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National Cycle Network encourages more people to cycle more often finds study

Cyclists also found to be more likely to take part in other forms of physical activity

According to figures from researchers at Loughborough University, the National Cycle Network is encouraging more people to cycle more often.

Professor Paul Downward from the University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and Dr Simona Rasciute from the School of Business and Economics based their research on Sport England’s Active People Survey (APS). They found that proximity to the National Cycle Network was a strong indicator of whether people took part in moderate intensity recreational cycling for 30 minutes or more, as well as short cycle commutes.

Downward said the data showed the potential of the National Cycle Network to encourage people to lead more active lifestyles.

“It is clear that the National Cycle Network has a strong effect on the amount of time people spend cycling, whether that’s for recreational or transport purposes. Not only does greater access to the Network imply that people cycle for longer, but they also cycled more frequently.”

The study found that people who cycled recreationally were also more likely to take part in other forms of physical activity. Cyclists were far more active than non-cyclists, undertaking almost 30 per cent more walking and participating in 80 per cent more sport.

Utilitarian cycling (i.e. commuting) was closely linked to increased walking time and while family life was found to reduce the likelihood of people taking to their bikes for this purpose, it seems the presence of children can increase the potential for recreational cycling.  

Melissa Henry, Sustrans Communications and Marketing Director, said:

“It should come as no surprise that when people have safer, quieter cycle routes near to them, they will use them. We have seen this across the National Cycle Network since Sustrans first developed it 20 years ago.

“Clearly there is an appetite from people to ride their bikes and walk more of their journeys; they just need the right environment to do it, which is why we’re calling on the government to commit to funding for cycling and walking to be equivalent of five per cent of the transport budget. Only by increasing funding can we hope to bring cycling to everyone’s doorstep, whatever their age, sex or background.”

In July, Sustrans claimed that the National Cycle Network had saved the UK economy more than £7 billion since it was first established, 20 years ago. Researchers calculated that over £6 billion of savings had come from reducing health costs; £200 million had been saved by decreasing the number of sick days taken; while reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduced traffic congestion were also said to have contributed.

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11 comments

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severs1966 | 8 years ago
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The trans-pennine path has sections that would be difficult to walk along in wellingtons or hiking boots, never mind ride a mountain bike.

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therealsmallboy | 8 years ago
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It's always nice to see research data to back up the obvious, it makes it easier to prove to the bureaucrats that they need to invest a bit more into the infrastructure.

Don't tell the Daily Fail though, they'll want us banned from roads completely.

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oldstrath | 8 years ago
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Think how much better it would be if the NCN were actually purpose designed for cycling, instead of some messy mixture of badly laid gravel, the steepest bits of minor road on the map, and random bits of old path no-one can quite face ploughing under.

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vonhelmet replied to oldstrath | 8 years ago
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 102

oldstrath wrote:

Think how much better it would be if the NCN were actually purpose designed for cycling, instead of some messy mixture of badly laid gravel, the steepest bits of minor road on the map, and random bits of old path no-one can quite face ploughing under.

It's an afterthought. Any good bits are by chance, not design.

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brooksby replied to vonhelmet | 8 years ago
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vonhelmet wrote:

It's an afterthought. Any good bits are by chance, not design.

Seconded. Too many parts of the National Cycle Network seem to be "Can a bike of some sort get through here at all? If YES, label it up as a part of the NCN."

It's almost but not quite the flip side of councils sticking a blue sign up on an existing pavement and claiming that they've built a cycle path.

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oldstrath replied to brooksby | 8 years ago
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brooksby wrote:
vonhelmet wrote:

It's an afterthought. Any good bits are by chance, not design.

Seconded. Too many parts of the National Cycle Network seem to be "Can a bike of some sort get through here at all? If YES, label it up as a part of the NCN."

It's almost but not quite the flip side of councils sticking a blue sign up on an existing pavement and claiming that they've built a cycle path.

Generally I agree, but then tbey actually go and spend real money on nonsense such as the Kincraig to Aviemore path, actually sound proud of it, and actually expect people to commute to work or school on something that takes at least twice as long as the road. All of which suggests to me that they never do actually cycle to work.

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brooksby | 8 years ago
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In other news: the pope is a catholic, and bears generally defecate in woodland.  3

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Shades | 8 years ago
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I have a 'hard pack gravel' commuting section that, usually, is OK for skinny tyres in the summer, although a lot of people steer clear because it isn't tarmac. Bit softer in the winter so CX style tyres are better. What really hacked me off today was a farmer had managed to discharge a load of mud (off a tractor no doubt) all over a significant part of it. It was MTB territory. Couldn't face it on the way home so had to sit on a busy commuter road with a large queue of cars on my tail. Guess the NCN failed me, or just some farmer who doesn't give a sh*t.  102

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Quince replied to Shades | 8 years ago
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Shades wrote:

I have a 'hard pack gravel' commuting section that, usually, is OK for skinny tyres in the summer, although a lot of people steer clear because it isn't tarmac. Bit softer in the winter so CX style tyres are better. What really hacked me off today was a farmer had managed to discharge a load of mud (off a tractor no doubt) all over a significant part of it. It was MTB territory. Couldn't face it on the way home so had to sit on a busy commuter road with a large queue of cars on my tail. Guess the NCN failed me, or just some farmer who doesn't give a sh*t.  102

Assuming the tractor was carrying manure, that sounds like the very opposite of what the farmer was doing.

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patto583 | 8 years ago
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It's great for pootling about on a mountain bike, but they need to categorise the off road bits and make it obvious on all the signs. Most of the routes are fine for skinny tyres, but others are not passable, and from a look at the sign it's not always clear which category each track falls into.

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Kim | 8 years ago
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Separated, motor free, infrastructure encourages more people to cycle more often, who of thunk it? Even when it some of it is total crap, people still preffer it to mixing with motor traffic.

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