans. It can be really frustrating when cycle infrastructure and cycle parking doesn’t accommodate the needs of non-standard cycles, and so it’s great to see a transport strategy that goes beyond the two-wheeled bicycle”.

Isabelle Clement, Director of Wheels for Wellbeing, said:

“As a charity that campaigns for the rights and needs of Disabled cyclists, we are delighted to see some of the commitments made by the City of London. What this draft strategy shows is that attitudes towards cycling are changing and that there is now a greater understanding of the needs of other types of cyclist, including Disabled, family and freight cyclists, and not just the middle-aged man in lycra”.

Ends.

Notes to editors:

• The City of London’s draft transport strategy can be downloaded here
• The Beyond the Bicycle Coalition is an alliance that was set up in 2017. It represents users of non-standard cycles (e.g. handcycles, e-cycles, cargobikes) with the aim of facilitating discussion and developing ideas that will lead to improved infrastructure, facilities and recognition, along with reduced user costs, for users of non-standard cycles in London – including, but not limited to, Disabled, cargo, freight and family cyclists.