Why Has Bicycle Use Fallen In England But Risen In London? Cycleways, Say Experts

The number of people bicycling at least once a week in England fell last year, according to government statistics released July 31. However, cycle usage in London is at record levels, says London’s walking and cycling commissioner, and he believes the U.K. capital is bucking the trend because of its investment in protected cycleways, which make cyclists feel safe.

Quoting from the latest National Travel Attitudes Study, the government report reveals that more than 60% of adults feel it is “too dangerous” to cycle on roads.

According to Walking and Cycling Statistics, England: 2018, published by the Department for Transport (DfT), 11% of adults in England cycled once a week in 2017/18, down from 12% in 2015/16. According to the DfT, this is a “statistically significant decrease.”

Meanwhile, according to Transport for London (TfL), 2018 saw the highest growth in kilometers cycled since monitoring began, increasing almost 5% from the previous year.

The average daily volume of cycling in London is now more than 4 million kilometers.

London’s cycling czar, Will Norman, said: “London is bucking the national trend because we’re delivering the high-quality routes that make such a big difference making cyclists feel safe.”

He added that investing in cycleways ought to happen in every city and that there should be a “genuinely national commitment led by central government.”

While cycle usage in London is at record highs, reports TfL, the demographic profile of people who cycle on new infrastructure is not significantly different from those who cycle as a whole, these remaining mostly white, male, middle-aged, middle- and high-income people who cycle regularly.

85% of cyclists in London are white, and this proportion has not changed since construction of the new, protected cycleways.

According to the latest DfT statistics the city with the highest prevalence for cycling was Cambridge, with 57% of residents cycling at least once a week.