Sadly I take all this pro-cycling stuff with a pinch of salt.
Next year the London Overground (East London Line Extension) comes to South London with brand new train stock for the whole railway. This will displace some of the existing Southern Railway trains which have cycle storage provision (albeit minimal).
When I asked what provision we would have on the new trains - the answer was none (though we can take a cycle on though as they are standing only this could be rather uncomfortable/dangerous). When asked why - the glib answer was the small amount of seating was along the carriage sides so there was no space. Funnily enough Boris was in Copenhagen the very same week and if he took his bike he will know that very similar trains (the 'S' system) do provide bike parking between those seats (passengers give up their seats so the cycle is safely secured). It makes riding in that capital city a pleasure with the comfort you can also get home on the train.
It just underlines that cycling in London will not get anywhere until we get rights similar to wheelchair users (who we outnumber and are economically more important) and everybody proposing anything affecting transport use must take all reasonable measures to provide good access. Doing at the design stage will always be better and cheaper than trying to retrofit. Something that TfL has, and still does, fail on lamentably.
