Three London boroughs will receive up to £30M each to develop suburban cycleways after being awarded full ‘mini-Holland’ status by the Mayor on Tuesday.

Kingston, Enfield and Waltham Forest secured top funding while another five boroughs will share a further pot of money for “substantial and transformative change”.

Boris Johnson said: “I have been incredibly impressed with the standard of the mini-Holland entries.” He added that he hoped the winning areas would become as cycle friendly as their Dutch equivalents over time.

Transport for London (TfL) will take forward elements of bids from Bexley, Ealing, Merton and Richmond, while Newham has been invited to submit a separate bid for funding a plan that includes removing the Stratford gyratory.

The mini-Hollands programme aims to encourage suburban drivers to use bicycles. TfL analysis shows that over half of potential cycle journeys made would be in the capital's suburbs.

A major cycle 'hub' will be created in Kingston, with new high quality cycling routes and a 'Thames Riverside Boardway' built beside the riverbank (illustrated).

In Enfield there will be segregated superhighways linking key destinations in the town centre, three cycle hubs across the borough and new greenway routes created.

Waltham Forest will see a new semi segregated superhighway route as well as the creation of 'Hackney-style' cycle friendly low traffic neighbourhoods.

The London Assembly’s transport committee member Darren Johnson said: “This is exciting news for around a sixth of the outer London boroughs, but will leave cyclists and those wanting to cycle disappointed in all the rest.”

(Photo: The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames)

To return to the newsletter, please close this window.