Londoners don’t use their cars
With the introduction of the congestion charge, London was the first world city to substantially reduce traffic congestion in the city centre.
In London, 90% of its workforce uses public transport to commute to work. And only 44% of Londoners own cars, many of which are rarely used.
The reduction in motor traffic has gone hand in hand with changes in planning policy. City centre parking provision is being reduced while there are a range of initiatives to make London more welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Legible London initiative has introduced public signage and maps designed to help cyclists and pedestrians find their way about the city.
Across the city, communities are working to dismantle the legacy of the 1960s car-based approach to planning by replacing large-scale infrastructure with spaces that work at a human scale.
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The Aldgate Public Realm Strategy seeks to make this part of east London friendlier towards cyclists and pedestrians, and reclaim ‘lost’ parts of the urban fabric to create high-quality public spaces.
The animation, and the strategy, were produced by General Public Agency and Witherford Watson Mann, and sponsored by Exemplar Properties.
London embraces change
London is revolutionising its approach to transport. Mayor Boris Johnson is leading a cycling revolution across the city.
Londoners can pick up one of 6,000 hire bikes at 400 docking stations throughout the city, an initiative predicted to add an additional 40,000 cycle journeys to the 500,000 made in London every day.
The city is getting 12 Cycle Superhighways: safe, direct, continuous routes for cyclists into central London from the outer boroughs.
The Mayor has also pledged to make London the electric car capital of Europe by getting at least 100,000 electric vehicles on to the streets in a bid to stimulate the UK's electric vehicle market, create green collar jobs, cut carbon emissions and improve air quality.
The London Bus is getting a makeover too: as of 2012 every new bus in the city will be a diesel-electric hybrid.
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Double-decker London Hybrid Bus with Green Leaves livery.