Tulip Cycle Wands

Safer, greener and more joyful streets

What are they?

Tulip Cycle Wands are appearing on the streets of London. Tulip shaped, they have been designed to improve safety and to enhance the streets for everyone: pedestrians, drivers and cyclists alike. Being installed along cycle lanes in Westminster, they help to separate traffic from cyclists.

But they’re not just practical, they will also add a touch of joy and beauty to the city. Our streets should be safe, welcoming and feel like you’re cycling through a field of tulips, not dodging lorries on cracked tarmac.

The idea came from Luke Tozer and the team at Pitman Tozer Architects. Inspired by the poppies at the Tower of London and the sunflower fields seen in the Tour de France, the Tulips were designed as a flexible, attractive and recycled alternative to standard cycle lane bollards.

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What’s the problem?

City streets can be hostile places for cyclists — especially those who are more vulnerable or less confident. In the UK, almost two cyclists are killed every week, and 75 more are seriously injured. Most of these collisions involve cars or lorries on busy urban roads.

The safest way to protect cyclists is with proper separation, dedicated cycle lanes. But painted lines aren’t enough. We need physical protection.

The problem? Traditional black-and-white bollards are clunky, often bent or broken, hard to maintain, and easy to crash into. They clutter the streets and can be almost as dangerous to cyclists as the traffic.

So what’s the solution? Tulip Cycle Wands

Tulips bring safety and joy to the street. Bright and playful, they clearly mark the cycle lane and stand out from the grey road, helping drivers and cyclists see and respect the space.

And they’re not just pretty.

Tulip Cycle Wands are engineered for safety. Their lightweight stems and soft heads bend when brushed, then bounce back. No sharp edges, no rigid posts, just a gentle nudge if you get too close.

Find out how the Tulips shape safer streets here.

The short film below, created in collaboration with Khizr Studio, uncovers the journey of the Tulips — from concept to installation on our streets.

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It’s time for
the Tulips.

How are they made?

Each colourful Tulip head is made from recycled plastic, collected from local waste. Cities can turn their waste into something useful, supporting active travel, improving safety, and tackling the climate emergency at the same time.

View the technical details for the standard Tulips here.

View the technical details for the SuperTulips here.

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Flower Power

Where can I see them?

In partnership with the City of Westminster, the Tulips were installed along Sussex Gardens in May 2025 as part of a two-year trial. The installation was designed to test performance in real-world conditions across all seasons and weather types.

Survey responses from the first six months show largely positive responses from users and residents. Click here to find out more about the results.

Further trials are also underway with Camden Council and the City of Raleigh, where the Tulips are being explored as micromobility corrals.

The creators

Creators Luke and Tim met at college with a shared love of cycling and architecture.

During the pandemic, cities painted pop-up cycle lanes and many of us rediscovered the joy and freedom of urban cycling. What better way to explore a city than on two wheels? But when traffic returned, danger and fear did too and many bikes were put away again.

We want to change that. We set out to bring beauty and safety to our streets by planting flowers made from the city’s own waste.

Following an international ideas competition win in 2021, we’ve developed and tested the Tulip Cycle Wands with designers Pipsqueak and FM Conway, including crash tests with 30-tonne trucks.

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News

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Our collaborators

Testimonials

"As well as clearly defining cycle lanes, the bright cheerful tulips are uplifting and inspire a sense of calm benefitting pedestrians, cyclists and frazzled motorists"

What do you think?

We’d love to hear what you think,
so get in touch and tell us.

If you would like a Tulip Cycle Wands trial in your street, please get in touch at info@tulipcyclewands.com or sign up for our newsletter