Transport for London (TfL) is launching a major new programme of leisurely cycle routes and support to encourage Londoners who are new to cycling to explore the capital by cycle on Sundays. TfL Cycle Sundays, which has been developed in collaboration with leading cycling organisations, aims to offer beginner friendly journeys for Londoners, backed up by a range of support to make it even easier to try out cycling for the first time. Leisure cycling provides people with an easy and sustainable way to maintain their mental and physical wellbeing and build up confidence.

The routes have been selected by TfL and a range of partners including British Cycling, Cycle Sisters, JoyRiders, London Cycling Campaign, Sustrans and Wheels for Wellbeing, and include park rides in Greenwich and Battersea, an accessible cycle tour of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a loop through parks in Haringey and many more spanning the capital. The routes give cyclists of all abilities a choice of leisure routes up to ten miles long on quiet roads and paths.

A full list of routes can be found on the TfL Cycle Sundays website, which also offers cycling discounts, links to cycling organisations and their events and access to our free online Cycle Skills course for new cyclists or anyone who needs a refresher to get cycling again.

TfL has partnered with Strava for another easy way to access and track leisure routes across London. There will be leisurely, easy to follow cycle routes across London for cyclists of all backgrounds and abilities, available in the TfL Cycle Sundays Club in Strava. Accessing the routes through Strava will enable riders to see the map in real time with directions, track their route length, see the route difficulty level, elevation levels and how busy the road is. Downloading Strava is free to use and joining the TfL Cycle Sundays club will enable people to connect with friends and other cyclists.

Hiring a Santander Cycle is easy and one of the most affordable ways to travel in the capital. The Day Pass allows unlimited journeys under 30 minutes all day from £3. Santander Cycles e-bikes will be available to members for an additional £1 per half hour with the new Day Pass. E-bikes are otherwise available for £3.30 per 30-minute ride for non-members and customers without a Day Pass, or a fare of £1 per 60 minutes for monthly and annual members.  Anyone can become a member by creating an account for free online or through the app. TfL is also on track to add an additional 1,400 new e-bikes to the scheme this summer, more than tripling the number available to hire and further expanding access to cycling for all.

Road danger and the fear of collisions are a major barrier to increasing cycling numbers. TfL encourages Londoners to cycle safely and London’s boroughs have made significant progress in expanding London’s network of high-quality Cycleways in recent years. London now has over 360km of strategic cycle routes across London, and during this financial year, TfL will continue to work with London’s boroughs to deliver more Cycleways expanding the network to new areas. With £19.5m of investment already announced, this funding will complete Cycleways between Lea Bridge and Dalston, between Deptford and Deptford Creek and Hammersmith and Kensington Olympia. This funding will also progress design and delivery of Cycleways across Bexley, Harrow, Hounslow, Bromley and Redbridge.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m committed to enabling more Londoners to experience the joys of cycling in the capital. That’s why I’m delighted to support Londoners who are new to cycling, or who haven’t got their bike out of the shed in a while, to give it a try on Sundays. TfL is offering a range of cycling discounts and training, as well as highlighting leisure routes people can use in their local area. Those who don’t have their own bike can hire one from the 800 Santander docking stations dotted around the capital and take advantage of the Day Pass, allowing unlimited journeys under 30 minutes from £3. I hope this exciting initiative encourages more Londoners to get out cycling, and incorporate active travel into their daily lives.”