April 2026 Newsletter
In this month's newsletter we have:
Streets for Cycling - make Westminster's elections count for cycling
Westminster's latest cycle lanes!
Monday, April 13th 6.30pm - our next meeting in Church Street NW8
Make Westminster's elections count for cycling
Take just one minute via this link to send a quick email to ask all the local political party leaders to build a safe joined-up cycle network in City of Westminster.
Safe streets for cycling would mean:
Every child can ride to school
Every family can pedal to the park
Every adult can reach the high street or work
Why now?
Candidates in the City of Westminster will be out campaigning for votes for the local elections on 7 May. We are asking the leaders of each main party to pledge that, if elected as council leader, they will build a safe, connected cycle network. Council leaders have the power to expand their borough’s cycle network.
Transport for London has already identified the routes that would have the greatest impact in Westminster, and will provide funding to build them.
What Westminster needs
As Westminster’s cyclists, we already see high cycling numbers as people increasingly take up this fun, convenient and cheap form of transport. But cycling needs to be made much, much safer, so that residents, workers and visitors of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can enjoy the benefits. The last administration began to build high-quality cycleways. Now these need to be joined up into the basic network of routes identified by Transport for London.
We need more high priority cycle routes running east-west across the West End - even more urgent as cycling is banned on a pedestrianised Oxford Street
Westminster’s cycle network should also provide safe, direct cycle connections between the river crossings in the South, Pimlico and the West End to Paddington, St Johns Wood and on into Kilburn and Hampstead to the North
Take action
Now we need you to tell local leaders that safe cycling matters.
In Westminster and across London, many people have already emailed, and some candidates are already making pledges.
With your support, we can make sure that by 7 May, candidates in Westminster and across London commit to Streets for Cycling.
Westminster’s latest cycle lanes
C43 (Stanhope Place): Closure of “rat run” and improved pedestrian and cycle lane. Now Open!
The improved crossing of Bayswater Road from Hyde Park into Tyburnia links to new two-way cycling through Connaught Square.
This will lead onto C43 (George Street): featuring the borough's first "stepped tracks" for physical separation. Currently under construction.
Westbourne Terrace W2. A major improvement between Lancaster Gate and Little Venice - crossing the Harrow Road.
This route is still under construction, but following our request the first two sections of northbound protected cycle lane are already in use!
Monday, April 13th 6.30pm
Our next meeting in Church Street NW8
Join us at our next face-to-face meeting on Monday, April 13th at 6.30 pm. We will be discussing the Streets for Cycling campaign at a new venue: Triangle Studios at 66 Church St, London NW8 8EU.
WCC meetings are normally 18.30 for an hour on the first Monday of the month. Because of the bank holiday, we will hold the May meeting on May 11th and then back to normal on June 1st.
Cycle Saturdays returns
We held our first event in 2026 on April 4th at a new time of 2pm, in conjunction with Westminster Wheels and other partners https://lcc.org.uk/events/church-street-cycle-saturday-easy-bike-ride.
We plan our next ride and Dr Bike for another bank holiday weekend, Saturday May 2nd. Watch our for more details on our website.
Invite other Westminster residents to get our newsletter
There’s a web link to join this newsletter mailing list below, so please do share it with your local Westminster networks and communities (WhatsApp groups, residents' associations, local businesses etc).
Sign-up link to the Westminster Cycling Campaign newsletter:
https://lcc.civiplus.net/ssp/subscribe-westminster-cycling-campaign-newsletter
You don't have to be an LCC member to sign up!
The numbers cannot be ignored: over 200,000 people routinely cycle through the city centre—that’s roughly half the volume of daily tube riders. Our borough sees particularly huge ridership. With cyclists outnumbering cars 2-to-1 in the Square Mile and nearby surrounds, this means less traffic and less pollution for a safer, cleaner Westminster. This matters for residents: nearly two-thirds of Westminster households do not own a car. Safe walking and cycling routes aren't just "perks"—they are necessities for our community.
Many thanks,
Mark
Westminster Cycling Campaign