Transport for London (TfL) and Santander Cycles have launched a generator offering randomly curated cycling routes exploring London, after research found 82% of Londoners feel stuck in a rut.
The routes, referred to as Side Quests, are designed to help people discover different and unexpected spots in London, as part of TfL’s ongoing partnership with Santander.
The initiative was launched after a survey conducted by Santander and TfL found 42% of Londoners claim they would love to be more spontaneous, while 51% are keen to know where the hidden gems of their city are.
Santander UK marketing director Dan Sherwood said: “It is remarkable that, despite London spanning just a 19-mile radius, there are so many unique areas and attractions in the capital that remain undiscovered by large numbers of us.
“Cycling is a fantastic way to explore all corners of London.
“Accessible, affordable and sustainable, it allows both Londoners and visitors to discover hidden gems, and to enrich their experience of our dynamic capital city.”
While most Londoners and visitors to the capital have visited Buckingham Palace or been on the London Eye, the study by Santander and TfL revealed the off-the-beaten-track gems across the capital that have rarely been explored.
These include North London’s neon art gallery, God’s Own Junkyard, and the atmospheric ruins of St Dunstan in the East, hidden away between the Monument and the Tower of London.
TfL and Santander’s research found respondents keep to what they know for a number of reasons, with 35% unable to think of think of where else to go and 22% reporting not being bothered to travel too far from where they live.
However, it was found that 55% of those surveyed wished they could explore more of the capital city, while 47% would love to sniff out a new restaurant.
It is hoped the initiative will encourage people, whether Londoners, tourists or other Brits, to engage on spontaneous days out and engage with local businesses and cultural landmarks which may otherwise go undiscovered, simultaneously boosting the local economy.
Each Side Quest has a unique theme, taking users on tours ranging from Brutalist architecture, to hidden street art, to London’s most bizarre museums.
Examples include Spray the Day route, where cyclists can travel five miles from the graffiti on Leake Street to the Hackney Peace Carnival Mural, or the Baby Got Bao route, which takes cyclists past a variety of different Bao-bun restaurants.
After generating a route, users can interact with each of the stops suggested along the way and are able to click on links that will take them to the social media page or website of the location.
The initiative is also aimed at encouraging more Londoners and visitors to see cycling as a viable mode of transportation across the city, as both a greener and cheaper alternative to other forms of transportation.
This aligns with the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy, which aims to see cycling levels increase by a third by 2030, and 80% of all trips in London be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport by 2041.
Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman said: “Side Quests is an excellent new way for Londoners to explore the capital on two wheels.
“Santander Cycles plays a key role in promoting active travel and making cycling more accessible and affordable across our city, all part of our work to build a greener, healthier London.”
Checkpoints along each route have been carefully planned to be within close range of Santander Cycles docking stations.
Those looking to generate their spontaneous cycle route can head to www.sidequests.london now.
Image credits: Beccy Bollard and John Jackson, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea PR
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