London ranks poorly in European urban cycling road safety Index

A survey across 25 European cities has found that London ranks poorly internationally for cycling safety. And despite the capital’s ongoing investment in cycling infrastructure the Urban Road Safety Index 2023 suggests Londoners find the city is not currently designed well for cycling.

Carried out by Cyclomedia, a Dutch company specialising in real world insights based upon large-scale and systematic visualisation and data capture, the report finds over eight in ten (83%) Londoners feel safer driving rather than cycling, compared to just two in ten (22%) in Copenhagen and Amsterdam (16%).

In terms of road safety, nearly half of Londoners (45%) would not recommend people concerned about dangerous traffic to come and live in the city. This contrasts to Warsaw, Vienna and Oslo where in each case around seven in ten residents would recommend residency based on transport safety considerations.

Based on 7,500 respondents, the report also found that four in ten (41%) of Londoners believe that better separation for vehicles on roads would improve safety, with three in ten (31%) saying that reduced speed limits would also help.

In London, structural challenges have been identified around cycling, with nearly half (41%) stating that lack of street lighting impacts their confidence to cycle. Three in ten (28%) also believe clearer traffic signs and improved cycling paths are needed to make roads safer.

Elizabeth Evans, Cyclomedia’s UK sales manager said, “We’re getting a clear picture from data that the complexity of transport environments in London means overall safety for cycling is impacted.

“With mounting concerns for hazardous situations and potential road accidents, it’s vital to take a look at infrastructure and road design first. For Londoners, improving road safety and creating more convenient routes to travel will help generate confidence in cycling.

“Exploring sustainable modes of transport is becoming increasingly important to tackle challenges around air quality and traffic congestion. Necessary design changes, around traffic control, improved visibility and cycling space allocation at the street level, can be enacted through strategy from local authorities and Government.”