Siân Berry AM pushes Mayor to fix cycle hangar delays

Created on

16 November 2023

Siân Berry AM pushes Mayor to fix cycle hangar delays

While 60,000 Londoners continue to wait for a secure place to park their cycle around the city, Siân Berry AM today pushed the Mayor to use his budget to cut the backlog of cycle parking requests. [1]

Across the city, over 50 cycles are stolen each day from London's streets, with the highest numbers of cycle thefts striking people in the boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, and Westminster.[2]

Following her questioning of the Mayor, Green Party London Assembly Member Siân Berry said:

"No-one should wait years to park their bike securely and affordably near their home. It is outrageous that Londoners are stuck in indefinite queues for a bike hangar.

"The wait for a new cycle parking space should be a matter of days or weeks - the same as for a car parking permit. And the cost to park that bike cannot be more than the cost of parking a car.

"London started to see these cycle hangars a decade ago, but the current pace and cost of delivery is simply unacceptable. We had a positive exchange today and I am hopeful of good news in the budget.

"We already know the environmental, health, and social benefits of cycling - the Mayor must recognise this urgent need and use his budget to close the bike hangar gap."

Siân asked the Mayor after new data from Clean Cities on cycle parking published today showed: [1]

• 50 bikes are stolen every day

• 60,200 Londoners are waiting for a secure cycle space

• Seven out of 32 boroughs are expected to meet current demand for secure cycle spaces by 2026

• Car parking is cheaper than cycle parking in most boroughs

Siân Berry AM has long been a champion of cyclists, and recently reminded the Mayor that "60 percent of Londoners support having more low traffic neighbourhood schemes," indicating just how crucial more affordable, accessible cycle hangars are to the future of London. [3]

To view the full exchange between Siân Berry AM and the Mayor, click here.

Notes to editors

[1] Theft victims call for action from London Mayor as demand for bike hangars increases by 17%, Clean Cities Campaign, 16 November 2023 and Where do you keep your bicycle?, Clean Cities Campaign, 16 November 2023

[2] 20,000 bikes stolen every year in London as thousands wait for cycle storage, Clean Cities Campaign, 3 November 2023

[3] Mayor must be a stronger champion for low traffic streets, Sian Berry AM, 21 July 2023