Cycling with Style Promotes New Bicycle Schemes in London


Images from the Guardian Good for You, Green For London by Rachel Lillie

London's Transport Museum held a competition: asking designers and artists to create posters to push cycling and all its benefits. We know what they are: cleaner environment, healthier people, and fewer cars. But take a look at the many and delightful ways that these winning designs have illustrated the joys of cycling.

The timing is perfect: London's bicycle rental scheme, the Barclays Cycle Hire will be starting up this month, and the first of the new Barclays Cycle Superhighways is being opened next week. The top three winners' posters will be used to promote these events.


Cycling City by Harry Sankey

The competition was held with the Association of Illustrators and the winner was Good for You, Green For London by Rachel Lillie. All of the entrants' work is on display at the Museum hung amidst the vast collection of old buses, trains and carriages that are part of the vast and fascinating collection.


Spokes and Leaves Full by Mia Nilsson

The new Barclays Cycle Superhighways is a system of dedicated bicycle lanes leading into central London from outer London. The lanes will have bright blue markings to distinguish them and are meant to provide cyclists with safer, faster and more direct journeys into the city. There will be a dozen in all, with the first two opening next week. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, wants to increase cycling in London by 400 per cent by 2025 (compared to 2000 levels).


If Super Heroes Couldn't Fly by Evgenia Barinova

The new bicycle rental scheme is due to open at the end of the month. Called the Barclays Cycle Hire (this is one bank that has a lot of money; they have spent £140M on sponsorship for this), 6,000 bikes will be available for short-term rentals within central London. People will be able to pick up a bike, pay a £1 access fee and then make a free 30 minute journey, before returning it to one of 400 docking stations. Stay tuned for on the spot reports next month.


Cycle Revolution by Frances Castle

From Treehugger.com