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How to cycle safely in London

By UALHalls 17 Jan 2022

Cycling is a cheaper and greener way to explore London. Here are our top tips for using London roads and storing your bike.

Safety Tips

  • Keep your distance from buses and large vehicles, as they may turn suddenly and not see you. Remember – in the UK we drive on the left.
  • Ride a door’s width away from parked cars.
  • Don’t cycle on the pavement unless it’s a designated cycle path.
  • Always wear a helmet.
  • Use bike lights and bright or reflective clothing if cycling at night or in bad weather.
  • Signal clearly and use your bell to warn pedestrians, who may not see you.
  • Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cyclist, you might benefit from cycling lessons. These are provided free by many London councils.

Registering and storing your bike

  • You can get your bike security marked and registered at BikeRegister. Immobilise is another free site where you can register your bike’s details.
  • It's a good idea to record details of your bike such as the frame number (normally found underneath the bike between the pedals or where the back-wheel slots in), the BikeRegister number plus any other distinguishing features, and take a photo.
  • When storing your bike, it's recommended to lock the frame and both wheels to the cycle parking stand.
  • Where possible, lock your bike at secure cycle parking which is well lit and covered by CCTV. This is available at some UAL sites.
  • Take the same care to lock your bike securely at home as you would on the street.
  • Before you purchase a bike, you might wish to ask for proof of ownership and check the bike frame number on BikeRegister.

Access support

  • In an emergency, always call 999.
  • If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the Police textphone service 18000 or text them on 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the emergencySMS service.
  • If your bike has been stolen, you can report this online or call Police on 101.
  • If you would like to speak with a trained counsellor for support, free, one-to-one, confidential counselling is available to all UAL students.
  • Students can also use the Tell Someone service to report racism, bullying, harassment or sexual violence and access support.

Source: Information on this page has been sourced from the Metropolitan Police.

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