London's Proposed SkyCycle

London Unveils SkyCycle

Commuters in London have longed urged city leaders to develop safer bicycle routes for commuters. London lags behind other European cities for bike-friendliness, but the city is seeking to change it's reputation. The city has revealed plans for SkyCycle, a network of bike routes to be built over the next 20 years in the city. The project is expected to cost  £220m and span over 135 miles within the city.

Why SkyCycle?

London is notorious in the European community for bicycle accidents. Over the last month there have been several high profile incidents involving cyclists being struck by vehicles. According to an article by BikeRadar, many cyclists in London feel unsafe traveling with vehicles on the roads today. As a result, the city had to devise a creative solution for improving bicycle safety.

The SkyCycle would be built three stories above London's current network of commuter rails. In a city where free space is hard to find, this is a brilliant solution. This not only takes cyclists out of the mix of traffic, but it also offers scenic views of the city at the same time. Each of the routes of SkyCycle could accommodate 12,000 commuters per hour and dramatically reduce the time cyclists spend on streets with cars. This should greatly reduce the number of traffic fatalities.

This map shows an idea for the routes proposed to be built as part of SkyCycle. There will be 209 entrances to the network. Over 5.8 million Londoners live nearby an entrance to the network of routes. This could further encourage an increase in bicycle commuting within the city. 

Despite the cost of building this new bike network, it seems like a great investment for the city of London.