TfL Under Fire After No New Protected Cycle Lanes Delivered on Its Road Network

Transport for London has faced criticism after new analysis revealed it failed to add a single kilometre of new protected cycle track on the capital's strategic road network over the past year, despite ambitious targets to encourage more people to travel by bike and reduce car dependency.

The findings, published in the latest Healthy Streets Scorecard, suggest progress on cycling infrastructure stalled across the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) during 2025/26, prompting campaigners to call for a significant acceleration in delivery.

While the TLRN represents just five per cent of London's roads by length, it carries around 30 per cent of all traffic, making it one of the capital's most strategically important transport networks.

No expansion despite growing network

According to the report, protected cycle tracks now cover 137 kilometres of the TLRN, equivalent to around 13.6 per cent of the network.

Although this remains a higher proportion than any individual London borough has achieved, the analysis found that no additional protected cycle infrastructure was completed on TfL-managed roads during the twelve months to March 2026.

Campaigners argue the lack of progress risks slowing momentum towards the Mayor of London's ambitions to increase active travel and reduce reliance on private cars.

Healthy Streets campaigners demand faster progress

The London Healthy Streets Scorecard Coalition says the findings expose a widening gap between policy ambitions and on-the-ground delivery.

Simon Munk, of the London Cycling Campaign, said the latest scorecard was the first to assess TfL's own strategic road network separately and suggested greater urgency was needed.

"The Mayor's made great strides in delivering the Healthy Streets agenda in general, but there are weak points, particularly in TfL's delivery."

He added:

"TfL officers frequently talk about a 'step change' needed to ensure London gets truly healthy streets where kids play out, people walk and cycle – but there's little sign of that change and far too much business as usual."

Mixed picture across London's roads

While progress on cycling infrastructure stalled, the report acknowledged improvements elsewhere.

During the past year, TfL introduced additional 20mph speed limits and created 19 kilometres of new bus priority lanes, including a major bus lane scheme on Bromley Road in Lewisham.

However, the scorecard also identified several areas of concern.

It recorded a 2.4 per cent increase in people killed or seriously injured (KSIs) on the TLRN, while highlighting persistent safety issues at many of London's busiest junctions.

The analysis found that 7.5 per cent of crossings on the network have no pedestrian crossing phase at all, while almost half provide only partial pedestrian facilities.

High streets and town centres, including Brixton, Clapham High Street and Whitechapel Road, were identified as locations experiencing particularly high casualty levels.

Mayor's targets remain ambitious

The findings come as London continues working towards the Mayor's objective of ensuring 80 per cent of journeys are made by walking, cycling or public transport by 2041, alongside the long-term ambition of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on the capital's roads.

Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell said reducing traffic volumes remained central to achieving those objectives.

She argued that expanding public transport and building more protected cycling infrastructure would be essential if Londoners were to feel less dependent on private cars, particularly in outer London.

TfL points to schemes under way

Responding to the report, TfL said investment in healthier streets continues across the capital, highlighting recent and ongoing projects on its own road network.

The organisation pointed to the completion of a new cycle route across Lambeth Bridge, improvements at Marylebone Road, and construction currently taking place on Nine Elms Lane and the A23 at Streatham.

TfL also confirmed it has allocated more than £158 million towards Healthy Streets programmes during the current financial year, including almost £95 million for borough-led schemes.

Helen Cansick, TfL's Head of Healthy Streets Delivery, said London's wider cycle network has expanded significantly over the past decade.

She said:

"We're determined to make roads safer and have worked closely with London's boroughs over the past year to deliver new infrastructure across the capital, including new Cycleways, with a network that now spans more than 440km, up from 90km in 2016."

She added that continued investment in walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure would help create safer, cleaner and better-connected communities across London.

The latest scorecard nevertheless suggests campaigners will continue pressing TfL to convert its long-term Healthy Streets ambitions into a faster pace of delivery on the capital's busiest roads.