People in Cities want Protected Space for Cycling

Bike Life, the UK's biggest assessment of cycling in cities, reveals four out of five people (78%) want more protected bike routes on roads built to make cycling safer, even when this could mean less space for other road traffic.

Bike Life, produced by Sustrans and seven major UK cities, reveals that out of the 7,700 people surveyed over two-thirds (69%) say more cycling would make their city a better place to live and work. Most residents interviewed think that more space for cycling and walking or buses, as opposed to more space for cars, is the best way to keep their city moving, improve people's health or air quality.

Sixty four per cent would cycle more if on-road cycle routes physically separated from traffic and pedestrians were available. Even people who said they never ride a bike still overwhelmingly support the provision of protected routes (74%), even when this could mean less space for other road traffic.

However, currently a total of just 19 miles of cycle routes on roads, physically separated from traffic and pedestrians exist in six of the seven cities (excluding Birmingham where no data is available).

Furthermore, only 30% of residents interviewed think cycling safety in their city is good. And three-quarters (75%) support more investment in cycling.

Bike Life also found that people cycling in the seven cities take up to 111,564 cars off our roads each day. If these cars were lined up this would equate to a 333-mile tailback – a distance greater than from Cardiff to Newcastle.

Watch Bike Life live in seven cities

Source: (Sustrans, 2017)