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. 
• 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 have hearing difficulties, 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.
• You can also use the Tell Someone service to report racism, bullying, harassment or sexual violence and access support.

👉 Want to find out more about cycling in London? Read our top tips.