List of cycle routes in London
This is a list of cycle routes in London that have been waymarked with formal route signage include 'Cycleways' and the older London Cycle Network, all designated by the local government body Transport for London, National Cycle Network routes designated by the sustainable transport charity Sustrans, and miscellaneous 'Greenways' created by various bodies. Most recently, in May 2020 TfL announced its 'Streetspace for London' in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not all these routes are dedicated 'traffic free' cycle tracks: most of them also include ordinary roads shared with motor traffic and footpaths shared with pedestrians.
Cycleways
From summer 2019, TfL started branding new cycle routes as 'Cycleways'. This was following feedback and criticism that the previous branding was sometimes "misleading".All new and existing routes must meet new, stricter 'Cycling Quality Criteria' in order for TfL to sign them as Cycleways.
The Central London Cycle Grid is a partially completed scheme within central London which includes both numbered and unnumbered Cycleways, Cycle Superhighways and Quietways.
– – – Farringdon – Ludgate Circus – Blackfriars Bridge – Southwark – St. George's Circus – Elephant & Castle
- Route linking to and
- Route linking to Liverpool Street
- Route linking to
- Cycleway linking to King's Cross
- Cycleway linking and Cycleway linking
- Links off in Vauxhall
- Link off to Hyde Park
Cycle Superhighways
In addition to route signage with a pink logo, other distinctive features included blue cycle lanes on some of the routes and 'totem' style signage pillars.
History
London's Cycle Superhighways were first announced in 2008 by Mayor Ken Livingstone. The original proposal consisted of 12 radial routes, with routes numbered in 'clock face' fashion. Initial implementation of the cycle superhighways also drew criticism on safety grounds, with poor design at some junctions, insufficient segregation of cyclists from motor traffic and slippery surfaces all contributing to numerous fatalities. Several of the superhighways were never built due to opposition from the respective London boroughs.In 2018 TfL dropped the 'cycle superhighway' name from use on any further projects. All the existing Cycle Superhighways are now part of the Cycleways network and will be rebranded as a numbered 'Cycleway'.
Quietways
First announced in 2015, TfL's Quietways targeted less confident cyclists who want to use routes with less traffic, whilst also providing for existing cyclists who want to travel at a more gentle pace. The route numbers were shown in purple on signs.The scheme lasted only three years before TfL decided to drop the Quietways brand, using 'Cycleways' for further new routes. All Quietways are now formally part of the Cycleways network and the delivered Quietways are being gradually rebranded as 'Cycleways'.
Streetspace for London
In May 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting need to maintain social distancing, TfL announced a programme of measures that includes additional cycling provision. Some of these measures are described as 'temporary', although others appear to include fast-tracking of permanent cycle routes. TfL implemented routes delivered under this programme have so far included:| Name | Route | Boroughs | Comments | Map |
| C | Hampstead Road | Camden | With flow lightly segregated cycle lanes from Euston Road to Mornington Crescent can be intermittent. Approximately 1.1 km long. | |
| Bishopsgate | City of London | 5 Bus Gates have been installed to create a bus and cycle only street from Shoreditch High Street to Monument Junction, 0700-1900 Monday to Friday. | ||
| London Bridge | City of London | Closure to private motor traffic from 0700 to 1900 Monday to Friday, plus creation of with-flow semi-segregated lanes. | ||
| CS7 | Clapham South - Balham - Tooting Bec - Tooting Broadway - Colliers Wood | Wandsworth, Merton | Upgrade of existing with flow cycle lanes to be mostly light segregated lanes, plus the creation of bus stop bypasses, on the section from Alderbrook Road to Colliers Wood. | |
| C8 | Lambeth Bridge- Vauxhall Bridge- Chelsea Bridge | Westminster | Upgrade of existing with flow cycle lanes to be mostly light segregated lanes, plus the creation of bus stop bypasses along Millbank from Lambeth Bridge to Chelsea Bridge. |
Additionally, numerous pop up cycle routes have been funded by TfL or the Department for Transport as part of Streetspace, but implemented by boroughs. Funding has also been provided for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, which have filtered roads to prevent through traffic through residential areas, having a knock on effect on cycling by improving links through these areas. As of January 2021, TfL's website listed over 30 different Streetspace schemes. Sustrans published a map of streetspace interventions.
London Cycle Network Plus
The London Cycle Network Plus aimed to provide a 900 kilometre network of cycle routes throughout Greater London. It was funded by Transport for London and managed by the LCN+ Project Team at the London Borough of Camden. It was launched in 2001, replacing the earlier London Cycle Network project, and wound up in 2010.Although some LCN routes have been upgraded to TfL's new Quietways and Cycle Superhighways, the majority throughout Greater London still exist and are signposted and/or indicated by carriageway markings. Where route numbers are used in signs, this is usually the LCN route number, but on some route sections the 'LCN+ link' number has been used on signs.
London Cycle Network routes
The LCN route numbering used a radial and orbital scheme, as shown by the groupings in the table below. Some routes were also part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network – these are signposted with route numbers on a red background. There were also a comparable number of un-numbered routes in the scheme. These are not listed in the table below.The last edition of the LCN route map to be published was the 5th edition.
National and international routes
National Cycle Network routes
The sustainable transport charity Sustrans describe their National Cycle Network as "a network of safe traffic-free paths and quiet on-road cycling" that "criss-cross the country, linking up villages, towns and cities". Eleven of these pass through London. NCN routes are signed with white lettering on a blue background, save for the route number, set on a small red rectangle. In July 2020 Sustrans de-designated nearly a quarter of its National Cycle Network on safety grounds, including some in London.| Route Number | National Route Description | Route through London | Notes | Maps |
| Shetland to Dover | Waltham Abbey along the River Lea via Tottenham to the Isle of Dogs, through Greenwich Foot Tunnel, Thames Path from Greenwich to Dartford | Also serves as part of international routes EuroVelo 2 and EuroVelo 12, and was London Cycle Network route LCN1. In 2019, a section in Greenwich was co-designated Q14. | ||
| ⌊ | Enfield Lock to Spalding | Enfield Lock to Hadley Wood | Development as the "Enfield Island Village to Hadley Wood Greenway" | |
| ⌊ | London to Norwich | Tower Bridge – Barking – Rainham – Purfleet | Shares part of its route with TfL's | |
| ⌊ | — | Rainham to Noak Hill via Upminster | ||
| London to Brighton | Wandle Trail from Wandsworth – Carshalton, then on to Coulsdon | The international Avenue Verte from London to Paris follows NCN20; TfL's unsigned Quietway 4 shares the route of NCN20 between Earlsfield and the Wandle Meadow Nature Park | ||
| ⌊ | — | Wimbledon to Rosehill | ||
| London to Eastbourne | Waterlink Way from Greenwich – Lewisham – Catford – – – Crawley | |||
| Fishguard to London | Thames Path between Greenwich and Hampton Court Bridge | Also serves as part of international route EuroVelo 2, and was London Cycle Network route LCN4. In March 2020, a section in Bermondsey was co-designated as TfL's. | ||
| ⌊ | — | Burgess Park in Camberwell to Durand's Wharf in Rotherhithe | 8.1 km route built with a grant from the National Lottery. Some of the central section also became . In summer 2020, a section between Burgess Park and Q1 was co-designated. | |
| Uxbridge to Milton Keynes | There have been intentions to extend this route into Central London via the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal. | |||
| ⌊ | Maidenhead to Rye House | Passes along the western edge of London, running between Maidenhead and Rye House. |
International Cycle Network routes
Per the notes column above, sections of the National Cycle Network are co-opted by the European Cyclists' Federation as forming part of their international EuroVelo network, which is largely aimed at promoting cycling tourism in Europe. Additionally the Avenue Verte international route between London and Paris begins in central London.Neither EV2 nor EV12 are signed as EuroVelo routes, so cyclists would instead need to rely on the relevant national route signage.
| Route number | Route name | Comment | via these UK cities/towns | Through these countries |
| EuroVelo 2 – The Capitals Route | Follows the course of along the River Thames from west London to Greenwich, and then follows northwards towards Colchester. | Holyhead - Bristol - Bath - Reading - London - Harwich |  Ireland|size=14px |