In nifty news for London’s cyclists, getting around the capital on two wheels looks like it’s about to get safer, more efficient and altogether more enjoyable. Google Maps and Transport for London have got together to provide a brand-new (and very handy) service for cycling Londoners.
A new Google Maps algorithm update will make it easier for cyclists to find safer, quieter roads on the platform. The update will take into account not just the quickest routes but also those with less traffic, as well as providing real-time traffic information.
And that isn’t all. Google’s new ‘immersive view’ will give users a more detailed view of cycle routes. At a glance they will see what type of road they’ll be cycling on and be able to tell, for example, if it’s a major road or a segregated cycle lane. This feature will begin rolling out this year in London, before other cities around the world follow suit.
The new Google Maps x TfL update will apparently improve more than 60 million cycling journeys across London every month. Which is, undeniably, a good thing. So, now there are even fewer excuses not to get yourself into the cycling life!
Did you see that a brand-new Santander Cycles bike station has opened in south London?
Plus: north London now has four dazzling new cycle routes.
Listen to Time Out’s brilliant new podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: episode ten with Derren Brown in Hoxton is out now.
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