= Organisations - http://www.londoncyclenetwork.org/ - The LondonCyclingCampaign = Maps - http://www.londontransport.co.uk/tfl/cycle_guide.shtml (free cycle maps from Ken!) -- http://www.lcc.org.uk/membership/maps/index.asp (shows coverage of each map) - http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webcode/RegionPage.asp?SelectRegion=London -- Indicates that there's a decent route along the south bank; it should be feasible to hop between there and UCL, making various places along the South Bank quite accessible - http://www.cyclemaps.org.uk/regions/england/london.html = People There are a number of cyclists at UCL who might have useful things to say: - Meade McCloughan is mentoring chief for the CamdenCyclingCampaign (see 2001?); he is also some kind of philosophy Ph__D student - Dr Daniel Glaser , who was coordinating some project to do with cycling around RegentsPark ( (1999)); he is also a senior research fellow in cognitive neuroscience and scientist in residence at the ICA! - No longer at UCL: -- Dr Nick Green is at the BartlettSchoolOfPlanning, and was previously Policy Officer at the Town and Country Planning Association; he has written about CyclingInLondon in the Bartlett's journal ( 1998). He has used StarLogo () as part of his research on visual arts networks in East London! Meade had this to say: _There are areas to avoid all over London - hundreds of nasty gyratory systems, multi-lane highways, bad one-way systems, congested roads (still), poorly designed and constructed cycling facilities, and everywhere you go moronic and vicious motorists. That said, once you know where you want to go and how you you want to cycle (e.g., flat out all the way, alternately fast and slow, avoiding hills etc), it is possible to plot out routes which minimize all the above as much as possible (and also ensure that when you do encounter difficulties, you are psyched up for them). The LondonCyclingCampaign and TransportForLondon produce very good *free* cyclings maps which now cover all of greater London and are ideal for this kind of route planning. These can be picked up from tube stations or ordered direct from T4L. Details should be somewhere on the CCC website. Joining LCC is also very much to be recommended. The quality of cycling provision and general road standard varies between boroughs. Camden is one of the best, though that's not saying much. I think Southwark is quite good too. Hackney, Islington v.poor. In terms of access to UCL, one thing I would recommend is NOT living south of the river. In order to get to UCL from there, you are inevitably funnelled up through some horrid road systems onto the bridges (of course, v attractive to ride across). But then, lots of people have to do this, so.... As to cycling speeds, I go reasonably gently (and obey the highway code) and do four and a half miles in less than 30 minutes. Cycling is definitely quicker than public transport._ _A good area maybe to think about looking to live would be Brent, the borough to the west of Camden (I live in Kiburn, which straddles the two). Willesden is inexpensive still, and would place you about six miles from UCL. If you end up in that neck of the woods, e-mail me again and I can show you some of my routes._ CategoryLondon