Cycling data

The collection of data on the number of bicycles per household, number of bicycle journeys and the nature of those journeys helps to inform transport policy and practice.

Australia

  • Australian Bicycle Data and Indicators 
    The Australian Bicycle Council has developed a comprehensive set of statistics related to cycling in Australia and New Zealand covering participation, infrastructure provision and safety. Much of this information has been derived from other sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau; other information has been sourced from ABC member organisations and specifically the states and territories.

    It is difficult to obtain accurate and reliable information on cycling participation. However the ABC believes that the data compiled demonstrates a significant increase in cycling participation in recent years and probably underestimates the increase.
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    • Austrtalian Cycling Data & Indicator Tables
      • National Cycling Data & Indicators - View PDF
      • State and Territory Cycling Data & Indicators - View PDF
      • Capital City Cycling Data & Indicators - View PDF
  • Number of peak-hour cyclists soar
    MEGAN LEVY, 4 March 2010, The Age
    The number of cyclists on Melbourne's roads has soared by up to 50 per cent during peak hour in the past year, according to new figures.
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  • Cycling Down Under:  A Comparative Analysis of Bicycling Trends and Policies in Sydney and Melbourne
    John Pucher, Jan Garrard, and Stephen Greaves,  Journal of Transport Geography, Vol. 18, 2010, in press.
    The purpose of this paper is to documnet and explain differences in cycling between Australia's two largest cities.  Our comparative case study analysis is based on a wide range of statistical datasets, secondary reports, and interviews with a panel of 22 bicycle policy and planning experts.
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  • Pedalling the city: intra-urban differences in cycling for the journey-to-work
    Bonham, J. & Jungho, S. (2008) pp. 25-40 ARRB - Road & Transport Research Vol 17 No 4 Dec 2008
    This paper is available for purchase from ARRB Group
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  • The Australian Bicycle Council and the Australian Local Government Association report on cycling
    Cycling survey of Australian Local Governments - July 2007.  This report provides an over view of the results received from a survey conducted in 2007.
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  • Bicycle Sales - Cycling Promotion Fund Fact Sheet 2008
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  • Cyclist bunch riding: A review of the literature
    Johnson, M., Oxley, J. & Cameron, M. (2009) Monash University Accident Research Centre - Report #285
    This report is a review of the literature on cyclists who ride in large groups or bunches on public roads. The research was conducted following the Victorian State Coroner's investigation into the death of an elderly pedestrian, following a collision with a cyclist who was riding in a bunch. The aims of the review were to understand the behaviour of bunch riders, particularly the behaviours that may contribute to increased risk of collision and to make recommendations for effective enforcement and countermeasure strategies for this road user group. Due to the paucity of published literature on bunch riding, the review was expanded to include other relevant cycling literature. In addition, footage of bunch riding from Victoria Police, recorded in 2005 and 2007 was analysed and the behaviour of cyclists was found to have differed considerably. Based on the findings of this review, some broad suggestions for enforcement and education are made to improve the safety of bunch cyclists. Furthermore, there is a clear need for further research to address the safety concerns of bunch riding and a number of specific research recommendations are made.
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Victoria

  • Sikic, M. et al (2009) Bicycling injuries and mortality in Victoria, 2001–2006  
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    The incidence of serious bicycling injury has risen over recent years, highlighting the need for targeted prevention programs. Accurate data on cycling participation, use of injury prevention strategies, and injury profiles would assist in reducing bicycle-related injury.
  • Bauman, A. and Rissel, C. (2009) Cycling and health: an opportunity for positive change?
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    Cycling, the fourth most popular physical recreation in Australia, is increasingly being used as a means of transport. As a form of regular physical activity, it confers substantial health benefits that are accessible to people of all ages.
  • VicRoads, website, Cycling data and statistics
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    An important introductory site to bicycle statistics for Victoria. Contains information on why collecting data is useful, cycle to work reports, the loop counter program and cycling in Melbourne 1976 – 2001.
  • VicRoads, 2001, Cycling to work in Melbourne 1976 - 2001, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
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    Cycling to work in Melbourne is the most comprehensive report on work related cycle trips in Victoria.
  • VicRoads, 1999, Cycling in Melbourne: Bicycle ownership, use and demographics 1997 – 1999, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
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    This report outlines a number of key statistics on bicycle ownership and use in Melbourne, to serve as a practical, accessible and informative guide for anyone involved in transport planning in Melbourne. It may also serve as a useful starting point for those wishing to develop a cycling data resource manual for other areas.
  • Melbourne City Council, Melbourne Bicycle Account – Cycling Census 2007
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    The Bicycle Account reports the progress of the City of Melbourne’s Bike Plan 2007-2011. It is a summary of cyclist behaviour, a snap-shot of infrastructure and safety standards and a cyclist opinion survey. With cycling growing and evolving at such a rate Council has committed to an annual Melbourne Bicycle Account. This is the first of these annual publications.
  • Melbourne City Council, Melbourne Bicycle Account: Cycling Census 2008
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    The City of Melbourne is committed to promoting and supporting sustainable transport in the city. To ensure our actions do promote and support the use of bicycles in the city, we need to measure cycling activity and trends. Results show us what we do well and what we need to work on in the future.

    As with the 2007 version, the 2008 Melbourne Bicycle Account includes a summary of city cyclist behaviour, a snapshot of the City of Melbourne’s actions in improving cyclist infrastructure and safety, as well as results from the City of Melbourne and Bicycle Victoria’s joint 2008 Melbourne Bikescope Survey.
  • Walking and Cycling: Census analysis, Report based on analysis of Census data, prepared by Bartley Consulting pty Ltd (September 2008) for Dr Evelyn Légaré, Department of Transport - Walking and Cycling Branch Level 15, 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
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New South Wales

  • Premiers Council for Active Living (PCAL), Cycling in New South Wales
    What the data tells us, (8.33 meg) prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia Pty Limited
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    The purpose of this project by PB was to assemble and report on available cycling data, to inform the preparation of a new NSW BikePlan. The new NSW BikePlan is being prepared by relevant NSW Government agencies on behalf of the Premier’s Council for Active Living.
  • Roads and Traffic Authority, Cycling in Sydney
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    RTA 2008, Cycling in Sydney Fact Sheet - April 2008: bicycle ownership and use, New South Wales Government, Sydney, and the Fact Sheet View PDF

    A snap shot of Sydney’s bicycle ownership and usage levels, including the role of the bicycle in Sydney’s transport system.
  • New, C. & Rissel, C. (2008) Cycling to Work in Sydney - analysis of journey to work Censis data from 2001-2006, Health Promotion Service, Sydney South West Area Health Service
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    The present analyses were conducted to examine whether there have been changes in levels of cycling in Sydney between the 2001 and 2006 Census, extending an earlier analysis of data from the 1996 and 2001 Census. Data on the journey to work from both Censuses were purchased from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Use of a bicycle on any part of the journey to work was coded as ‘bicycle used’. Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) in the Sydney area were coded as Inner Sydney if they were within 10 kilometres of Central Station in Sydney, Outer Sydney for the remaining Sydney SLAs and the rest as the Greater Metropolitan Region including the SLAs in Newcastle and Wollongong.

 

Queensland

  • How do we get to work? (Method of travel to work)
    Gold Coast City Council
    Derived from the Census question, ‘How did the person get to work on Tuesday, 8 August 2006?’ and relates only to persons aged 15 years or more.
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South Australia

  • Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (SA), website, Cycling facts and figures
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    The site provides information on the number of cyclists entering Adelaide’s CBD in the AM peak hour over a number of years.

 

New Zealand

  • ViaStrada Ltd, (2009) "Continuous cycle counting trial", January 2009, for New Zealand Transport Agency
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    The benefits of continuous cycle counting over techniques currently used in New Zealand (such as manual counting or temporary pneumatic tube counting) include being able to establish seasonal trends without having to frequently supervise a site or check and replace equipment. It is considered that continuous cycle counting will be a useful tool in monitoring cycle volumes and trends and therefore planning and designing for cycling.
  • ViaStrada Ltd (2008) "Cycle counting in New Zealand", Land Transport New Zealand, Visit Site
    Webpage break down of the research -  Visit Site

    Document: View PDF (PDF, 964 KB, 42 pages)

    Land Transport New Zealand commissioned ViaStrada Ltd to undertake an international literature review of technologies for counting cycle traffic continuously (for several months or more) and to survey all local and regional councils and Transit New Zealand offices about their experience with various types of cycle traffic counting, including continuous, automatic and manual counts.
    Section 2 of this report considers equipment for continuous counting of both off-road and on-road cycle traffic. The purpose of the survey (reported in section 3) was to understand how much cycle counting is currently taking place in New Zealand and what methods are being used.
  • Ministry of Transport, (2008) Cycling for transport: Ongoing New Zealand Household Travel Survey 2003 - 2007
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    The New Zealand Household Travel Survey is an ongoing survey of household travel conducted for the Ministry of Transport. Each year, people in over 2 000 households throughout New Zealand are invited to participate in the survey by recording all their travel over a two-day period. Each person in the household is then interviewed about their travel and is also asked about their alcohol consumption and other travel-related information.
  • Macbeth, A. (2008)  Continuous cycle counting trials, presentation to Auckland Regional Walking and Cycling Forum View PDF

 

International

  • NHTS Survey: Driving = Down. Transit, Walking and Cycling = Up
    Michael Graham Richard, 3 March 2010, Canada: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation Via Streetsblog Visit Site
    Data from the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) for 2009 contains some encouraging transportation trends when compared to the previous survey done in 2001. It shows that the share of trips that Americans made using cars dropped by more than 4%, and this decline was compensated in about equal part by increases in walking and cycling, and by public transit. What does this mean?
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  • Results from the first three years . . of Cycling Demonstration Towns
    Cycling England
    Prior to the start of the programme, each town had different levels of people cycling and different local circumstances.  As such, Cycling England worked with each individual CDT to establish a tailor made programme to encourage cycling. Cycling England also established a consistent monitoring programme to measure progress across all six towns. For the past three years, Cycling England has been gathering extensive and robust quantitative data from the original six CDTs in order to measure progress and evaluate the impact of their cycling strategies.
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    Video showcase of the successes of the Cycling Towns - Visit Site
  • Pedal cyclist casualties in road accidents: 2007
    Road Accident Statistics Factsheet No. 4 – November 2008, Department for Transport UK
    This factsheet presents summary information relating to pedal cyclist casualties in road accidents; all figures relate to 2007 and Great Britain unless otherwise stated.
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  • Alliance for Biking & Walking
    Is the North American coalition of over 160 grassroots biking and walking advocacy organizations. The Alliance works to strengthen state and local organizations through research, sharing best practices, training, resources, and grants.
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    • Bicycling and Walking in the United States 2010 Benchmarking Report: Information & Findings
      Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made possible through additional support from Bikes Belong Coalition and Planet Bike.
    • Report (192 pages, 14.2 MB) - Visit Site
    • Fact sheet highlights - View PDF
  • Taking Part: The National Survey of Culture, Leisure and Sport Headline findings from the 2008/09 Taking Part child survey
    UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Statistical Release, 29 October 2009
    The survey collects data about engagement and non-engagement in culture, leisure and sport, providing a better understanding of those who do, and do not, engage with these sectors. This information provides vital evidence to support the Department’s aim of improving the quality of life for everyone by providing people with the chance to get involved in a variety of these opportunities.
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  • Equipment detecting cycles. A literature study
    Anne Bolling, 2009, VTI Sweden (English Sumary)
    The purpose of this study was to find new methods and technologies which could help develop better, safer and easier ways to measure cycling data.
    Currently, the preferred methods for counting cycle traffic are to use either inductive loops or air tubes. Signals or pulses are created from passing cycles. A computer program then analyses the signals or pulses and calculates the number of passing cycles. Manual counting is also widely used for measuring cycle traffic. In addition, travel habit surveys are often used to give a more comprehensive picture of the cycle traffic data.
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  • U.S. cities spur bike use for climate, health
    Jon Hurdle, 14 December 2009, Reuters - Green Business & Lifestyle
    PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Christina Tierno started riding her bicycle into central Philadelphia during November's city transit strike, and she hasn't looked back.
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  • Bicycle-friendly Copenhagen a model for big cities
    Henriette Jacobsen, 14 December 2009, Reuters - Green Business
    COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The world is gathered in Copenhagen for the U.N. climate summit, but Denmark"s bicycle-friendly capital has also given its name to a movement of cities trying to find a kinder way to commute.
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  • American Bicycle Commuting Trends, 2000 to 2008
    Darren Flusche, 2009, League Policy Analyst for the League of American Bicyclists
    As we reported earlier, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey (ACS), released on September 22, 2009, 0.55 percent of Americans use a bicycle as the primary means of getting to work. This is up 14 percent since 2007, 36 percent from the first ACS in 2005, and 43 percent since the 2000 Census. (Note that the ACS methodology under-counts cycling by not counting bicycle commuters who biked just once or twice the week they were surveyed or most cyclists who bike and use public transportation for their trip to work.)
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    • The ACS journey to work results for the 70 largest US cities, (Visit Site ) including the 27 largest Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFCs), since 2000. Scroll right (or click on the following links) to find the share of American workers who bicycle, walk, use public transportation and drive alone. The tables show the share of commuters for 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and their percent change over time. (UPDATE: the “largest BFC average” was updated on October 22 to include the four newest BFCs that are among the 70 largest US cities.)
    • The ACS journey to work results for the 50 US states (and Puerto Rico). (Visit Site ) Use the tabs at the bottom for bicycle commuters and walking commuters. The sheets also include the amount of federal dollars spent on bicycle and pedestrian project between 2000 and 2008.
    • Here is a summary of bicycle commuting levels in the US over the past eight years. View PDF
  • Backpedaling - A new city report raises questions about “Bike City USA.”
    BETH SLOVIC, 16 December 2009, Willamette Week Newspaper & WWEEK.COM  via Planetizen Visit Site
    The number of bike trips in Portland dropped for the first time in five years, according to a new, unreleased report from the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
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  • Bicycle Commuting Trends, 2000-2008
    National Complete Streets Coalition USA
    Using newly released American Community Survey data, the League of American Bicyclists Visit Site has analyzed the number of Americans who commute to work primarily by bicycle. The number is up 14 percent since 2007, and up 43 percent since the 2000 Census.
    Sumary of Bicycle Comutting Trends View PDF
  • Eco-counter - Bike / Ped counters Project in City of Vancouver BC
    Jean-Francois Rheault, 13 July 2009,
    City of Vancouver removed a travel lane on the Burrard Bridge.  This lane has been replaced by a protected bike lane. To give you a little bit of background, Vancouver has 3 bridges to access the downtown from the South (30 travel lanes - 29 during the trial).
    They are documenting the full trial with 11 Eco-counters (ZELT and Pyro) and motorized and all the information is available to the public on this Website. The reaction to this trial in the media is on the negative side but the solid data available is showing a 25 % increase in cycling traffic and constant volumes for motorized traffic.
  • National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project
    Joint project of Alta Planning & Design and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Council
    One of the greatest challenges facing the bicycle and pedestrian field is the lack of documentation on usage and demand. Without accurate and consistent demand and usage figures, it is difficult to measure the positive benefits of investments in these modes, especially when compared to the other transportation modes such as the private automobile. An answer to this need for data is the National Bicycle & Pedestrian Documentation Project, co-sponsored by and Alta Planning and Design and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Council. This nationwide effort provides consistent model of data collection and ongoing data for use by planners, governments, and bicycle and pedestrian professionals.
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  • Bicycle Production Reaches 130 Million Units
    Gary Gardner, 12 November 2008, Worldwatch Institute, USA
    Bicycle production was up 3.2 percent in 2007 to 130 million units, a continuation of the upward trend that has characterized production for most of this decade.1 (See Figure 1.) Global output continued to be largely a Chinese affair, as China produced two of every three bikes made worldwide.2 (See Figure 2.) India, the European Union, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Brazil were the next five largest producers, accounting together for about a quarter of the total.
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  • National Cycle Network is cutting car traffic and getting more people active
    Route Monitoring 2008
    Sustrans' latest count of walking and cycling on the National Cycle Network reveals that for the first time in the Network's 14-year history, it carries more than one million journeys every day. In 2008 a total of 386 million trips were made on the Network - half by bike and half on foot - just under a third of the 1.2 billion passenger journeys made on Britain's railways in 2007/08.
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  • Here Are Five Cities Where More Than .01% Ride Bikes to Work
    April Streeter, 21 May 2009, Sweden: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation
    Bicycle mode share of 5 US Cities.
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  • CITY ON AN UP 'CYCLE'
    AMBER SUTHERLAND, KIRSTEN FLEMING and TOM NAMAKO, 15 May 2009, New York Post
    Scores of new bike lanes and a sour economy have led to a surge in people pedaling to work, data released yesterday show.
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  • Out of excuses: You—yes, you—can ride your bike to work
    Paul Dorn, 13 May 2009, Bike Commute Tips Blog via GreenRightNow.com
    Paul Dorn knows that getting Americans to ride a bike to work instead of driving a car is quite the uphill battle. Even on a good day, he says, only a tiny percentage of the nation’s commuters use pedal power to get to their jobs.
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  • Sustainable Planning & Innovation for biCYCLES
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    When the Spicycles project was launched in 2006, cycling was not the “hot” mode of transport that it has become today. As project partners, we wanted to gather experience related to specific areas of cycling policy.  We were keen to explore how key elements such as communication and awareness raising, and the building of local partnerships, might increase themodal share of cycling.  We had big expectations at the beginning of the project regarding cycling planning, but could not have predicted the explosion in the popularity of public bicycle systems that has taken place during Spicycles.

    Spicycles, (2009) CYCLING ON THE RISE - Public Bicycles and Other European Experiences (3.6 Meg)
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