Transport for London (TfL) has published data indicating a sustained growth in the number of people walking and cycling in the capital as part of its annual Travel in London report.
One of the main findings of the report showed levels of cycling in autumn 2022 were 40% higher than pre-pandemic figures for 2019.
The transport operator says it has been working with London boroughs to develop the infrastructure needed to support a more sustainable transport network.
These investments mean twice the number of people now live within 400m (1,312ft) of a ‘high-quality cycle route’ compared to 2019, with 22% of Londoners now being close to one, according to the report.
What’s more, cycling during the week this autumn was revealed to be 20 to 25% higher than pre-pandemic numbers, with rates 90% higher at the weekends.
The report also pointed to an uptake in walking levels. Pre-pandemic figures show around 35% of journeys being made on foot, which has now reportedly grown to 41%.
In addition to this, the number of walking journeys made per person per day between April and September this year was 11% higher than the 2019/20 average.
On improvements to air quality, the data shows an estimated reduction of 20% in overall NO2 concentrations, with outer London’s air expected to see the benefits of the recently-announced ULEZ expansion.
London’s walking and cycling commissioner, Will Norman, said: “It’s great to see that the boom in walking and cycling we saw during the pandemic has continued as more Londoners enjoy using sustainable ways to get around the capital.
“We must continue to make active travel around the city as accessible and safe as possible.
“That’s why I’m delighted that this year we’ve seen the introduction of e-bikes to the Santander Cycles scheme, we’ve built hundreds of kilometres of new or upgraded cycle routes since the pandemic and completed work to make some of the capital’s most dangerous and intimidating junctions safer.
“The mayor and I are determined to continue building a cleaner, greener and more prosperous London for everyone and investing in and encouraging use of sustainable transport options is a vital part of that.”
The data also showed that, as of October 2022, tube services saw about 82% of pre-pandemic demand, with growing ridership levels reported across the network.
