Cycling boosts British economy by billions

Cycling contributes an impressive £2.9bn a year towards the British economy, according to a report by the London School of Economics.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “It is impossible to know what is driving the popularity of cycling, but the effect of seeing friends, family or work colleagues taking to two wheels, and reaping the benefits, has a powerful motivating effect.”

Increased fuel costs are cited in the report as a possible explanation for the increasing number of cyclists, but major research by the government last year into the way we travel dispelled the popular myth that cycling is a mode of transport used in the main by those with little money; the National Travel Survey, which analysed personal travel made in Great Britain during 2009, showed that in households in the top fifth of income brackets, 77 miles were cycled per person. In the lowest two such quintiles, only 32 miles were cycled per household member.

It is likely that the disparity in cycling between socio economic groups is explained by the increase in leisure cycling and commuting by bike amongst those in the highest income brackets.

The increasing popularity of bicycles that cost over £500 is borne out by cycle insurance providers, who are being asked to provide cover for increasingly expensive bikes.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Despite increases in the distance travelled by bike, only two per cent of trips of less than five miles are undertaken by bicycle and many fewer trips by bike are now being made by teenagers. We need to make long-term planning decisions now in order to address these problems in the future.”

The average distance travelled per person by bicycle in 2009 was 46 miles, compared with 42 miles the previous year. The distance of the average cycle trip was 2.8 miles – a 17 per cent increase compared to 2002.

Cycle insurance

Cycle insurance from the ETA includes, amongst other things, new-for-old, third party insurance (in the case of an accident you may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else), personal accident cover, race event cover and if you suffer a mechanical breakdown, they will come out and recover you and your bike. Get an instant, no obligation quote below.