Recent blog on Cycling in the City praises Hackney as Census 2011 shows it to have highest proportion of residents cycling to work (15.4%). Same blog lambasts Westminster in particular as it has low proportion cycling to work (5.3%). This is perhaps a trifle unfair. The Census also shows that (a) Westminster has the highest proportion walking to work (21.5%) of all London Boroughs and (b) more people go to work by car in Hackney than Westminster. If we take all active travel, walking and cycling, then Hackney is still best (28%) but Westminster is a close 3rd at 27%.
So in comparing boroughs, need to take account of a lot of factors that affect cycling, not just Local Authority transport policy. Hackney is right to celebrate its high levels of cycling. But in a borough like Westminster where there are lots of local jobs, you are not going to get the same levels of cycle commuting whatever the transport policy.
For the record the figures for Southwark are 7.7% cycling to work, 13% walking, making us 7th out of 33 for active travel to work.
For more on who cycles where in London see my article in London Cyclist, Feb/Mar 2013
So in comparing boroughs, need to take account of a lot of factors that affect cycling, not just Local Authority transport policy. Hackney is right to celebrate its high levels of cycling. But in a borough like Westminster where there are lots of local jobs, you are not going to get the same levels of cycle commuting whatever the transport policy.
For the record the figures for Southwark are 7.7% cycling to work, 13% walking, making us 7th out of 33 for active travel to work.
For more on who cycles where in London see my article in London Cyclist, Feb/Mar 2013