![LCClogo-landscape-colour-RGB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/LCClogo-landscape-colour-RGB.jpg)
The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) is an independent membership charity lobbying for better conditions for
cycling in London. Its vision is to make London "a world-class cycling city". It is one of the largest urban cycling organisations in the world, with over 11,000 members.
Activities
LCC was formed in 1978, through the merger of several London-based pro-cycling groups, some supported by
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) is an international network of environmental organizations in 73 countries. The organization was founded in 1969 in San Francisco by David Brower, Donald Aitken and Gary Soucie after Brower's split with ...
. The organisation was officially founded on 28 September 1978 at
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a Grade II listed public house at 145 Fleet Street, on Wine Office Court, City of London. Rebuilt shortly after the Great Fire of 1666, the pub is known for its literary associations, with its regular patrons havi ...
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
on
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was na ...
, and its first offices were at 40 James Street, London W1.
The organisation has grown steadily in membership and staffing over the years, and now employs 15 people to promote cycling, lobby government at all levels, and support its members. In 2006, the organisation became a charity to take advantage of more favourable tax conditions. Its head office is now located at Unit 201 Metropolitan Wharf, 70 Wapping Wall, London E1W 3SS.
LCC is not allied to any political party, but works with other organisations and individuals campaigning for more enlightened use of public space in the capital — such as
Living Streets
A living street is a street designed with the interests of pedestrians and cyclists in mind by providing enriching and experiential spaces. Living streets also act as social spaces, allowing children to play and encouraging social interactions ...
,
CTC,
Sustrans
Sustrans is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network.
Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created of signed cycle routes throughout the United K ...
and
RoadPeace
RoadPeace is the national charity for road crash victims in the UK. It supports the people affected by road crashes with emotional and practical support and advocacy. It operates a help line and provides practical support to people affected. R ...
.
The majority of LCC's funding comes from membership subscriptions and charitable grants, although some of its staff are funded by local and regional government for the purposes of promoting cycling in London. For example, LCC administers grants for the Community Cycling Fund for London, which allocates money from
Transport for London and the Big Lottery to promote local cycling groups. Since 2007, LCC has handed out over £1 million to such groups, and through this service has offered advice and support to hundreds of cyclists, often from disadvantaged backgrounds.
LCC publishes a magazine for its 11,000 members, called the ''London Cyclist''. The publication was originally called the ''Daily Cyclist'', the name being a light-hearted parody of British newspapers. The magazine serves to keep members in touch with the organisation's campaigns, and is also sent to many decision-makers in the capital.
A number of independent cycling clubs affiliate to the London Cycling campaign which gives them the chance to support LCC's work and improve cycling for everyone in London, including London
Clarion Cycling Club
The National Clarion Cycling Club is a British cycling club founded in 1894, and which retained strong links with the labour movement through the 20th century. At its peak, in 1936, it had 233 UK sections and 8,306 members. In 2021, it replaced ...
, London Dynamo and Islington Cycling Club.
Campaigns
Current campaigns include:
* More cycle-friendly streets through the use of cycle lanes and traffic-calming
* Reducing the danger to cyclists from lorries or heavy goods vehicles
* Better cycle parking in and around workplaces, residences, town centres and public buildings
* More carriage of cycles on public transport, including railways, London Underground and buses
* Improving cycling access to London's
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
s and
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
towpaths
* Reducing the problem of
bike theft
Bicycle theft is the crime of stealing a bicycle. It is a common crime due to the relative ease of reselling bicycles, which have a large second-hand market. This makes the crime attractive to those needing to obtain currency quickly, such as p ...
in Greater London
* Improving access to cycling for people of all abilities
LCC campaigns are backed up by a network of local LCC member groups at the
London borough
The London boroughs are the 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs were all created at ...
level. Local LCC groups liaise with their local
Borough Council
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
, relevant
Transport for London Streets Management section, Sustrans and other statutory and non-statutory authorities to comment on local plans and developments that affect cyclists, pedestrians and the local environment.
Borough groups
There is a local group for each London borough. Groups also organise cycle rides and other social events.
See also
*
Cycling in London
*
Utility cycling
Utility cycling encompasses any cycling done simply as a means of transport rather than as a sport or leisure activity. It is the original and most common type of cycling in the world. Cycling mobility is one of the various types of private t ...
References
External links
Official LCC website
{{Authority control
Cycling in London
Cycling organisations in the United Kingdom
Charities based in London