Hackney, Islington, and the City of London continue to set the standard for active travel with expanded cycle tracks and 20mph zones, while boroughs like Tower Hamlets and Bexley struggle with rising car dependency. TfL’s new cycle route plans aim to bridge the gap across London.
Hackney, Islington, and the City of London consistently lead the way in promoting walking and cycling throughout the capital, demonstrating strong commitments to creating healthier, more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly environments. These boroughs have topped various rankings and scorecards for their comprehensive efforts, including extensive cycling infrastructure, low traffic neighbourhoods, and widespread implementation of 20mph zones. Hackney, in particular, has frequently been named London’s best borough for encouraging active travel — combining cycle tracks, traffic calming measures, and innovative street design to foster safer and more accessible routes for non-motorised transport.
The City of London is notable for its advanced provision of cycle tracks relative to the length of its roads, placing it ahead of several neighbouring boroughs such as Enfield, Newham, and Southwark. Meanwhile, Islington has made significant strides by converting all residential roads to 20mph zones and introducing low traffic neighbourhoods, which discourage through traffic and enhance safety for cyclists and walkers alike. Newham is also gaining recognition for its improvements, notably through expanding 20mph zones and creating ‘school streets’ that limit traffic during school hours to protect children and reduce pollution.
Despite this progress, the picture is not uniform across London. Tower Hamlets, for example, has been critiqued for regressing in its promotion of active travel, with a notable increase in private car use despite a generally low level of car ownership. Boroughs such as Bexley, Havering, and Hillingdon remain heavily car-dependent, ranking at the bottom for healthy streets and active travel initiatives. These areas exemplify ongoing challenges in tackling entrenched car culture, which hampers efforts to reduce traffic and improve air quality.
Calls for further ambitious initiatives are growing louder, with advocates emphasising the need for more car-free days, safer family-friendly cycling routes, and increased implementation of low traffic neighbourhoods. Reviews of cycling infrastructure show progress in boroughs like Southwark and Hackney but also stress that many London boroughs still lag significantly behind in providing safe, continuous, and connected cycleways. Transport for London’s recent unveiling of numerous new cycling routes across all boroughs aims to address some of these gaps, expanding accessible cycling infrastructure in areas including Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, and Hammersmith & Fulham.
As London continues to evolve, these developments underline the importance of sustained investment and strategic planning to meet the growing demand for active travel. The contrast between leading and lagging boroughs reveals the ongoing need to prioritise pedestrian and cyclist safety and convenience, crucial factors in fostering a healthier, more sustainable urban environment.
Reference Map:
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/best-london-boroughs-walking-cycling-newham-city-of-london-healthy-streets-b1236780.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/best-london-boroughs-walking-cycling-newham-city-of-london-healthy-streets-b1236780.html – An article from The Standard highlighting the top London boroughs for promoting walking and cycling. It discusses Newham’s significant improvements, including increasing 20mph zones and the introduction of ‘school streets’ to reduce traffic around schools. The City of London and Islington are also praised for their efforts in creating ‘healthy streets’. The article contrasts these advancements with boroughs like Bexley, which remain at the bottom of the list due to entrenched car dependency.
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cycling-walking-best-boroughs-report-london-cycling-campaign-b1082039.html – This report from The Standard analyses London’s boroughs based on their efforts to promote cycling and walking. Hackney is named the top borough for encouraging these activities, followed by Camden, Waltham Forest, and Lambeth. The report also highlights Tower Hamlets as the worst borough for promoting active travel, noting a shift towards private car use despite low car ownership levels.
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/islington-hackney-boroughs-top-healthy-streets-table-havering-bexley-hillingdon-b1093322.html – An article from The Standard reporting that Islington, Hackney, and the City of London top the ‘healthy streets’ table, indicating their commitment to promoting walking and cycling. The piece details Islington’s initiatives, including converting all residential roads to 20mph and introducing low traffic neighbourhoods. In contrast, boroughs like Havering, Bexley, and Hillingdon are criticised for their car-dominated environments and lack of active travel promotion.
- https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/london-cycling-best-worst-boroughs-danger-b1234635.html – This article from The Standard reveals the best and worst London boroughs for cyclists, based on a City Ratings survey. Hackney is ranked as the capital’s best cycling borough, followed by Islington. The piece expresses concern over the stagnation of London’s cycling revolution and calls for more ambitious initiatives to encourage cycling, such as car-free Sundays and safer routes for families.
- https://safecycleldn.com/2024/12/28/2024-new-infrastructure-review/ – A review by SafeCycleLDN assessing the progress of cycling infrastructure in London boroughs. It highlights that while some boroughs like Southwark and Hackney have made strides, others have shown limited progress. The review calls for increased efforts in implementing low traffic neighbourhoods and cycleway schemes to enhance cycling safety and accessibility across the city.
- https://www.timeout.com/london/news/tfl-has-revealed-loads-of-stunning-new-cycle-routes-for-every-london-borough-052824 – An article from Time Out London detailing new cycling routes introduced by Transport for London (TfL) across all London boroughs. The piece highlights specific routes in boroughs like Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, and Hammersmith & Fulham, aiming to improve cycling infrastructure and encourage more people to cycle in the city.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is recent, published on 7 July 2025. It references the latest ‘Healthy Streets Scorecard’ and includes data up to 2025, indicating high freshness. However, similar content has appeared in the past, such as a report from 10 July 2023 highlighting Islington, Hackney, and the City of London at the top of the ‘healthy streets’ list. ([standard.co.uk](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/islington-hackney-boroughs-top-healthy-streets-table-havering-bexley-hillingdon-b1093322.html?utm_source=openai)) This suggests the topic is periodically revisited, but the current report offers updated information. The inclusion of updated data justifies a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from Islington’s executive member for environment, air quality, and transport, Cllr Rowena Champion, and Newham’s executive mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz. These quotes are unique to this report, with no identical matches found in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Standard, a reputable UK news outlet known for its comprehensive coverage of London-related topics. This enhances the credibility of the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about Newham’s improvements in 20mph zones and its rise in the ‘Healthy Streets Scorecard’ are plausible and align with recent developments in the borough. The inclusion of specific figures, such as the increase in the proportion of schools with a traffic-free ‘school street’ from 21% to 44%, adds credibility. The narrative’s tone and language are consistent with typical journalistic reporting, further supporting its plausibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent and originates from a reputable source, with unique quotes and plausible claims supported by specific data. The inclusion of updated information justifies a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
