Cycling UK’s cycling statistics

Great Britain

Cycling: proportion of all non-motorway traffic mileage

• 1.3% (2015-19)
• 2.4% (2020)
• 1.7% (2021)

Cars and taxis: proportion of all non-motorway traffic mileage

• 78% (2015-19)
• 74% (2020)
• 75% (2021)

Miles cycled

• 3.5 billion miles (2015-19)
• 5.3 billion miles (2020)
• 4.2 billion miles (2021)

Trend for billion miles cycled

• upward over the last few decades
• 2.5 (1993)
• 2.8 (2003)
• 3.2 (2013)
• 3.5 (average a year, 2015-2019)

Cycling: proportion of trips

• c2% (England, Scotland)
• Figures for Wales not available.

For more on other kinds of transport, long-term trends in London, and the affect of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, please see full report. 

Northern Ireland

Cycling: proportion of all mileage

<1.5% (please see full report for more on this estimate). 

Trends in cycle mileage

Generally upwards since 1999-2001. Please see full report for more detail.

Cycling: proportion of trips

• 0.8% (2017-19)
• 1.2% (2021)

Please note: the following figures come from differently framed surveys, so it’s best not to use them to make comparisons between nations.

England 

Children (aged 5 and above) and adults, in the past year (at the time of asking)

Cycled more than once a week 

• 14% (2015-19) / c7.4 million people
• 20% (2020) / c10.7 million
• 15% (2021) / c8.5 million

Cycled occasionally each month

• 10% (2015-19) / c5.2 million people
• little change in 2020
• 13% (2021) / c6.6 million

Cycled a few times/once or twice during the year

• 10% (2015-19) / c5.2 million people
• 8% (2020, a drop probably because some people were cycling more often than this)
• 10% (2021) / c5.7 million (population increased)

Note: the figures above come from the National Travel Survey (NTS), and cover cycling for any purpose. Our full report also looks at the results of the Active Lives Survey (ALS), another source giving data about cycling frequency among people aged 16 and over. Q3 below is based on ALS, not NTS, data.

Wales

Aged 16 and above, in the last three months (at the time of asking)

Cycled as a ‘means of transport’ every day / once, twice or several times a week

• 5.4% (2016/17 to 2019/20) / c140k people
• 5.5% (2021/22) / c140k people

Cycled as a ‘means of transport’ once or twice a month

• 3.6% (2016/17 to 2019/20) / c92k people
• 3.7% (2021/22) / c95k people

Scotland

Aged 16 and above, in the last seven days (at the time of asking)

Cycled for transport 

• 5% (2019) / 227k people
• 7% (2021) / 315k people

Cycled for pleasure/to keep fit

• 6% (2019) / 259k people
• 9% (2021) / 393k people

Northern Ireland

All ages, in the last 12 months (at the time of asking)

Cycled every day

• 3% (2017-19)
• 3% (2020)

Cycled not every day, but at least once a week

• 7% (2017-19) 
• 10% (2020)

Cycled less often, but more than once or twice a year

• 10% (2017-19)
• 9% (2020)

Note: this covers cycling for leisure or for a purpose (e.g. commuting)

Aged 16 and over

• England, little or no cycling for any purpose in past year: c83%-87%
• Wales, little or no cycling as means of transport in the past three months: c91%
• Scotland, no cycling either for transport or fun/leisure in the past seven days: >91%

All ages

• Northern Ireland, little cycling (less than once or twice) in the past 12 months: c.80%

Important: travel habits and data collection were both affected by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, so be cautious about comparing the results with earlier time periods.

Trip data are not readily available for Wales. 

England

Notes:

‘All kinds of transport’ includes: walking, cycling, driving or being driven, motorcycling, taxi, bus and rail.

These are averages and include people who don’t cycle. Those who do cycle tend to make many more cycle trips and their mileage is much higher than the general average; to find out more, please see the full report.

Children and adults

Number of trips per year

Cycle:

• 16 (2015-19)
• 20 (2020)
• 15 (2021)

Car/van (as a driver):

• 387 (2015-19)
• 295 (2020)
• 300 (2021)

All kinds of transport:

• 960 (2015-19)
• 739 (2020)
• 757 (2021)

Mileage per year

Cycle:

• 54 (2015-19)
• 84 (2020)
• 54 (2021)

Car/van (as a driver):

• 3,248 (2015-19)
• 2,324 (2020)
• 2,229 (2021)

All kinds of transport:

• 6,553 (2015-19)
• 4,334 (2020)
• 4,329 (2021)

Average trip length (miles)

Cycle:

• 3.3 (2015-19)
• 4.1 (2020)
• 3.6 (2021)

Car/van (as a driver):

• 8.4 (2015-19)
• 7.9 (2020)
• 7.4 (2021)

All kinds of transport:

• 6.8 (2015-19)
• 5.9 (2020)
• 5.7 (2021)

Scotland

Note: ‘All kinds of transport’ principally includes walking, driving or being driven, cycling, bus, taxi and rail. 

Adults only 

Trip distances (miles, 2021)

Cycle:

• 1.9 (median); 4.9 (mean)

Car/van:

• 4.1 (median); 10.4 (mean)

All kinds of transport:

• 2.4 (median); 7.1 (mean)

Northern Ireland

Note: ‘All kinds of transport’ includes walking, cycling, driving or being driven, motorcycling, taxis, bus and rail.

All age groups

Number of trips per year

Cycle:

• 7 (2017-19)
• 16 (2020)
• 10 (2021)

Car (as a driver):

• 453 (2017-19)
• 406 (2020)
• 412 (2021)

All kinds of transport:

• 906 (2017-19)
• 826 (2020)
• 838 (2021)

Mileage per year

Cycle:

• 34 (2017-19)
• 67 (2020)
• 60 (2021)

Car (as a driver):

• 3,641 (2017-19)
• 2,845 (2020)
• 2,939 (2021)

All kinds of transport:

• 6,130 (2017-19)
• 4,550 (2020)
• 4,940 (2021)

Average trip length (miles)

Cycle:

• 4.8 (2017-19)
• 4.1 (2020)
• 6.2 (2021)

Car (as a driver):

• 8 (2017-19)
• 7 (2020)
• 7.2 (2021)

All kinds of transport:

• 6.8 (2017-19) 
• 5.5 (2020)
• 5.9 (2021)

England 

Children aged five or over and adults

• 42% (2017-19)
• 47% (2021)

Please see full report for breakdown by age group, and data on e-bikes.

Wales

These figures are for 2013-14, which is the last time people were asked this question.

• 63% (aged 16-24)
• 63% (aged 25-44)
• 58% (aged 45-64)
• 44% (aged 65-74)
• 29% (75 and over)

Scotland

Households with one or more bicycles for private use

• 45% (2021)

Northern Ireland 

Aged 16 or over

• 33% (2021-22)

Please see full report for breakdown by age group.

On average, males cycle more than females.

England

Children and adults

Number of cycle trips a year

2015-19

• Females – 9
• Males – 24

2020

• Females – 13
• Males – 28

2021

• Females – 7
• Males – 24

Number of miles cycled a year

2015-19

• Females: 23
• Males: 89

2020

• Females: 50
• Males: 127

2021

• Females: 22
• Males: 89

Wales

Aged 16 and up

Cycle every day or several times a week

2021-22

• Females: 2%
• Males: 4%

Scotland

Aged 16 and up

Cycled for transport

2021

• Females: 5%
• Males: 9%

Cycled for pleasure/to keep fit

2021

• Females: 5%
• Males: 12%

Northern Ireland

Aged 16 and up with use of a cycle

Cycled in the last four weeks

 2021-22

• Females: 25%
• Males: 41%

People aged 70 and over tend to cycle less than other age groups. (Very) generally speaking, those in their 30s and 40s seem to cycle most. For full breakdown by age group, please see the full report.

England

Children and adults

• Commuting: 35% (2015-19); 20% (2020); 27% (2021)
• Leisure*: 34% (2015-19); 55% (2020); 46% (2021)
• Shopping: 11% (2015-19, 2020 & 2021)
• Education/escort education: 11% (2015-19); 6% (2020); 8% (2021)
• Personal business + business + other escort – 11% (2015-19); 8% (2020 & 2021)

*Visit friends at home and elsewhere, entertainment, sport, holiday and day trip.

The drop in commuting for 2020 and 2021 is probably explained by more people working from home more often.

The figures above come from the National Travel Survey (NTS). Another source of data for the purpose of cycling trips is the Active Lives Survey (ALS), which asks adults whether they’ve cycled for travel of for leisure (defined as cycling “for the purpose of health, recreation, training or competition, not to get from place to place”) – please see full report, Q2 for more on this.

Wales

Aged 16 and up

Purpose of most recent trip by cycle, 2014-15, the last time question asked:

• Getting to or from work/business: 30%
• Shopping (local + town centre + supermarket): 27%
• Get to local/non-local leisure activity: 16%
• Visit friends and relatives: 15%
• Recreational: 5%
• School/college: 4%
• Medical: 3%
• Other: 5%

Scotland

Aged 16 and up

Percentage of people (i.e., all respondents to the survey, not just people who cycle) who reported cycling in the last seven days:

• As a means of transport: 4.9% (2019); 6.9% (2021)
• Just for pleasure: 5.7% (2019); 8.6% (2021)

England

5-16 year-olds, % of trips to & from school

• 2.2% (2015-19)
• 2.5% (2020 and 2021)

Wales

Primary school children

• 1.7% (2014-15, last published estimate)

Scotland

Children at all schools

‘Hands Up’ survey

• 4%  (2015-19, 2020 and 2021) 

Household survey

• 1.9% (2018, 2019) 
• 2.1% (2020)
• 1.9% (2021)

Northern Ireland

4-11 year-olds

• 2% (2015-17, 2016-18, 2017-19)

12-18 year-olds

• 0% (2015-17, 2016-18,  2017-19)

More on trends, other kinds of transport and trip length in the full report.

England

Commuting trips (proportion by cycle)

• 4% (2015-19, 2020, 2021)

Wales

People who usually travel to their workplace by cycle

• 2% (2019-20)

Scotland

Employed adults who usually cycle to work

• 3% (2019)
• 2% (2020)
• 4% (2021)

Northern Ireland

Workers who cycle-commute

• 1% (2017-19)
• 4% (2020)

Note: survey methodology changed in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, so the results are not directly comparable to those from previous years. 

• Broadly speaking, students, people on higher levels of income and those who identify themselves as ‘White other’ (rather than ‘White British’) tend to cycle more than other groups. (This is the case most years, but not every year).
• People with limiting disabilities/long-term health conditions are less likely to cycle than those who do not.

For a more detailed breakdown by nation (where possible), and to see who is least likely to cycle, please see full report.

Figures for 2021 from the Department for Transport (England), suggest that:

• Almost every adult cyclist who holds a driving licence also drives
• More than a third of people with a driving licence also cycle

For more detail, please see the full report.

Great Britain

Most cycle mileage in Great Britain happens on minor roads, in urban areas especially.

Proportion of cycle mileage on different classes of road:

Minor roads, urban and rural

• 83% (2015-19)
• 85% minor roads, urban and rural (2020 and 2021)

Minor urban roads

• 60% (2015-19)
• 56% (2020 and 2021)

Minor rural roads

• 23% (2015-19)
• 30% (2020)
• 29% (2021)

The remainder happens on ‘A’ roads (17% 2015-19; 15% in 2020 and 2021), mostly on urban ‘A’ roads (13% 2015-19; 11% in 2020 and 2021).

For more detail, please see full report.

Please note the different measures for each nation.

England

• Cambridge: 43% of adults cycled at least once a week. Average for England 9%. (Mid-Nov 2020 to mid-Nov 2021)

Wales

• Cardiff: 16% of adults cycled more often than once a month (anything from once or twice a month to every day). Average for Wales 9%. (2018/19)

Scotland 

• City of Edinburgh: 13% cycled to work at least regularly (2021). (In 2020, the average for Scotland was 4%).

Northern Ireland

• Belfast: 2% of journeys. Average for Northern Ireland 1%. (2017-19)

For more on local areas that see a relatively high level of cycling, please see full report.

Not well. Out of 28 countries in Europe:

• The UK comes 22nd for ‘cycling modal share’ (2%). The Netherlands comes top with c.27% (European Cyclists’ Federation figures).
• The UK comes 25th for the proportion of people using a privately owned bike or scooter (inc. electric) as their mode of transport on a typical day (2%). Again, the Netherlands comes top at 41%. (European Commission, 2019).

For more stats on levels of cycling in different countries in Europe, plus some facts and figures specifically on the Netherlands, please see full report.

Great Britain

Every road casualty, of course, is a road casualty too many. Cycling is safer than many people think it is, however, and the health benefits outweigh the risks.

On public roads, over a distance equivalent to 1,000 times round the earth at its widest point:

From 2015-19 on average each year:

• One cyclist was killed (0.72)
• 32 were seriously injured
• 97 were slightly injured

The figures for 2020, when motor traffic dropped significantly and cycling levels rose, are:

• One killed (0.66)
• 20 seriously injured
• 56 slightly injured

The figures for 2021 are:

• One killed (0.66)
• 26 seriously injured
• 71 slightly injured

Also:

• There are around 9 to 10 million cycle trips for every cyclist fatality
• The general risk of injury of any severity while cycling is very small per 1,000 hours of cycling on public roads: 0.045 (2015-19); 0.025 (2020); 0.039 (2021). About three-quarters of these injuries were slight. (Includes incidents reported to the police only)
• The risk of being killed while cycling per billion miles cycled has been trending downwards since 2012, as has the risk of being seriously or slightly injured. (Includes incidents reported to the police only)

Important notes: these figures only count incidents happening on the public highway and which are reported to the police. They do not include off-road collisions (for example on towpaths or rights of way). By no means are all traffic collisions reported to the police, but hospital statistics suggest that most, if not all, fatal crashes are. Slight injuries are the most likely to be under-reported, probably by some margin. See full report for more.  

For more facts, plus a table showing the absolute number of cyclist casualties by nation, please see full report.

The Bicycle Association is a good source of figures for cycle sales in the UK. For headline data for 2022, see press release from Forbes (21/2/2023).

Note: generally speaking, organisations who collate, publish and analyse data on the cycle market make a charge for it.

UK

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes detailed data on how much UK households spend on transport each week (Family spending workbook 1: detailed expenditure and trends, table A1, section 7). 

These results, however, are not specific enough to capture the average outlay of people who spend money on cycling. Instead, they average out the expenditure of all households surveyed, whether they report expenditure on the item in question or not. Also, as we know from answers to the questions above, adult household members are much more likely to drive than cycle so are more likely to spend money on cars than cycles.

Bearing this in mind, ONS suggest that the average weekly expenditure in 2021 was:

• about £1.40 on cycles
• about £49.30 on cars or vans

Note: this does not include vehicle insurance, which comes to about £11.10 a week – this must be mostly spent on cars, but the ONS does not break this figure down into different kinds of vehicle.

For more detail, please see full report.

Figures about stolen bikes come from police records and from household crime surveys. The difference between the two sets of data suggests that by no means all thefts are reported.

England and Wales

Household survey 

Adults aged 16 and over/households

• 236,892 incidents of bicycle theft (October 2021 to end September 2022)

Police records

• 78,619 bicycle theft offences (October 2021 to end September 2022)

Scotland

Crime survey, not police records, best estimates

• c19,000 bicycle theft crimes committed, affecting 0.7% of households (2019-20) 

Northern Ireland

Household survey, best estimates

• 0.6% households and 1.6% of bicycle owners (adults) fell victim to bicycle theft (2019-20)

Police recorded crime statistics

• 700 stolen bicycles were reported to the police in (2021-22). (731 in the year before).  

• ACMRScot = Annual Cycling Monitoring Report (Scotland)
• ATWCWales = Active Travel Walking and Cycling (Wales)
• CNI = Cycling in Northern Ireland
• CSCD = Cycling Scotland Cycle Open Data
• CW = Walking and cycling statistics (England)
• NSW = National Survey for Wales
• NTAS = National Travel Attitudes Survey (England)
• NTS = National Travel Survey (England)
• RAS = Reported Road Casualties Great Britain
• TATIS = Transport and Travel in Scotland
• TRA = Road Traffic Statistics (GB)
• TSNI = Travel Survey for Northern Ireland
• WCPTNI = Walking, Cycling and Public Transport in Northern Ireland

The list above includes the references sources we most often use, but there are a few others. For more detail, please see the full report.