I have been cycling in and around London for more than 10 years.
Before I bought my first bicycle, I was considering getting a scooter or a moped, however after having a discussion with one of my friends about the usage of petrol and the effect of gas emissions on our beautiful planet, I’ve settled on getting my new “2-wheeled friend” - a push bike. ?
Historically, London roads were built for horse carriages, which later were replaced by petrol/diesel driven vehicles. Most of London roads were very narrow, where only one car could fit at the time, and due to the lack of safety for cyclists and fumes from cars, cycling was not very popular….until recently.
Since the Olympic games in London in 2012, we have had a huge increase in transport infrastructure updates. More and more segregated traffic cycling lanes have been built. In April 2019, in addition to the Congestion Charges in Central London, a new Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) daily charge for cars and lorries have been introduced, with the aim of improving the air quality.
We also have an annual event in the summer called Prudential Ride London Freecycle, when pretty much the whole of Central London is closed for cars and people of all ages and cycling abilities can enjoy a traffic free cycle in Central London, with plenty of entertainment and fun zones along the route.
With government taking actions and encouraging people to cycle more, we are still having issues with poor availability of dedicated & secure bike locking facilities in London.
Quite often after arriving at my destination, I have to wonder around for ages trying to find a place where I can safely & securely lock my bike.
Bike theft is another worry we have on our minds as around 20,000 bikes are reported stolen in London each year. Myself and almost all my cycling friends in London have been victims of bike theft a number of times.
To help other cyclists in a similar situation, I have been adding the information about bike locking facilities to my reviews.
I am hoping that by praising the availability or mentioning the lack of cycle locking facilities in my reviews, it would encourage the businesses to install bike racks outside or nearby, which in return will encourage more people to cycle, become more eco-friendly and help everybody with breathing the cleaner air ? ?
