Cycling makes sense Phillip Darnton Chairman, Cycling England
Original budget 5 million p/a Increased to 140m over three years 2008-11 Funding directed to: - 18 cycling towns - Bikeability for every 10 year old child by 2012
Our aim: To get more people cycle, more safely, more often
Realistic targets. Converting 24% of 2 car trips, under 2 miles, to bike trips
The opportunity Growing recognition that cycling contributes to tackling:. Obesity Traffic congestion Climate change Improving quality of life Creating wealth through tourism and leisure Rising transport prices Recession
The list of objections are long It s too dangerous Limited storage and parking for bikes Worry that your bike might be stolen The weather Nowhere to shower and lack of facilities
The Problems Perception of danger Not aspirational
Making the economic case for cycling
But where s the evidence?. Economic benefits of cycling are not fully understood Cycling not viewed as a mainstream mode of transport Systematic under investment t
Making the economic case Cycling as a mainstream mode of transport 3 Analysis of the cycling towns investment 2 Planning for cycling the value of cycle infrastructure 1Economic case for cycling
Translating benefits into hard numbers. The measurable benefits of cycling: Improvements in general health and fitness Cutting pollution and CO2 emissions Contribution to easing congestion
The value of a cyclist High Age of ad dditional cyclists 176 per additional cyclist 87 per additional cyclist Health 382 per additional cyclist Health/pollution congestion Pollution/ congestion 293 per additional cyclist Low Low Proportion of cycle trips that replace car trips High
Valuing the benefits of cycling. The value of cycling is higher where: Inactive people become active Older people are persuaded to cycle Where cycling replaces a car trip, particularly in urban areas Where the journey is a regular trip These are conservative indications - no allowance has These are conservative indications - no allowance has been made for reductions in obesity / for children cycling / for the social benefits of cycling
The investment case. A 50% increase in trips will generate savings of 1.3 billion over ten years Investment in cycling projects shows a return of between 3:1 and 4.5:1
Making the economic case Cycling as a mainstream mode of transport 3 Analysis of the cycling towns investment 2 Planning for cycling the value of cycle infrastructure 1Economic case for cycling
Generating future value. Cumulative values generated as a result of increases 50% in the number of cycle trips made over 10 years. Areas of measurable impact Premature deaths (adult) 50% increase in cycling ( millions) 267m NHS costs (adult) 129m Absence from work (adult) 217m Pollution 178m Congestion 517m
Demonstrating the benefits of cycling investment. Background: DfT report reveals cycling outcomes under Local Transport Plans fall below targets or expectations The need: to demonstrate how specific investments generate additional cycling activity and the value of this additional cycling activity Cycling to be treated as a mainstream mode of transport: to build confidence in planners to invest in cycling
Implications for infrastructure. Cost of Number of project ( 000s) additional cyclists needed 100 11 250 27 1,000 109
Conclusions Cycling England s aim to get more people cycling, more safely, more often is achievable It has been difficult to make a strong case for cycling investment The benefits of cycling are not well understood which has meant cycling is not treated as a mainstream mode of transport We under-invest in cycling because we fail to recognise, explicitly itl and systematically, ti the wider economic benefits By valuing these benefits, cycling will more effectively compete for future investment
Thank you www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland