The Children's Walking and Cycling Index
We've created the first ever Children’s Walking and Cycling Index, designed to help us understand the behaviours, barriers and attitudes affecting how children walk, wheel and cycle in the UK.
Children are often overlooked by decision-makers in transport except on journeys to and from school.
This leaves out the role that travel plays in their day-to-day lives, supporting development of their independence, socialisation skills, overall mental health and wellbeing, and reducing the family workload.
This new report gives a voice to children across the UK.
And by listening to young people, decision-makers can change how they approach children’s journeys so we can make walking, wheeling and cycling a more attractive, and everyday way for children to travel.
Lily, Swansea
The friendship group that I tend to hang out with around the skate park is gender mixed, and I see the difference in the way we travel.
I think many girls my age don’t really tend to cycle or use bikes. I think this is because our clothes don’t really allow us to, especially if we’re wearing skirts. And it seems a lot of the equipment for cycling is made for men instead of women.
It’s not really seen as cool and we can be quite self-conscious about that.
What is the Children's Walking and Cycling Index?
This disconnect between children’s needs and the current state of transport systems is not just a matter of convenience, but of health, environmental sustainability, and the overall wellbeing of future generations.
The report, sponsored by Halfords, follows on from our original Walking and Cycling Index.
It’s the UK’s biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling and has been in circulation for over 10 years.
What the report tells us
81%
of children want more traffic-free paths and quiet routes for walking and cycling
78%
of children want more cycle paths along roads physically separated from cars
51%
of children want to cycle more
48%
of children cycle at least once a week
Download the Children's Walking and Cycling Index report
The Children's Walking and Cycling Index is designed to understand the behaviours, barriers and attitudes affecting how children walk, wheel and cycle in the UK.
Children’s needs must be prioritised
We're calling for children’s needs to be prioritised when councils are planning transport improvements in their area.
Transport design that is inclusive for children is safer and more accessible for everyone, opening up opportunities for healthier lives through giving people a real choice about how they make short journeys in their area.
Amid an obesity epidemic and an urgent need to reduce pressure on the National Health Service, walking and cycling offers both a prevention and a solution to poor health that is important to the mission of every government in the UK to improve people’s health.
James, Birmingham
When I joined school in year seven, I wanted to cycle in, but my parents decided it was too dangerous.
But then new cycle paths were put in on my route and that convinced them to let me cycle. I'm now able to control what time I leave, not having to worry about buses being late.
As well as getting new cycle paths, I think we need to maintain the ones that we have, so that they're safe.
I hope that conditions of the road improve so more people can cycle to school and experience the joy that I have on my cycle.
Hear from three young people across the UK
Hear from three young people across the UK on how they travel and what they think about walking, wheeling and cycling.
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If you've got a question about the Children's Walking and Cycling Index, please get in touch.