BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
This year is the tenth that Cyclescheme has been in the cycle to work business and to mark the occasion the C2W provider has polled a whopping 10,000 cycle commuters.
Based on the collated stats, Cyclescheme predicts 1.2million cycle commuters by 2025 saving the NHS £2.5billion, as well as reducing sick days and boosting productivity to the tune of £830million saved for the economy. Which other sectors of UK PLC can claim to save the Exchequer money?
The report suggest that around seven per cent of the working population now cycles to work, up 4.2 per cent on the latest Census figures (from 2011).
There’s a host of behavioural data too, some of which has ramifications for the bike trade. Half of cycle commuters cycle outside of work with family and friends, seven in ten have encourage a friend or colleague to take up an active commute and two thirds of cycle commuters say they do so more frequently than originally planned.
The Cycling 10:10 report has been put together in collaboration with British Cycling, Sustrans, the Dutch Embassy, Danish Cycling Federation, Brompton Bicycle, Cyclechic, Institute of Leadership and Management and BMI Healthcare.
The report has underlined the health benefits – half of cycle commuters note lower stress levels since taking up cycling to work, 47 per cent have noticed improvements to their mental health and many note they become ill less frequently since regularly getting in the saddle to commute to work.
Infrastructure, laziness and lack of employer support are listed as personal obstacles to cycling to work.
Here’s a round of quotes:
Mr Grey Giddins, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at BMI Bath Clinic: “Those who commute by bike, and therefore exercise regularly, are less likely to smoke and drink heavily and become ill less, showing a snowball effect on other areas of our health. If we were all to take up cycling to work, we’d not only see a much healthier population, but an improved economy too with workers showing increased productivity and taking fewer sick days.”
Richard Grigsby, founder, Cyclescheme says: “The next 10 years are pivotal to the UK’s growth in cycling to work. This report shows we currently have the momentum we need for a ‘cycling revolution’ to take off but we need to capitalise on this and show individuals that the benefits outweigh many of the barriers, whilst encouraging government, local councils and employers to invest in the infrastructure needed to maximise on this potential.”
Lauren Harris, Dutch Embassy: “Over recent years Britain’s reputation as a cycling, and specifically cycle to work nation, has improved dramatically. We have been pleased to note increasing attention being paid in the UK to cycling and cycle safety by both local and national government, in parliament and in the media.”
Klaus Bondam, Director at Danish Cyclists’ Federation, says: “I definitely feel cycling to work is now on the agenda in the UK with a growing political interest which is driven by the many organisations working hard to keep it fresh in the minds of the country.”
Martin Key, Campaigns Manager, British Cycling, says: “British Cycling would like to see Britain transformed into a true cycling nation. This is no small task and requires sustained investment, leadership from the top of national and local government and a commitment to design cycling back into our roads and junctions. The creation of cycling-friendly road layouts and junctions – as well as segregated routes – will go a long way to influence more people to cycle to work.”
