We'd all like to have a cleaner, safer, less car-congested city to live and cycle in, but this most bizarre proposal surely only goes against the development of a more cycle-friendly urban environment.
The cost of registration will, in particular, hit those on low incomes, and those with large families who will have to register several bikes. It will also discourage occasional cyclists in the capital as well as those who would like to visit London and ride a bike. Any such scheme will be bureaucratic, costly and impossible to enforce in a city with more than 650,000 regular cyclists and more than 450,000 cycle journeys per day. What we need in London are improved conditions for cyclists on the roads.
This registration proposal might discourage cycle use in London and force cyclists back into their cars or on to hard pressed public transport.

Some have already written to the Mayor.

Ken's (automated) reply:

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your email.

Since 2000 Transport for London's has committed a significant increase
in investment in cycling - from 5.5 million in 2000 to 26 million this
year. This has enabled a massive expansion of cycle lanes, bike parking
and routes through parks and canals. This has resulted in an
unprecedented increase in cycling in London, up by over 72 per cent in
the last five years. It is my aim to continue to promote cycling in
London.

Whilst the vast majority of road users follow the rules, there is a
small minority who are irresponsible and do not show courtesy to others.
This applies to motor vehicles parking in cycle lanes or monopolising
the 'advance stop' space allocated for cyclists at junctions - and it
also applies to cyclists going through red lights and riding on the
pavement.

Transport for London have been looking at ways to address these issues
and will shortly be launching a 'Share the Road' campaign, encouraging
all road-users to obey Traffic Regulations and advising them of the
penalties for not doing so. I hope that this campaign will lead to
better standards of driving and riding and a greater level of courtesy
shown by road users to one another. However, it is expected that
targeted police enforcement will still be required to catch cyclists and
drivers who refuse to obey the rules of the road.

I do not want to have to introduce a registration scheme but other road
users -particularly pedestrians - are increasingly frustrated with the
small number of cyclists who break the rules. Therefore, responsible
cyclists and cycling organisations must work with me to persuade the
minority of cyclists who do not currently obey the rules of the road to
take a more responsible approach.

Yours sincerely

Ken Livingstone
Mayor of London


Write to the Mayor:
 mayor@london.gov.uk
His transport strategy:
www.london.gov.uk/mayor/transport/cycling.jsp

London Cycling Campaign:
www.lcc.org.uk

and don't forget to join the Critical Mass:
 http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk/