Since the year 2001 there has, apparently, been a 40% increase in Brits who regularly cycle.
Around 3.2 million British adults today regularly cycle compared to 2001 when the figure was only about 2.3 million. In fact, more people are now cycling regularly than participating regularly in football, golf, jogging or athletics or any other form of sports. For 1.2 million people cycling represents their only sporting activity, that is 30% more than in 2001.
According to a report of the 3.2 million regular cyclists, 1.5 million also use their bicycles as a method of transport, almost 20% more than in 2001.
According to Transport for London, the Tour de France's legacy to London was a 10.5% per cent increase in the number of people cycling on the UK capital's major roads in the six months April-September 2007, compared to the same period for 2006. That created an estimated 48,000 more cycle journeys everyday.
The biggest problem in the United Kingdom as far as cycling for business and pleasure is concerned is the lack of proper facilities for cyclists, that is to say, the lack of proper cycle paths.
James Smythe, head of British Market Research Bureau - Sport, said: "It seems adults are getting the message about cycling's health and transport benefits outweighing the risks."
“Cycle use rose throughout 2007 but not because of any shiny new infrastructure, not because of any huge financial commitment from central Government and not because of any sudden advertising campaign telling people to get on their bikes, and most definitely not because of fair weather, usually said to be the key factor for cycle use in the UK. Cycle use is up because the time is right.”
I do not think it is just a case of “the time is right” but also, and especially, a case of “gas is dear”, with over $8.50 per US gallon of gasoline. For an Imperial gallon, which is a wee bit more than a US gallon, the price is over $10. It is, therefore, no wonder that those that can are going over to cycles as means of transport, for public transport, as in buses, tube and trains, is far too expensive. (I shall be talking about trains and their prices shortly).
In fact if the British govt really wanted to do something about the environmental impact of all the cars and all that it would (1) make public transport nigh on free, including long-distance train travel and (2) do away with the 14% import duty on bikes, followed by 17.5% VAT. But that, I assume, would be far too advanced and novel an idea.
© Michael Smith (Veshengro), March 2008
Britain’s Mushrooming Bicycling Boom
