Bike riding in the City of London has increased by more than 50% over the past two years, making bicycles the most common vehicle on city streets during peak hours.
A record 139,000 people rode their bikes in a day across 30 locations in October 2024, up from 89,000 in 2022. The increase of more than 50% marks the largest jump since official records began in 1999.
Bike riders now make up 56% of all traffic in the City – London's busiest financial district – during the peak commuting hours of 8–10am and 5–7pm.
There are also nearly twice as many bikes as cars on City streets during the day, and people walking and riding now make up three-quarters of all observed travel activity and 85% during peak hours.
Meanwhile, motor-vehicle traffic has fallen by a quarter in the five years since 2019. Air quality has also improved significantly, with just two locations across the City reaching toxic nitrogen dioxide levels, down from 15 in 2019.
The bicycle boom in London's main financial district is part of a wider trend of increased riding. Transport for London (TfL) reported in November 2024 that bike journeys in Greater London have increased 26% since 2019.
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These dazzling numbers can be directly linked to an increase in London's cycleways over the past decade, with the first separated cycling superhighway opened in 2015.
In 2023–2024 alone, TfL launched 20 new cycleways, connecting an additional 600,000 Londoners to the cycle network. This data aligns with traffic count data from the four road bridges into the City of London, collected by TfL in 2024.
Dockless bikes also play a huge role, now accounting for one-in-six bikes on City streets. Dockless bike riding has increased four-fold in the City since 2022.
London's Congestion Charge also helps keep motor vehicle numbers to a minimum during the day. Data shows that 40% of car and private hire journeys now occur after 6pm, when the charge finishes.
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