Boris Johnson wary of fallout over cycling promotion

London Mayor Boris Johnson admitted in a question-and-answer session held this week, that he was apprehensive over the political repercussions of his recently announced drive to promote cycling in the city.

The cycle hire scheme is to be introduced in London next year, and will urge commuters to adopt greener commuting policies by cycling to work and other destinations instead of using cars. Plans include improving bike routes and providing more cycle parking spaces. The mayor has also indicated that he would like to see this scheme adopted by the outer boroughs of the city, in the hope of spreading the cycling message farther.

However, the mayor is also concerned that his efforts to promote cyclists on the road will incur much criticism from motorists, who he feels will soon enough have had enough of cyclists on the roads.

The cycling scheme aims to increase cycling fourfold from levels in 2000, and the mayor has said he hoped motorists would not turn on him for this.

Johnson has already faced criticism for what many have labelled as policies intended to pander to motorists in favour of public transport users. The mayor has recently announced that the fares for trains and buses in the city are set o go up in January, while the western congestion charges for London’s motorists will be scrapped.

The mayor had also announced that there would be some reduction the number of buses allowed to ply on London roads, which has come under severe criticism. Boris Johnson has, however, sought to allay fears of significant reduction, by saying that any reduction would be a very small one. He has said he intends to maintain the city’s public bus transport system.