Why It Matters Cyclability
Summary
We are measuring the overall cyclist accessibility of an area, as well as the geographic distances from the nearest cycle route of each class, according to the OpenStreetMap ‘OpenCycleMap.’
Interpretation
| Dataset | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Custom Walulel Cyclability Score | We have calculated a score to let you know how cyclable your neighbourhood is. We have rescaled the results to ease interpretation, so that each postcode receives a score out of 5. Postcodes with a score of 5 should be considered the most cycle friendly, while postcodes with a score of 0 should be regarded as the least cycle friendly. |
| Distance to Nearest Local Cycle Route | This tells you the distance from the postcode’s centre to the nearest Local Cycle Route, measured in metres. Local Cycle Routes can be shared roads (shared by cyclists and drivers) or roads with dedicated cycle lanes that are planned and maintained by a local authority. These routes traverse smaller areas, enhancing their cycle accessibility. |
| Distance to Nearest Regional Cycle Route | This tells you the distance from the postcode’s centre to the nearest Regional Cycle Route, measured in metres. Regional Cycle Routes are cycle routes planned and maintained by a local authority or other regional body. |
| Distance to Nearest National Cycle Route | This tells you the distance from the postcode’s centre to the nearest National Cycle Route, measured in metres. National Cycle Routes are the principal routes that make up the National Cycle Network, which is a UK-wide network of signed walking and cycling paths connecting cities, towns, and countryside across the nation. |
Definition
When we refer to cyclability, we have considered the relative prevalence of factors that make cycling enjoyable, safe and convenient. These factors are topography, road connectivity, the provision of dedicated cycle infrastructure, the level of road traffic and the type of the cycling path, (i.e. such as a cycle superhighway as compared to a dual carriageway).
Why the metric matters from a commercial inhabitant’s perspective
The more cyclable an area is, the more people will cycle with to and from it. Whilst this seems intuitive the reasons why cyclability scores matter to commercial inhabitants of an area are less so. Firstly, knowing how well-suited an area is for cyclists is beneficial to a commercial inhabitant as a strong body of evidence proves that cyclists visit local shops more regularly, spending more than users of most other modes of. Therefore, for a commercial inhabitant reliant on passing traffic, being located in a cyclable area, is likely to elicit improved local consumer spending levels.
Secondly, as cyclists have the benefit of being able to stop pretty much anywhere they please, as opposed to motorists, research shows that per square metre, cycle parking delivers 5 times higher retail spend than the same area of car parking. Furthermore, a compact town optimised for walking and cycling can have a “retail density” (spend per square metre) 2.5 times higher than a typical urban centre.
Lastly, the facilitation of cycling to work has been shown to lead to lower staff turnover as cycling facilities can overcome difficulties in accessing employment opportunities, and lessen the stress associated with the daily commute.
Why the metric matters from a residential inhabitant’s perspective
Understanding how cyclable an area is, will be beneficial to a residential inhabitants, once again based on the premise that the more cyclable an area is, the more people will cycle with to and from it. Resultantly, where we find high cyclability scores, we also find lower relative traffic volumes, highly walkable areas, often topped up with higher than expected residential property values especially where the cyclability of an area has led to major reduction in motorised vehicular traffic flows.
Residents of cyclable areas are also likely to experience better relative health levels attributable to increase options for “Active Travel” i.e. walking and cycling together with higher air qualities.
Public-use Santander Bikes parked on Dorset Square (Photograph: Elliott Brown, Wikimedia Commons)
General Commentary
The UK National Cycle Network is a significant policy intervention by the British government aimed at encouraging citizens to cycle more often. Half of the UK population lives within one mile of the Network. Traffic-free paths only account for about one third of the Network, yet this third accounts for almost 80% of cycle trips on the Network. In 2016, around 730,000 bicycle journeys were made per day in London. That is the equivalent of around 10% of all bus journeys, and around 20% of all journeys made by tube.
This is a significant increase compared to the previous two decades, but growth has slowed down in recent years. Transport for London reports that this is due to a lack of cycling infrastructure in the city, which could be remedied with more comprehensive route-building projects, such as linking up parts of outer London with city centre routes. Yet this has its challenges. As the built environment of London reaches back to infrastructure built for horse-drawn carriages hundreds of years ago, it can be difficult in some places to find space to create cycle routes when there is already barely enough room for pedestrians and motorists. It is also difficult to build paths to accommodate the peaks in cycle transport.
Compared to motor traffic, which is relatively consistent throughout the day in London, cycle traffic has an incredibly high peak during rush hour in the morning (8:00-10:00) and evening (17:00-19:00) with a significant drop in traffic outside of these hours. Thus, without further policy innovation, such as previous measures like ‘Boris Bikes’ and the establishment of Cycle Super Highways and Quietways, cycling in London is likely to experience a deceleration in growth.
History
Cycling culture was strong in Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries, however, this faded with the advent of the private motor vehicle from the 1960s onwards. A pivotal moment occurred in 1963 when civil engineer and city planner Colin Buchanan wrote a transport report for the government recommending that no steps were taken to encourage urban cycling as roadways became increasingly dominated by cars. This report was used by planners to add roads en masse to British cities that were built only for motorists.
This was due to an assumption that motor vehicles were the natural evolution of the bicycle. As Buchanan famously wrote: “There [should be) an allocation of movements to pedal cycles, but it must be admitted that it is a moot point how many cyclists there will be in 2010”. Yet cycling experienced a resurgence just 7 years later in 1970, in both the United States and Britain. Serious steps took many years to coalesce, however, and it was not until the year 2000 that the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, announced plans to transform London to be more cycle-friendly. In 2004, the London Cycle Action Plan was launched, aiming to create 900km of cycle pathways by 2009. This plan was hugely popular, earning London international recognition in 2007 where it was designated as the Tour de France starting position. Three years later, the infamous cycle hire plan was launched, colloquially referred to as ‘Boris Bikes’.
Trivia
The longest bicycle ever built was 35.79 metres long. Built by the Dutch cycling organisation the Mijl Van Mares Wekploeg, it required the person seated at the front to steer, whilst the seat at the back held the pedals. It had just 2 wheels and no stabilisers, yet was described as “quite easy to ride” by the group’s leader, Frank Pelt, although turning corners was apparently a different matter.