Google Maps and Transport for London work together for better cycling routes

Google Maps has begun releasing updates to its routing service for bikes, developed with the help of Transport for London (TfL), the governing body for transport in London.

Now, cycling routes on Google Maps in the UK capital will put cyclists on the many cycle lanes, 'Cycle Super-Highways' and 'quiet ways' that Transport for London has created for cyclists.

In addition, Google Maps will now take into account traffic conditions when suggesting cycling routes – a feature only possible with cars on the previous edition of the app.

Finally, Google Maps will now offer an 'immersive view' of a cycle route, in which users can preview routes in advance and see the cycle lanes and junctions that lie ahead.

The collaboration began at an innovation summit in July 2022, in which TfL sought to understand the key problems for cyclists in the capital city. At the summit, they identified the need for up-to-date traffic data, and noted that existing digital journey planners like Google Maps often aren't aware of the hundreds of kilometres of cycle routes in London.

Since then, Google has worked with TfL's Open Innovation team to solve both problems, and now, after a period of testing and refining, the updates are being released to the public.

On their release, Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: "The Mayor and I are committed to making cycling in London as safe and accessible as possible and have been working closely with Google. I’m delighted that Google Maps is enhancing the navigation system for cycling.

"With existing digital journey planning data, cyclists haven’t always been able to see the best route available to them. These updated algorithms will help Londoners choose safer cycling routes, whether it is a road with less traffic or part of the Mayor’s growing network of Cycleways, enabling more people to get around by bike as we build a greener and better London for everyone."

Ajay Arora, the UK Partnerships Lead at Google Maps, added: "Thanks to the collaboration with TfL we’ve been able to prioritise cycling on safer, quieter roads, and these updates are now available to cities around the world. In total, these changes are improving the journeys of more than 60 million people who come to Maps every month for cycling directions."

The updates to Google Maps' digital routing service will be rolled out in stages, meaning some users will receive them before others, but all users should be up-to-date by the end of 2023.