Tag: Walking and Cycling Index

Council ‘On the Right Track’?

EDINBURGH’S WALKING, WHEELING AND CYCLING TRENDS REVEALED

The biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland

Half of Edinburgh residents want to see more spent on walking, wheeling and cycling improvements across the city, according to a new report.

The biannual Walking and Cycling Index, delivered in partnership between Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council, draws on independent survey feedback from a cross-section of more than 1,200 residents in the Capital, surveyed in 2023.

Today Sustrans joined the City of Edinburgh Council to officially launch the Index with a panel discussion on access to walking, wheeling cycling in the city.

Amongst the findings, the report shows that 50% would like to see more spent on cycling while 57% want investment in walking and wheeling and 68% support an increase in spend on public transport. Almost half of residents want to walk and wheel (45%) and cycle (49%) more too, along with a quarter who want to use public transport more, and improved infrastructure is key to this.

Regular walking and wheeling remains as high as 2021, with two-thirds of people travelling by foot or wheel five days a week. The annual number of cycling trips has increased to 30.7 million from 24.4 million in 2021, although the number of residents cycling at least once a week dropped slightly from 26% to 22%.

The majority of residents think their local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach – with more and easier to access shops and everyday services (say 79%) and parks and greenspaces close to home (according to 78%) amongst the incentives to walking and wheeling more. 

Sixty-nine per cent agree they can already get to many places they need to visit without having to drive.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “As ever, the Walking and Cycling Index makes an extremely interesting read, and it’s thanks to the many people from all parts of the city who took part in the survey last year.

“Edinburgh is a compact, walkable city, as demonstrated by the many people who already regularly walk, wheel and cycle here. However, what’s clear from the Index is that there’s still much to be done to encourage even more people make the shift to travel on foot, wheel, bike or, in some cases, public transport.

“Thankfully, we’re on the right track, with an ambitious programme of development underway which will transform the way people travel around the city, and the results of the Walking and Cycling Index reassure us that we have the backing of Edinburgh’s residents to invest in these kinds of changes.

“The majority of residents think local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach, and we will consult on this approach via our proposals to make Dalry greener, healthier and more vibrant.

“From our recent ban on pavement parking to the completion of the City Centre West to East Link, as well as longer term plans like the tram line between Granton and the BioQuarter and City Centre Transformation, we’re working to make Edinburgh a truly people-friendly city.”

Karen McGregor, Director, Sustrans Scotland, said: “I’d like to thank the people of Edinburgh who gave us their time to take part in the Walking and Cycling Index. The results show that making walking, wheeling and cycling the most accessible and desirable form of transport is of great importance to people, especially during the current cost of living crisis.

“There is clear evidence that people in Scotland’s capital want the option to walk, wheel and cycle to where they need to get to more often. The recent ban on pavement parking in the city is a huge step forward, but the Index also shows that people living in Edinburgh want safe, accessible cycle paths and pedestrian crossings; and they want more investment in public transport.

“The latest Index results show that The City of Edinburgh Council has the backing of the public to build on the work it has already started to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle to get around.”

Other findings in the Index include inequalities and varied perceptions of walking, wheeling and cycling amongst different groups. Twenty-eight per cent of men cycle at least once a week compared to 16% of women, while the proportion of white residents who walk or wheel at least five days a week (67%) is higher than people from ethnic minority groups (55%).

Participants in the survey shared their views on the kinds of improvements that would encourage them to walk, wheel and cycle more. Some of the changes that would encourage people to travel by foot or wheel are fewer cars parked on pavements (67%), nicer places on streets to stop and rest (71%) and wider pavements (68%).

Seventy-three per cent said more traffic free cycle paths away from roads and 65% highlighted segregated cycle paths on roads as improvements that would help them to cycle more, while 58% support building more cycle paths physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even when this would mean less room for other road traffic.

The report also emphasises the benefits already being delivered by people walking, wheeling and cycling in the Capital. By taking up to 160,000 cars off the road every day, each year they help prevent 1,314 serious long-term health conditions, create £262.6 million in economic benefits and save 42,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full Edinburgh Walking and Cycling Index 2023 report.

Walking, wheeling, and cycling boost to Capital’s environment and economy

New research from Sustrans and the city council

Every year walking, wheeling and cycling in Edinburgh helps generate more than £186.2 million in economic benefits while saving 38,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions – the equivalent of 49,000 flights from Edinburgh to New York – according to a major new report.

The Walking and Cycling Index, formerly known as Bike Life, is the biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in cities across the UK and Ireland, carried out by Sustrans. Results from Edinburgh show 66% of residents walk at least five days a week – more than any other mode of transport and above the national average of 50%. Twenty-six per cent of residents cycle at least once a week.

Annually, people choosing to travel by foot, wheel or bike help take up to 150,000 cars off the road and save the NHS more than £8.2 million through the associated health benefits. However, the Walking and Cycling Index also found that 70.7 million journeys up to three miles are still driven in Edinburgh each year.

Most respondents – 78% – said more shops and everyday services close to home would encourage them to walk and wheel more, while the same number supported the creation of more 20-minute neighbourhoods.

The Council is in the process of developing a model for a network of 20-minute neighbourhoods across the city, where public transport and active travel are the best options for getting around and streets are designed for people, allowing them to easily access and support their local businesses and services.

Twenty-three per cent of residents currently don’t cycle but would like to and 64% say more physically separated cycle lanes along roads would help them to cycle more, with access to secure cycle storage at or near home (57%) amongst other incentives to cycling.

Several major cycling infrastructure projects are already underway or in the pipeline in Edinburgh, including the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and the transformation of George Street. We’ve also rolled out 106 secure cycle parking hangars over the last two years, with a total of 180 hangars to be installed as part of the programme’s initial phase.

Walking and Cycling Index Edinburgh – key statistics

  • Health: Every year walking and cycling prevents 1,252 serious long-term health conditions. The physical activity benefits of walking and cycling prevent 316 and 28 early deaths respectively, valued at £1 billion (walking) and £92.4 million (cycling).
  • Environment: If 80% of the 70.7 million car journeys of up to three miles were walked and cycled it would save approximately 23,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Trips: Every day, 130,000 return walking trips and 16,000 return cycling trips are made by people that could have used a car. If these cars were all in a traffic jam it would tail back 435 miles – equivalent to the distance between Edinburgh and Southampton.
  • Quieter streets: Only 31% of residents think their streets aren’t dominated by vehicles. Sixty-one per cent support low traffic neighbourhoods and 59% said fewer motor vehicles on streets would be better for both walking and cycling.
  • Inequalities: Eighty-one per cent of non-disabled residents think the level of walking safety is good in their local area compared to 69% of disabled residents. Thirty-five per cent of men cycle at least once a week while only 17% of women do.
  • Funding: Half of residents (52%) want to see more government spending on both walking and cycling, and 57% would like more investment in public transport.

Daisy Narayanan, Head of Placemaking and Mobility at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “As ever, this report provides a fascinating snapshot of people’s walking, wheeling, and cycling habits – and the immense benefits active travel can bring, not only to our own health but the environment, the economy and the quality of life here.

Transport currently accounts for just under a third of Edinburgh’s emissions and it’s clear that there’s an urgent need to aid and encourage more sustainable ways of travelling if we’re to meet our 2030 net zero target. Responses to the Walking and Cycling Index provide an excellent guide for the kind of changes we need to make – people are telling us what we need to do to help them to travel by foot, wheel or bike, particularly for shorter journeys.

There’s already a great deal of work underway to support this. Our strategy for 20-minute neighbourhoods will mean people across Edinburgh can live well locally, meeting most of their daily needs from within their own community. The approach is designed to improve access to services where it is most convenient and helps to support local businesses, creating thriving, vibrant town and local centres.

This is alongside investment of £108 million over the next few years to transform walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure across the Capital, as outlined in our ambitious City Mobility Plan, including the transformation of George Street, the delivery of CCWEL linking Roseburn to Leith Walk and the Meadows to George Street route.

Dr Sam Gardner, Chair of Edinburgh’s Climate Commission, said: “Improving 2our streets to encourage more people to choose active ways of travelling is not only an essential part of tackling climate change but will also create a healthier, fairer city.

“A planned investment programme is already in place to support a step-change in the city’s cycling network and improve the safety of our streets for those walking and wheeling. It’s crucial that we not only deliver this programme but that we continue to build on its ambition at every opportunity.

“Edinburgh is a beautiful, compact and walkable city. We want to make sure all members of society can gain from this, and the Walking and Cycling Index is a key resource to help us to achieve that.”

Stewart Carruth, Interim Director, Sustrans Scotland, said: “I’d like to thank the people of Edinburgh who gave us their time to take part in the Walking and Cycling Index. Walking and wheeling should be the most accessible and desirable form of transport. It is of huge importance to people, especially during the current cost of living crisis and the climate emergency.

“The evidence is clear – Edinburgh residents want the option to walk and wheel to where they need to get to, and don’t want outdated and unmaintained pavements, crossing points that make walking and wheeling unsafe or inaccessible, and vehicles parked on pavements getting in their way.

“The City of Edinburgh Council can rest assured that they have the backing of the public to build on the work they have already started to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle to get around.”

The Walking and Cycling Index Edinburgh is the fourth report of its kind produced by Sustrans in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and draws on local walking and cycling data, modelling and an independent survey of 1,346 residents carried out from June to August 2021, following the lifting of Covid travel restrictions. In total, 9,681 people were surveyed in Scotland.

As well as outlining residents’ walking, wheeling and cycling habits and the associated benefits, the report looks to future developments in the city. These include City Centre Transformation, the extension of 20mph streets and the dropped kerbs programme, following the vision set out in the City Mobility Plan.

Read the full Edinburgh Walking and Cycling Index 2021 report, and the UK Walking and Cycling Index report online.

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