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The latest statistics bundle has been released by the Department for Transport, bringing together figures from the National Travel Survey and the Active Lives Survey. "Walking and Cycling Statistics, England 2016" doesn’t therefore contain anything new, but it does offer a bunch of facts in one easily-digested package.
While cycling accounts for 2 percent of all trips nationally there are clickable stand-outs on an interactive map; standouts such as Cambridge, Oxford, York, Hull and Norwich.
Report author Thomas Parry said: "Whilst cycling trip rates have decreased by 16 percent between 2006 and 2016, this is more likely to be due to sampling variation rather than a real decrease in cycling trips."
Figures suggest a decline in cycling by women, children and BAME groups.
A long term failure by successive governments is to blame for a flatlining in the number of people cycling in England, said Cycling UK’s Roger Geffen.
“The flatlining is clearly indicative of a long-term failure to invest in cycling and walking by successive governments.
“Cycling UK wants to see more women, children and people of diverse backgrounds out cycling – when we have an increase in their numbers we will know government is on the right track.”
England now has a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. This strategy shows Government spending will decline sharply to just 72p per head in two years time.
While government spending on cycling and walking in England set to decline, mayors of London and Greater Manchester are investing £17 per head, and Scotland is close behind with plans to invest £15 per head for the whole country.
