Invest in segregated cycleways to increase cycling, say studies
Posted on in Cycles News
Dockless cycle hire company Ofo have released results of a YouGov survey examining the barriers to cycling in the UK.
The survey of 2,059 people found that only 32% of British public cycle once a year or more. 38% of those surveyed said that they have cycled to work, or for work purposes with fitness and cost savings the reasoning behind this.
60% say keeping fit is the main reason they cycle with nearly a half they do so as it's cheaper than other methods of travelling.
When looking at the barriers preventing people from getting on two wheels, the survey found that those who can cycle say the lack of protected cycleways is by far the biggest factor with 41% admitting they feel vulnerable when cycling where protected lanes are not available.
Joseph Seal-Driver, UK operations director at Ofo, said: "The message to urban planners and local authorities is clear: we must make cycling safer, easier and more accessible - starting with segregated cycle lanes, safer routes and more options for cyclists."
Ofo, which currently operates its scheme in Oxford, Cambridge, Norwich and London, is now actively encouraging those planners that it works with to design in safe infrastructure.
A separate survey of nearly 8000 people in seven major cities across the UK conducted by Sustrans, found that 78% wanted increased segregated bike lanes in a bid to make cycling safer in their cities, even if this restricts space for other road traffic.
Of the same people spoken to, over two-thirds said that more cycling within their city would make it a better place to work and live.
Seal-Driver continued: "Cycling has the potential to transform our cities - making the way we travel cleaner, greener and more fun, and helping us to tackle perennial issues like congestion and air pollution.
"Advances in technology mean that cycling doesn't have to be limited to those who own a bike, with the growth of both docked and dockless bike schemes making it easier than ever for people to get on two wheels. Yet despite the progress in recent years, there is still a huge untapped pool of potential cyclists out there, put off by safety concerns, busy junctions and a lack of infrastructure."
As well as feeling unsafe, 62% stated that "bad weather" was stopping people from cycling whilst the practicality of carrying goods to and from the workplace was an issue for 47% and around 40% cited lack of shower facilities as a reason they won't cycle to work.
30% of respondents blamed poor fitness, with a quarter identifying a lack of storage to keep bike at home and a fifth said air pollution was a contributing factor.
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