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.

Cities for the Ultra-Rich

When Money Doesn't Matter

If you have ever been to New York or London you know that it is dangerous to stay for more than a day or two. Not dangerous in the sense of physical danger, but financially. These cities will suck away all of your money and fast. To get by in Manhattan, you need an income of close to $100,000 per year for a modest lifestyle. For the average person, living in an area like this is a real struggle.

Despite the day-to-day struggles for most people, cities like New York attract the world's richest people. For the purpose of this post we will define the "richest" people as those worth over 100 million US Dollars. For people in this income range, luxury is most important. But where do these people actually go? 

Top Five Cities for UltraRich

1. London

2. New York

3. Hong Kong

4. Paris 

5. Singapore

The richest people flock to these metros in droves. In fact, more billionaires live in these places than everywhere else in the world combined! This is because these cities are safe. If you are extremely rich, the thing that you care most about is your own personal safety and stability. At this level of wealth, your only real concerns are death and loss of money! These cities offer political stability and luxury amenities designed to keep you safe. Extreme net worth households care less about education and affordability because neither of these things will help them to become any more rich.

Maybe someday we will all be able to afford to live in London, but for now it will remain a playground for the world's elite.