Cycling eating into other transport type usage, shows new DfT data

Fresh data released today by the Department for Transport has illustrated that, compared to pre-pandemic trends, cycling is the greatest advancer of all transport forms in the UK, versus some large declines in car and bus usage.

Pedal cycle traffic levels are 15.7% advanced on rates measured in 2019, though down on the spike in closed road cycling noted during 2020. Against a rising tide of pedal power comes a 15.8% decrease in car and taxi use, plus nearly a quarter off the rate of bus and coach use.

Those using bikes registered 4.2 billion miles on roads in 2021, of which 85% came on minor roads and 15% on A roads. All but the month of October registered a net gain in cycling rates when comparing 2021 data against 2019 counts.

The data furthers some preliminary data released on rates heading into 2022 which painted the picture of a sharper than usual rise in cycle usage heading through spring.

Cycling UK reaffirmed some of the findings, revealing through its own research that cycle usage trends against last year were 47% ahead on weekdays and 27% on weekends in the five months to the end of July 2022. Factors for this increase are widely believed to have been strong summer weather and a cost of living dilemma that has seen many transport costs spiral upwards.