Cyclists call for car-free Sundays in the capital

CYCLING campaigners called today for every London borough to ban cars from some streets on Sundays to increase the number of bike users in the capital. The London Cycling Campaign also warned that Mayor Boris Johnson's plans to support cycling may not go far enough.

Campaigners want each council to designate areas for "car-free Sunday". They say this will allow recreational cyclists to ride without fear of being knocked down.

LCC chief executive, Koy Thomson, said: "The current public health crisis needs bold action. Encouraging boroughs to make selected areas car-free for one day a week is a great way to get kids and families out enjoying themselves.

"The Mayor's new projects - cycle hire, cycle highways and town-centre hubs - have great potential provided we learn from what has worked in the past, and provided these new measures complement and expand, rather than replace, existing initiatives.

"However, much more needs to be done to enable existing cyclists to travel more safely and to attract new people to take up regular cycling."

He said campaigners had concerns with the Mayor's "Way To Go" strategy, claiming the plans for outer boroughs and town-centre hubs were ill-defined.

In a 24-page document, the London Cycling Campaign calls for bike routes to be given the same status as red routes, with parking and stopping restrictions. It wants further development of the Central London Greenways which link green spaces - cycle paths linking Hampstead Heath to Regent's Park and the West End. Under the group's proposals, the Mayor's planned Cycle Highways would consist of two orbital routes in central London and 12 radial routes in and out of the city.

"We welcome the Mayor's plan, and we are heading towards the same goal," said campaigns manager Tom Bogdanowicz.

A spokesman for the Mayor said: "The fact is that we are increasing the funding for cycling to a record £111.3million in 2009/10, up from £36million last year.

"This investment will stimulate a cycling revolution in London, which will not only benefit current cyclists, but will also help to encourage many thousands of Londoners who currently do not cycle regularly to do so."