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London "Green" transport usage drops.

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Failed Unit

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A big drop in the proportion of journeys being made by “green” forms of transport in London can been revealed.
Transport for London data shows the number of journeys walked, cycled or made by public transport has fallen from 63 per cent to 57 per cent as a consequence of the pandemic.
This is largely a consequence of the huge drop in Tube and bus journeys and the return to car travel over the last year, as cycling levels have increased across the capital.

It means Mayor Sadiq Khan has fallen further behind his target of 80 per cent of journeys being made by active or sustainable forms of transport by 2041.

Alex Williams, TfL’s director of city planning, said the so-called “modal share” had fallen from 63 per cent in 2019/20 to 57 per cent in the 2020 calendar year. “It does emphasise our recent concerns about a car-led recovery,” he said.

I do find this concerning but it is ultimately what the UK government wanted. At the moment with the mask requirement on public transport continuing until at least July, they are not doing anything to reverse this either.

I expect the cycling will follow, as the number of cars on the roads will make it increasing more dangerous to cycle and most will simply stick to the safer car. I have noticed the amount of aggression towards cyclists has increase over the past 12 months as motorists don't want them on their roads. I once a disagreement with one that told me I should pay tax - I pay as much as certain Diesel cards £0. I should be paying insurance - I am am. You shouldn't be allowed on the roads as you slow down the traffic.

Be interesting if they can't get people back on public transport in London - what hope elsewhere has.
 
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I guess lots of people driving solo in their cars is better for TfL in zone 1 (congestion charge). But I have noticed things are much worse now. Don’t take the bus because when it is not “full”. It is quicker to walk. Used to cycle in London but it is just too dangerous now.
 

Jamiescott1

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I cycle now in London daily as I refuse to get a tube or bus after tfl spent the best part of a year telling us it didn't want customers.
When my bike broke or I'm drinking then I walk. I walked 10km after the pub instead of getting a tube.
 

squizzler

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I have noticed the amount of aggression towards cyclists has increase over the past 12 months as motorists don't want them on their roads.
It needs to be pointed out that it's not "their" roads. In fact, if we are going to play that game, its bike users who are entitled to use the roads whereas the motorist is required to seek special dispensation (a licence for themselves and car, insurance) to use them.
 

RailExplorer

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I still occasionally hear TfL announcements telling us to walk instead of using the tube. I’m sure in reality that translates to use the car instead of the tube. The tube is scary, we need a mask to survive. The car is safe, no masks required.
 

Failed Unit

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I still occasionally hear TfL announcements telling us to walk instead of using the tube. I’m sure in reality that translates to use the car instead of the tube. The tube is scary, we need a mask to survive. The car is safe, no masks required.
Die of COVID or air pollution from exhaust fumes. which is worse. Discuss.
 
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LSWR Cavalier

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Could be that fewer people are using tube and bus, and more are walking instead, travelling fewer miles, that would be good.
 

yorkie

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It needs to be pointed out that it's not "their" roads. In fact, if we are going to play that game, its bike users who are entitled to use the roads whereas the motorist is required to seek special dispensation (a licence for themselves and car, insurance) to use them.
Can I just ask at this point that people ensure this thread does not become a car drivers vs cyclist/pedestrian argument (or any other modes).


Die of COVID or air pollution from exhaust fumes. which is worse. Discuss.
The Government and the likes of Sadiq Khan have made their anti-public transport bias clear for all to see. They talk about being pro-public transport but their actions speak otherwise.

The hysterical brigade, such as those who infest Twitter with their cold hearted logos, don't give a damn about air pollution. They only seem to care about Covid deaths; nothing else matters to them. You couldn't make this stuff up; it's a ludicrous situation we find ourselves in.


Could be that fewer people are using tube and bus, and more are walking instead, travelling fewer miles, that would be good.
Some people may have shifted from tube/bus to cycling/walking but the reality is that more appear to be transferring to cars.

Even some deluded people who purportedly claim to be "green" campaigners actively speak out against public transport while lauding their choice of car.
 

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It will be interesting to see how things go when the weather turns. Right now I am more then happy to walk from the nearest Thameslink station. I may not be as keen on a wet autumn day.
 

Bayum

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Big impact on the tourist industry as well don’t forget.
 

Bikeman78

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I do find this concerning but it is ultimately what the UK government wanted. At the moment with the mask requirement on public transport continuing until at least July, they are not doing anything to reverse this either.

I expect the cycling will follow, as the number of cars on the roads will make it increasing more dangerous to cycle and most will simply stick to the safer car. I have noticed the amount of aggression towards cyclists has increase over the past 12 months as motorists don't want them on their roads. I once a disagreement with one that told me I should pay tax - I pay as much as certain Diesel cards £0. I should be paying insurance - I am am. You shouldn't be allowed on the roads as you slow down the traffic.

Be interesting if they can't get people back on public transport in London - what hope elsewhere has.
I'm a keen cyclist but I have no enthusiasm for cycling in London. No chance of me cycling from Paddington to Liverpool Street instead of taking a nice S stock on the Circle Line. Apart from anything else, my ticket includes the Underground fare so why would I pay again to hire a bike? As regards more people driving, once the roads grind to a halt, more people will go back to public transport.
 

P Binnersley

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Cycling in London seems to be holding up outside the "hard" lockdowns.

What happened to cycling in London in the first year of the pandemic (On London)/
The figures, compiled from 27 TfL automatic traffic counters, most of them in Central London, confirmed the now-familiar overall substantial rise in weekend cycling: the week-by-week changes with the equivalent weeks of the previous year were, in the presentation’s words, “centred around twice normal levels” albeit also “very variable”. It seems fair to suspect that weather conditions help account for those variations.

The weekday story was different. The TfL presentation said that during the first lockdown, weekday cycling recorded by the 27 monitors fell by around 60 per cent compared with the previous year, before it “mostly recovered for the rest of 2020” then fell again to around 50 per cent during the heavy lockdown period that came in with the New Year.
 

Horizon22

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On the 63 - 57% reduction in travel, I imagine that is simply because there was a more dramatic drop in public transport usage when compared to the motor usage drop which arguably was more "essential". This would therefore shift proportions.

This is obviously different to people swapping public transport for the car. Some misunderstanding of the stats I think.
 
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