The Walking and Cycling Index

Discover the biggest-ever survey of walking, wheeling and cycling across 23 cities in the UK and Ireland.

The Walking and Cycling Index supports leaders of cities and towns to understand and improve walking, wheeling and cycling across the UK and Ireland.

It provides high-quality evidence to help bring our neighbourhoods back to life and ensure walking and cycling are attractive and accessible for everyone.

What is the Walking and Cycling Index?

The Walking and Cycling Index, formerly known as 'Bike Life' is the biggest ever survey of walking, wheeling and cycling.

It looks at what people think about active travel in 23 urban areas across the UK and Ireland.

Each city reports on the progress made towards making walking, wheeling and cycling more attractive, everyday ways to travel.

Since our first reports in 2015, this data has informed policy decisions, justified investment and enabled cities to develop more ambitious action plans for walking, wheeling and cycling.

On the Walking and Cycling Index cities

Up to 2.3 million

cars are taken off the road every day by walking and cycling

420,000 tonnes

of greenhouse gas emissions saved every year by walking and cycling

36%

of people often use a car as they feel they have no choice

56%

of people support shifting investment from road building to funding options for walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport

Portrait of young boy in bike helmet smiling.

James, Birmingham

Riding my bike gives me a sense of freedom, because I know when I should leave to get to school on time, and I don’t have to worry about the buses being on time.

The protected cycle lanes give me a safer environment to cycle along than the road, without the risks of cars passing too closely, especially with the designated crossings.

UK Walking and Cycling Index report front cover

Download the UK aggregated report

The Walking and Cyciling Index is the clearest picture of walking, wheeling and cycling across the country.

This report aggregates data from 18 of the Index cities.

Download the pdf report

Read the text-only version of the report

Explore the 23 Walking and Cycling Index reports across the UK and Ireland

Click on the grey shape of your city or region to find out more about the study in that area and to download the report.

You can also find a full list of the areas we worked with below the map.

Sustrans volunteer with cerebral palsy using her etrike in Belfast.

Joanne, Belfast

My walking can be bad because of cerebral palsy, but when I’m on my trike, it’s like my cerebral palsy just disappears.

I had been on anti-depressants for 9 years, but within two months of getting my trike, I was off the medication. It’s life-changing.

I’ve named my new e-trike ‘Joy’, because that is what it gives me.

It can be tricky because there aren’t many good cycle lanes. The lanes that are there are usually too narrow for my trike, so I either go on the footpath or the road.

Read Joanne's full story.