The scheme has been criticised by some people for not encouraging enough new cyclists and for spoiling the appearance of some Docklands streets. But Transport for London says the number of cyclists on the two pilot routes, which run from Merton to the City and from Barking to Tower Gateway, has risen by 70 per cent over the course of a year.

TfL took figures for cyclists on the A24 and A13 during October 2010 and compared them to the same roads in 2009. They found a 50 per cent increase in the total number of cyclists using the A24 and on the A13 cyclist numbers more than doubled for the same period.

The Mayor of London’s Transport Advisor, Kulveer Ranger said: “It is great to see that the first two Barclays Cycle Superhighways are well on the way to achieving our goal to increase cycling in the capital.

“This research shows that people do believe the routes are of value, make them feel safer and are allowing them to take direct and continuous routes into central London.”On average, the time spent travelling on Cycle Superhighways (per journey) is around 21 minutes for the Merton to City route and 17 minutes along the Barking to Tower Gateway route.

Around 80 per cent of journeys made along both routes are cyclists commuting to and from work, and those who had switched to cycling from another mode stated that the main reasons for doing so were to improve fitness, save money and because the journey is more pleasant. The next two Cycle Superhighways routes will run from Bow to Aldgate and Wandsworth to Westminster and will launch in summer 2011.