Mayor of London Boris Johnson yesterday set out plans to boost the number of people travelling by bicycle in London, including a £111m investment in cycling infrastructure and projects.

It’s all part of plans for a cycling revolution in London, and key to these plans are bigger and better events. The popular Freewheel, which attracted 50,000 people last year to cycle past London’s iconic sights along a car-free route, will be made bigger and better, with an additional event bringing the concept to outer London, this year to the borough of Hounslow.

The Tour of Britain returns to London, and Londoners of all ages are being challenged by the Mayor to get pedalling through a series of London ‘cycle challenges’, where workplaces and schools can compete based on the number of miles clocked up and the number of people they get cycling.

New figures released today show a bicycle boom is underway with an estimated 545,000 daily bicycle journeys now made in London, up 9% in the year since the Mayor was elected. Speaking at the launch, the Mayor said he was determined to reach beyond dedicated commuter cyclists and encourage more Londoners to join in.

A record £111m investment in cycling is being made this year, which includes funding for new Cycle Hire and Cycle Highways schemes and safety training across London. The Mayor also unveiled a major new marketing campaign ‘Catch up with the bicycle’, which shows the freedom of cycling and how, as in other European countries, cycling can be a stylish and desirable way to travel. The message is that we can all cycle, at our own pace and in our own style.

The Mayor said: “Cycling is on the up in London, but there is still much to do if we want to really revolutionise the way that Londoners get about. That’s why we are making record investments in cycling, developing the cycle highways and cycle hire schemes, and are unveiling a summer schedule stuffed full of biking events, competitions, and campaigns designed to boost cycling across London’s boroughs.

“Through this, Londoners of all ages and abilities can take part and experience the joys of travelling in one of the most handy, healthy, and environmental-friendly ways possible, and we can achieve our aim of making London a city where two wheeled, pedal-powered transportation is the norm, and not the exception.”

The Mayor’s efforts to make cycling more convenient include a commitment to provide 66,000 new cycle parking spaces across the capital. Right now 138 new cycle parking spaces are being unveiled at Euston station, with more set to open at Liverpool Street shortly.

Behind the scenes, work continues on delivering the central London cycle hire scheme, and 12 cycle highways – giving cyclists safe and convenient routes into town – by 2012, with exciting news expected on both projects over the summer.

David Brown, TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, said: “With all the fantastic cycling events taking place in the capital, there’s never been a better summer to start cycling in London. Whether it’s commuting to work or school as part of TfL’s June London Cycle Challenge, trying out leisure cycling at one of the Freewheel events, or exploring your local traffic free ‘greenway’ cycle routes, cycling is something that’s open to everyone to enjoy.

“Help is on hand for anyone starting out. Londoners of all ages can get access to free, TfL-funded cycle safety training through their local council, and can order free cycle maps from TfL to help them plan their journeys. There is a whole network of quiet and traffic-free cycle routes that make cycling in the Capital a pleasure, as well as a quick and convenient way to travel.”

Find out more about the plans at www.london.gov.uk