London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced his intention to invest £770 million in developing cycling initiatives across the capital.
Improving the London transport experience has at the heart of Khan’s reforms since taking office. The mayor committed to ensure tube fare freezes until 2020 and has seen the introduction of the world’s first Hydrogen powered decker bus (pictured). This follows Mr Khan’s pledge to be “the most pro-cycling mayor London has ever had”.
He continued: “With record amounts of money now committed for cycling in London, we will continue to work over the coming months developing further detailed plans for making cycling a safe and obvious choice for Londoners of all ages and backgrounds.”
The initiative has been received warmly by cycling groups in the country. The Chief Executive of the London Cycling Campaign, Ashok Sinha said the investment “shows the mayor is serious about meeting his promises to triple the extent of London’s protected cycle lanes, fix the most dangerous junctions and enable boroughs to implement major walking and cycling schemes”.
The initiative no doubt hopes to reduce pollution levels across the capital, over which Mr Khan has frequently expressed concern. Last Wednesday City Hall issued warnings over pollution levels at public transport locations such as tube stations, bus stops and on the road. One of the mayor’s campaign pledges was to inform Londoners when pollution reached concerning levels.
Mr Khan said: “Londoners need to know when the city is suffering from high pollution levels so they can take any necessary appropriate measures to protect themselves from poor air quality.
“This is particularly crucial for Londoners who are vulnerable, such as asthma sufferers.”
Mr Khan tweeted the following about his air pollution initiatives:
I’m taking urgent action to tackle air pollution. Read about my plans and share your views: https://t.co/YREp5deoHV pic.twitter.com/14xkUP55hh
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) December 4, 2016
The proposed investment makes up 5.5 percent of the designated budget for Transport for London, and reaffirms Mr Khan’s commitment to cycling and controlling pollution in the capital.