‘Dangerous’ roads see cyclist numbers decline

The number of adults cycling at least once a week in England has fallen, to 11% in 2017-18 down from 12% in 2015-16, according to DfT statistics released yesterday.

The report also revealed that 60% of adults consider it “too dangerous” to bike on the roads.

Men cycle more often and further than women, and adults in their 40s cycle the most. In 2018, men made 15 more cycle trips than women (25 trips compared to ten trips) and cycled almost four times further than women (92 miles compared to 25 miles). Adults aged 40 to 49 made the most cycling trips for both men and women.

The report also revealed that the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured has been rising since 2008. In Great Britain, the number of pedal cyclists killed or seriously injured has increased by 29% from 3,191 in 2005 to 4,132 in 2018. This may be in part due to the 32% increase in miles cycled per person in England over this period.

This comes after TfL analysis last month showed London has seen record numbers of bikers.

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “London is bucking the national trend because we’re delivering the infrastructure that makes such a big difference making cyclists feel safe.

“But we can’t be complacent, and serious investment in cycling and walking can’t be something unique to the capital. It must be a genuinely national commitment led by central Government, and we must all redouble our efforts to ensure that people of all ages and backgrounds feel that cycling is a safe and convenient option for them.”