In London, a New Survey Found That Cycle Skills Training Results in Increased Cycling Activity

Press Release (ePRNews.com) - London, United Kingdom - Nov 08, 2017 - The new survey, commissioned by Cycle Confident, offers insights into cycling activity and concerns of beginner cyclists on subjects ranging from fear of cycling on London’s busy roads to the need for more advanced cycle training and cycling infrastructure. 

 The survey was directed at 1539 adults living in one of 12 London boroughs who had taken a cycle skills training session from Cycle Confident in the last 7 years.

 Of the 69% of respondents 11.44% said they increased cycling by 1 time more per month, 17.6% by 2-3x per month. 9.62% by 2x per week and 10.75% increased their cycling activity by as much as 4x more per week. 

“Converting weekend leisure cyclists into weekday riders making local journeys or commuting to work is key to delivering modal shift in London’s Boroughs.”

David Showell, Cycle Confident

When asked if providing more cycle skills training would result in more people cycling in their area, 85.4% agreed with this view. This feedback supports London Councils current initiatives to maintain and increase cycling training course levels for London’s residents and support the aims of London’s mayor, Sadiq Kahn vision for the city. 

In his Transport Strategy, the Mayor’s plan includes reducing car journeys by 3 million per day by 2041, with 80% of journeys by public transport, walking or cycling. With Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils under pressure to meet these goals, increasing pedestrian and cycling journeys is at the heart of local government targets. 

 In support of this, along with improvements to cycling infrastructure like cycle super highways and quiet ways, London Councils deliver free cycle skills courses to children and adults to get more new cyclists riding and ultimately deliver modal shift in London’s boroughs.

 However, Council’s investment in cycling infrastructure needs to result in higher levels of cycling activity to justify costs. Until recently, statistics on cycling behavior hasn’t been available to London’s Councils. The new survey from Cycle Confident is the first to provide answers to this question of modal shift and offers evidence that cycle skills training does increase cycling activity in London’s Boroughs. 

David Showell, MD of Cycle Confident says “Converting weekend leisure cyclists into weekday riders making local journeys or commuting to work is key to delivering modal shift in London’s Boroughs.”

Showell went on to say, “Cycle instruction is key. It delivers a good foundation to begin a lifelong cycling journey. But adults and children also need to be able to practice their new skills and build confidence before moving onto London’s busy roads, 

Helen Hayes, MP of Dulwich and West Norwood, who recently took a cycle skills training course stated, “The key to encouraging more Londoners to use cycling for every day travel is in my view both delivering significant investment in infrastructure to make our roads safer, and continuing free access to high quality training to give people the skills and confidence to cycle safely. I would never have felt confident enough to take my bike out on the road without the training I took part in, which made a huge difference.”

This seeming lack of confidence can be seen in the question regarding why more Londoners don’t cycle in their areas and addresses the issue of personal safety. While cyclists are willing to invest in further lessons with a view to increasing their cycling activity, 78 per cent said the reasons they didn’t cycle more was due to three key issues; 1) fear of cycling on busy roads, 56%; 2) lack of cycle lanes and quiet ways, 21%; and 3) not having sufficient cycle skills to ride with confidence on roads, 17%.

While cyclists are more vulnerable than heavier road users, physical and mental aptitude plays a part in their cycling experience. Good judgment, ability to anticipate problems before they occur, road sense and mastery of the bicycle such as balance and agility, play a great part in the cyclist having a safe journey. The delivery of National Standard Cycle Training as a foundation course is a key component to their continued safety.

Cycle Confident has played an integral part in London’s transformation into a burgeoning cycling city. As the leader in London’s Cycle Skills training sector for 10 years, Cycle Confident has trained over 75,000 children, 46,000 adults, and 15,000 HGV drivers as part of its remit to London’s Boroughs.

In the near future Cycle Confident will be announcing new initiatives in Balance Bike Teacher Training (BBTT) and continues to develop new training programs to add to London’s growing reputation as a cycling-friendly city. 

For further information on the Cycle Confident Customer Survey and Modal Shift In London, click here.