Transport for London (TfL) has today (Friday, 25 July) opened applications for its Walking and Cycling Grants London (WGCL) programme, with more than £550,000 of grant funding available for community and not-for-profit groups to encourage Londoners to walk and cycle. Each successful applicant will receive up to £5,000 over one year.  

The WCGL programme aims to enable more people to walk and cycle in London by identifying and addressing the barriers that prevent people from getting active and making more sustainable and healthy choices.

Through these grants, participants will be given the chance to engage their local communities in getting active and improving their physical and mental health.  

Funded by TfL, in partnership with The London Marathon Foundation, and administered by Groundwork London, the grants aim to help Londoners develop the confidence to opt for active travel, including cycling and walking.

Applicants for the grants will be considered based on how their idea could positively impact their local community and encourage more walking and cycling.  

To date, the scheme has helped more than 89,000 unique participants across 32 boroughs and the City of London through activities tailored to their needs.

Activities such as rides for children with disabilities, led rides for members of the LGBTQ+ community, classes to learn cycling or bike repair as well as walks for people suffering from ill health or isolation, have helped many Londoners benefit from active travel.  

Last year, 57 new projects were awarded funding through the scheme bringing the total number of projects supported since 2016 to 395.

This includes key projects delivered by London Cycling Campaign, Cycle Sisters and Joyriders as well as grassroots organisations such as Two Mindful Bees in Lewisham, Harrow Cycle Hub and Ambition, Aspire, Achieve in Newham.

In addition to making a sum of £5,000 available to successful candidates, applications for Community Ideas Grants are also open to help kickstart smaller projects across London that are based on previous successes in other communities.

To establish an equitable application process, potential candidates for the Community Ideas Grant will be able to browse successful former projects on the Community Ideas Hub and apply for this funding for a single year to replicate these projects in their local community.  

Applications for both grants can be accessed at wcgl.london and the application window for both programmes is open until 8 September.

Those applying will receive comprehensive support throughout the application process and further support will be provided to successful groups during the delivery of their projects. Successful applicants are set to be announced in November.

TfL says it is committed to making active travel an accessible option for all road users, with walking and cycling options integrated across the network.

The TfL Go app supports this by helping customers plan their journeys using up-to-date walking and cycling maps, including quieter routes and cycleways. 

Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: "TfL's Walking and Cycling Grants London programme is helping to transform the lives of thousands of Londoners by empowering communities and local organisations to encourage more walking, cycling and active travel in their area.

"The Mayor and I encourage community and not-for-profit groups in our city to apply for available grants which can help bring their ideas to life as we build a better, greener and more accessible London for all."

Miranda Leedham, Head of Customer Marketing & Behaviour Change at TfL, said: "The numerous benefits of walking and cycling should be made accessible to all communities across the capital.

"We are committed to working with local communities that enable more people to choose modes of active travel, particularly from groups that have historically been under-represented.

"The grants have been crucial in benefitting thousands of participants who have built the confidence to choose active travel options, and we are excited to see even more Londoners of all ages and backgrounds get active and help build a greener and more sustainable future for London."  

Mike Diaper, Group Funding and Impact Director at the London Marathon Foundation, said: "Our vision at the London Marathon Foundation is to Inspire Activity.

"Through our partnership with TfL, co-funding the Walking and Cycling Grants London programme since 2019, we've to date supported more than 80,000 people to get active – walking, cycling, and building healthier lives.

"We look forward to reaching even more community groups through this next round of applications, and funding further initiatives that will create inclusive opportunities for many more people to be active every day."

Martin Petry, Grants Manager at Groundwork London, said: "Groundwork London are very proud to partner with TfL and London Marathon Foundation for the tenth year of this programme.

"The work to encourage and support thousands of Londoners in walking and cycling activities, particularly those that are underrepresented or face barriers to participation, is really important for a wide range of community benefits such as health, inclusion, skills and economic mobility.

"We look forward to working with a new cohort of projects across the capital over 2025/26 to enable even more people to enjoy walking and cycling."

Antonio Dacruz, Programme Manager at Future Challenges UK added: "Babes on Bikes isn't just about teaching girls and women to ride bikes, it's about empowering them with the confidence and skills to navigate their loves, one pedal stroke at a time!

"It's such a strange feeling being able stand there and look at something that the community came up to put together, it was at first an idea and today it became such an amazing cycling project.

"I've learnt so much from being part of this amazing project and really looking forward to make it a large part of our yearly activities, and we are committed to being a welcoming and supportive space for all who identify as women.

"This is the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work by all the team involved. The support from WCGL, local businesses and individuals has been truly incredible and without it we could not have reached this point.

"It's been a fantastic journey working with all the team, funder and in particular girls and women."

Thanh Uong, Director at Two Mindful Bees, said: "Two Mindful Bees is a social enterprise with an innovative focus on making positive changes to the lives of those in our community by creating an inclusive space.

"Thanks so much to WCGL, we've really been able to expand our mindfulness walks and connect with our community, local organisations, and other WCGL-funded groups.

"The benefits of regular walks, self-care, creating space to socialise, and fostering a sense of wonder in nature have had a huge impact on our beneficiaries."