Nearly Half of London Cyclists Still Feel Unsafe, Despite Investment, TfL Told

Almost half of London’s cyclists do not feel safe on the capital’s roads despite years of investment in cycle lanes and junction upgrades, new research has found.

Data obtained by law firm JMW and seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service shows that 43% of cyclists in London feel uncomfortable riding in the city. This compares with just over a third in the north-west of England.

The findings come as Transport for London (TfL) continues to expand the capital’s cycling network. There are now around 270 miles (435km) of cycleways in London — up from 90km in 2016 — and TfL says 1.5 million cycle journeys are made daily, a 13% increase since 2024 and 43% up on 2019.

However, confidence among riders appears to lag behind infrastructure growth.

Complex Urban Challenges

The survey suggests London cyclists face a wide range of perceived hazards, including:

• Drivers on narrow roads

• Bus lanes creating “conflict zones” with large vehicles

• Unclear road markings and layout

• Pedestrians in cycle lanes

• Other cyclists

Just 36% of respondents believe their local area has adequate cycling infrastructure — one of the lowest confidence ratings nationally. Only 7% of London cyclists ride daily, according to the data.

Simon Munk of the London Cycling Campaign said London was statistically safe for cycling but that progress remained uneven.

“London’s cycle network is still far too patchy and often too poor quality,” he said. “We need a lot more cycle tracks, junction redesigns, crossings and routes through low-traffic neighbourhoods if we want far more Londoners to switch cars for cycling and eliminate fatal collisions from our roads.”

Political Debate

Hina Bokhari, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly, described the findings as exposing a “serious credibility gap”.

“When nearly half of London’s cyclists feel unsafe despite billions in investment, something has gone badly wrong,” she said.

Green Party London Assembly member Caroline Russell pointed to driver behaviour as a major factor, arguing that speeding and distracted driving undermine confidence among cyclists.

The survey also found that just 55% of cyclists believe dockless hire bikes such as Lime or Forest are safe for general use.

Andrew Littlemore, head of cycling in JMW’s personal injury department, said the results raised questions about whether infrastructure, operators and regulators were doing enough to support rider safety.

TfL Response

TfL said it is investing more than £150m this year to improve London’s roads, with over half allocated through boroughs. It has completed 46 safer junction schemes and says further cycleway expansion plans will be announced shortly.

A spokesperson said the organisation remains “determined to ensure that everyone can cycle safely” as it works to expand the capital’s high-quality cycling network.