Conservative candidate for Mayor of London, Zac Goldsmith, today (29th March) pledged to bring Boris Bikes to the Outer Boroughs and introduce easy Oyster card payments for bike hire.

As part of his Action Plan for Greater London, Zac will:

1.   Bring Oyster cards to Boris Bikes Zac will guarantee that Boris Bikes can be hired quickly and easily with Oyster Cards and Contactless payments from 2017, when Serco’s current contract ends.

Image ©Licensed to i-Images Picture Agency. 29/03/2016. London, United Kingdom. Zac Goldsmith Campaigning. Conservative Party Mayoral Candidate Zac Goldsmith visits Brompton bikes factory while campaigning. Picture by Andrew Parsons / i-Images

2.    Back a Metropolitan Boris Bike Scheme to bring cycling to the outer boroughs Zac will consult on creating new regional Metropolitan Boris Bike schemes around the capital, helping Londoners cycle between neighbouring town centres such as Richmond, Kingston and Barnes; or Stratford to Walthamstow. Zac will also look to expand the outer reaches of the Central Cycle hire scheme, including to Greenwich.

3.    Immediately roll out the Brompton Bikes hire scheme to four Outer London Boroughs to help London’s commuters get out of their cars and onto their bikes in the most cost-effective way possible

4.    Improve cycle safety across the capital – Zac will take forward TfL’s programme to overhaul London’s 33 most dangerous junctions, investigate the next set of priority road improvements and support boroughs that choose to limit speeds on their roads. He will also take lorries off London’s roads through the use of freight consolidation centres and pursing a river first policy. And he will take action to ensure that HGVs are not a danger to cyclists.

5.    Protect Transport for London’s investment budget in order to guarantee new Quietways and Cycle Superhighways for Londoners.

Zac said:

“Boris has put huge emphasis on cycling. As part of my Action Plan for Greater London I will build on that legacy, bringing Boris bikes to the outer boroughs, introducing easy oystercard payments to double the number of cyclists across Greater London, and continuing investment in making cycling safer and easier. I will make London the cleanest and greenest city on earth, and this is part of that commitment.”

“It’s clear we cannot afford the risk of a four year Sadiq Khan and Jeremy Corbyn experiment and the £1.9bn black hole in his spending plans that would make protecting cycling investment impossible.”

Commenting Harry Scrope, Managing Director of Brompton Bike Hire, said:

“Brompton Bike Hire provides the popular folding bike at daily hire rates lower than any Oyster Card journey. Brompton support all initiatives that provide Londoners a greater opportunity to travel efficiently and cheaply whilst reducing congestion and improving air quality.”