London – The least friendly city for cyclists

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London is the least friendly city for cyclists according to a survey conducted by our friends over at flatshare London site EasyRoommate.

Having taken into consideration the 55 largest cities in England and Wales, and 1633 respondents, the survey was based on the percentage of inhabitants who work within cycling distance of home, the number of bicycle accidents, and the percentage of rooms to rent in London where landlords offer bike storage. A third of Londoners also live beyond a commutable distance to work by bike, the lowest percentage for an English city, and the same for the UK as a whole, which also includes rural areas.

Following the survey, which saw 53% of those living in a London flatshare in want of bike storage on the property, flatshare London site EasyRoommate, has introduced options that allow flat-seekers to choose properties with bicycle storage and for landlords to advertise that their properties already have bike storage. In the two months following this introduction, 21% of London landlords have responded to the demand from cyclist tenants for storage, leaving London now 2% above the national average but still 9% lower than Liverpool, the city with highest cycle-friendly accommodation house and flat-shares.

In London, central areas like Islington, Camden and Southwark have the highest demand for cycle-friendly accommodation at 33%, 28% and 27% respectively because of the easier cycling distance from here into central London and the City. Cycling from zone one areas like these can save £100 a month on season tickets, not to mention time in avoiding delays on the tube and traffic during rush hour.

Liverpool on the other hand is the most bike-friendly city in England and Wales, while Leicester has the most landlords (at 17%) who offer bike storage at their properties. Cambridge and Oxford were the most unsafe cities in England and Wales, with more accidents per population head than anywhere else, although this is likely to reflect the larger cyclist populations.

With the introduction of London’s Cycle Hire Scheme earlier this year, it’ll hopefully encourage bike use in London and a rise in cycle-friendly house shares in the future.

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