The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has appointed Andrew Gilligan as the first ever Cycling Commissioner for London.
Andrew Gilligan has been a long-term advocate for cycling in London and will report to the Deputy Mayor for Transport, Isabel Dedring. He will work closely with Isabel and TfL and have oversight of the development of TfL cycling policy, programmes and investment priorities, and the progress of the delivery of cycling programmes in London.
His responsibilities will also include representing London’s interests on cycling, raising the profile of cycling in the capital, and ensuring that cycle safety remains a key priority.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Andrew Gilligan is the perfect fit for the role of cycling commissioner. His drive, determination and ideas will be immensely valuable assets as we press forward with my agenda for cycling.”
Andrew Gilligan, Cycling Commissioner for London, said: “Nearly all my travel in London, about 100 miles a week, is by bike, so I understand cycling provision from a cyclist’s point of view. As a fairly recent convert, cycling since 2006, I believe I have a clear understanding of what gets people on to two wheels, what puts them off and what will keep them cycling.
“I am hugely looking forward to helping the Mayor launch a set of ambitious cycling policies which will benefit Londoners as a whole, not just cyclists.”
Notes to editors
Andrew Gilligan has been appointed Cycling Commissioner for London, working part-time (two days a week) at City Hall.
The salary for this role is £38,000 (£95,000 pro rata).
His role will include engaging with local boroughs and the cycling community, working with TfL to develop and implement cycling policy, and to champion cycling within and outside of the organisation.
The Mayor is entitled to make up to 12 appointments under section 67 (1) (a and b) of the GLA Act 1999 and Andrew Gilligan is one of these.
Andrew Gilligan was born in London and educated at Grey Court School, Richmond, Kingston College of Further Education and Cambridge University. As a journalist he has worked for the London Evening Standard, Channel 4, the Today Programme and The Spectator. He will continue to work part time as a reporter for the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers.
Andrew has won several awards for his journalism, including Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards.
As a journalist and blogger, Mr Gilligan has written extensively about the need for improved cycle facilities and devised and launched the Evening Standard's 2007 'Safer Cycling' campaign.