There's a new Cycle Lifestyle blogger in town... A warm welcome to Arthur Lamy (pictured below), who will be contributing regularly to cyclelifestyle.co.uk. Thanks Arthur - over to you...

I've just been reading about what rates as one of the cycling success stories of the past few years, possibly the decade. It is the London borough of Sutton that can claim one of the most massive turnarounds in commuter behaviour anywhere. In fact, so successful has the project been that now transport authorities in China, Singapore and Korea are looking to Sutton to provide a model for their own needs. 

Over only three years, and with the help of £5.1million in funding from Transport for London, Sutton has increased the number of people cycling by 75%, increased bus usage by 16% and decreased car usage by 6%.claim one of the most massive turnarounds in commuter behaviour anywhere. In fact, so successful has the project been that now transport authorities in China, Singapore and Korea are looking to Sutton to provide a model for their own needs.

This has been achieved by two distinct routes. As expected, Sutton has improved the infrastructure and made the roads more cyclist-friendly, but it has also, rather unusually, spent money on encouraging people to cycle. A team called on every household in the borough, offering them a set of vouchers that gave them free cycling lessons, 10% off cycle clothing and 50% off a new bike.

The results have been fantastic:

- All 68 schools in Sutton had travel plans in place two years before the Government deadline.

- 16,000 of Sutton’s employees work for a company that has a travel plan in place.

- 27,000 people went to Smarter Travel Sutton events during the last year of the plan.

- 10,000 school children take part in the WoW initiative (Walk Once a Week).

- Over 1,000 people have met with an Active Steps advisor for advice on improving their health by changing their travel habits.