More than four in 10 cyclists report feeling unsafe riding in the capital, according to a survey presented to Transport for London.
The conclusions come despite investments in active travel and a drop in recorded cycling offences, according to the latest data released by the Metropolitan Police.
The perceived safety study, commissioned by law firm JMW and written up in The Standard by London’s Local Democracy Reporter, found that 43 percent of cyclists in London feel uncomfortable riding in the city and just seven percent of London cyclists ride on a daily basis.
Other datapoints found London residents have the lowest confidence scores of anywhere in the country towards cycling infrastructure, with only 36 percent of Londoners feeling as though there is adequate facilities to enable them to ride safely. In addition, only 55 percent of residents feel that private hire bikes (such as Lime, Voi and Forest) are safe to use.
> Lime bike boss proposes adjusting traffic lights “to reward safe cyclists”
Simon Munk, Head of Campaigns & Community Development for the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), told the LDR that “London is statistically very safe for cycling and as the network of safe, comfortable, direct cycle routes grows, more and a wider range of people are getting cycling. Daily cycle journeys now make up about half of all Tube journeys.”
But he added that there is “still a long way to go” because “London’s cycle network is still far too patchy and often poor quality. We need a lot more cycle tracks, junction redesigns, crossings, routes through Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and more besides if we want far more Londoners to switch cars for cycling and eliminate fatal collisions from our roads – both of which the Mayor and TfL are committed to.”
Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari added that “Until every Londoner, regardless of gender or background, can get on a bike without fear, we haven’t come close to delivering on this city’s potential.”
In a statement, TfL said they’re “determined to ensure that everyone can cycle safely which is why we’re investing more than £150m this year to improve London’s roads, over half of which is invested through London’s boroughs. We have so far completed work at 46 Safer Junctions across London.” They added that plans for further cycle network investment would be unveiled across several London boroughs “in the coming weeks”
London Cycling Offences down two-thirds but concerns over police resource allocation
The findings of a perceived lack of safety cycling come as Metropolitan Police data show that the number of recorded cycling offences in London has fallen by more than two thirds since 2023. 1438 offences were recorded in 2025, compared to 2650 the year before and 4369 in 2023.
However the 67 percent drop, despite consistent increases in the number of people cycling, cannot be attributed to a dramatic shift in attitudes, with the Met Police reallocating its resources towards e-scooters and e-bikes, including illegally modified electric motorcycles. These incidents are not included in the same dataset.
And that trajectory is unlikely to change following the announcement earlier this month that the Met’s specialist cycle safety unit is to be disbanded and merged into a more sweeping “road danger reduction unit”.
> Concerns for vulnerable road users as Met disbands specialist cycle and motorcycle safety units
LCC Chief Executive Tom Fyans said “Sadly what seems most likely to be the cause of a drop in recorded crime by cyclists is not that cyclists are behaving better, but because the Met has disbanded its cycle safety team, disbanded its Royal Parks-based teams and given up on much of the enforcing it has done in the past,” The Standard reported.
1 thought on ““There’s still a long way to go”: 4 in 10 London cyclists still feel unsafe in the city”
I haven’t seen this survey but if I was asked – do you feel safe cycling in London I would reply ‘no’. If I was asked – do you feel safe cycling in any of these boroughs, Camden, Hackney, Islington, City of London, parts of Enfield, Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark, Walthamstow I would reply ‘Yes’
London is a huge city. Most of Central London and some outer boroughs have very good infrastructure. The outer boroughs are hideous to cycle in; dangerous, angry drivers, fast roads, huge SUVs, Uber drivers,Van drivers, Daily Mail readers..that sort of challenge.