Frequently asked questions

Why is data for the whole of the UK not available in the dashboards?  

Our Walking and Cycling Index reports every two years with a selection of cities and urban areas across the UK and Ireland.

Our latest Index, from 2023, covers 23 cities and urban areas and the data captured for these areas is available in the dashboard. 

The primary aim of the Index is to report data that is statistically robust at individual city or urban area level, and where possible to provide a time series of data for the same cities. 

If the same level of investment were spread evenly across the whole of the UK, data for individual places would be much less robust. 

You can see a full list of the cities and urban areas that took part on the Walking and Cycling Index page. 

 

Why is the data from 2023? Do you have more recent data available in the dashboards? 

The main Index survey is repeated biennially because two years is a sufficient period of time for behaviours and attitudes to have changed significantly. 

The last Walking and Cycling Index surveys took place in 2023, and the data currently available in the dashboard is taken from this most recent Index.  

What data is not available in the dashboards? 

Expenditure data has proven too difficult to collect by consistent definitions. 

Data from the Bike Life reports (the former name for the Walking and Cycling Index) from 2015 and 2017 has not been included at this stage. 

Some data on the environment for walking, wheeling, and cycling in each city and on the impacts of these modes of travel is shown in the reports. We are working to present this data in other dashboards. 

 

Why are some results hidden? 

When we reach a number of respondents that is fewer than 30, we do not show the chart.

This is because sample sizes below 30 are too small to draw statistical conclusions.

It also ensures that no individual responses can be identified. 

 

Who is included in ‘Any other ethnic group’? 

Only people who indicated in the Walking and Cycling Index survey that they are part of ‘Any other ethnic group’ are included.

When an ethnic group is hidden on the dashboard due to low numbers of respondents, this group is not then included in the ‘Any other ethnic group’ data. 

 

Why is there a difference in respondent number at the bottom of the filter and 'n' number for the chart? 

The number in the filter is the number of respondents that returned a questionnaire.

However, some respondents may not have answered that question because they skipped it, or it was not put to them because a previous answer they had given showed that it would be irrelevant to their circumstances. 

You may find that there are two different ‘n’ numbers displayed by a chart. This is because we have grouped some of the questions.

‘Responses to this question’ gives the number of people who responded to any of the questions in the group, whilst ‘Responses to this option’ gives the number of people who responded to the specific question you’ve selected within the group. 

 

Why does the number of respondents not match exactly with the percentages on the bar graphs? 

When the number of respondents is given, it refers to the actual number of people who responded to that question or gave a certain response.

However, when percentages for the graphs were calculated, a weighting was added to the numbers to make them more representative of the overall population. 

 

Why don’t all the charts total 100%? 

The charts on the attitudes and behaviours dashboards do not normally show respondents who answered, ‘Don’t know’ or ‘Prefer not to say’.

This is in order to improve the readability of the data. However, all respondents have been included in calculating the percentages.  

Charts may also not total 100% when answers are combined due to rounded values being added together.

 

Why are the percentage values on the dashboard different to the published values in the Walking and Cycling Index reports? 

In most cases, values in the Walking and Cycling Index reports will be the same as those in the dashboard, however in a few exceptional cases the values may differ very slightly.

This is due to the way the data has been processed to allow for clearer presentation on the dashboard when selecting the ‘Combine answers’ option. 

The discrepancies arise when the data has been rounded. In the dashboard, the values are rounded before being added together to show the combined values.

Yet in the report, rounding takes place after the values have been added together. 

 

Why can’t I replicate all the variables from the Walking and Cycling Index reports on the dashboards? 

The dashboard contains the same data as the Walking and Cycling Index reports.

However, there are limited instances where it is not possible to recreate the exact values from the published reports.

This is due to the reports publishing some combined, derived variables that are not in the raw data behind the dashboard. 

 

I am having trouble using the dashboards. Are there any tutorials or guidance? 

We have a set of video tutorials to help show you how to use the dashboard.

You can view these on our 'How to use the Walking and Cycling Index' page.

 

I would like to use this data for my thesis, dissertation, or for an academic report I’m writing. How should I credit or reference this data? 

When using any of the data from our Walking and Cycling Index data tool, you should follow the relevant referencing style and then cite the source of this data as: 

Sustrans Walking and Cycling Index. 

If citing a URL, please use: www.sustrans.org.uk/walking-cycling-index-dashboard.

 

I’m a journalist and want to use this data in an article I am publishing. Is this allowed? 

Yes, of course. All we ask is that anyone using the data from the dashboards credits it to 'Sustrans Walking and Cycling Index'. 

If citing a URL, please use: www.sustrans.org.uk/walking-cycling-index-dashboard 

 

Where can I access a complete list of options within each demographic group? 

You can find a full list of the options within each demographic group below.

These groups will be hidden on the dashboard when the number of respondents is lower than 30. 

Age (5-year bands) 

• 16-20 
• 21-25 
• 26-30 
• 31-35 
• 36-40 
• 41-45 
• 46-50 
• 51-55 
• 56-60 
• 61-65 
• 66-70
• 71-75
• 76+
• Don’t know  

Age (10 year bands) 

• 16-25 
• 26-35 
• 36-45 
• 46-55 
• 56-65 
• 66-75 
• 76+ 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Gender 

• Female 
• Male 
• In another way 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer

Transgender

• Transgender
• Not transgender

Sexual orientation  

• Heterosexual 
• Gay or Lesbian 
• Bisexual 
• Other sexual orientation 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Sexual orientation (grouped) 

• Heterosexual 
• Any other sexual orientation 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

LGBTQ+

• Non-LGBTQ+
• LGBTQ+
• Unknown

Ethnicity 

• English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British 
• Irish 
• Gypsy or Irish Traveller 
• Any other White background 
• White and Black Caribbean 
• White and Black African 
• White and Asian 
• Any other Mixed / Multiple ethnic background 
• Indian 
• Pakistani 
• Bangladeshi 
• Chinese 
• Any other Asian background 
• Caribbean 
• African 
• Somali 
• Any other Black / African / Caribbean background 
• Arab 
• Any other ethnic group 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Ethnicity (2 groups) 

• Majority 
• Minority 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Ethnicity (5 groups) 

• White 
• Mixed 
• Asian 
• Black / African / Caribbean 
• Other ethnic group 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Housing tenure 

• Owned outright (without a mortgage) 
• Owned with a mortgage or loan 
• Owned with a mortgage or loan through an affordable housing scheme 
• Rented from the council 
• Rented from someone else 
• Rent free 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Housing tenure (grouped) 

• Homeowner 
• Rented 
• Rent free 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Children in household 

• No children in household 
• Household has children 
• Don't know/ Didn't answer 

Socio-economic group 

• Socio economic group A 
• Socio economic group B 
• Socio economic group C1 
• Socio economic group C2 
• Socio economic group D 
• Socio economic group E 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Socio-economic group (grouped) 

• AB: Higher & intermediate managerial, administrative, professional occupations 
• C1: Supervisory, clerical & junior managerial, administrative, professional occupations 
• C2: Skilled manual occupations 
• DE: Semi-skilled & unskilled manual occupations, Unemployed and lowest grade occupation 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

Disability 

• Blind and partially sighted 
• Deaf and hard of hearing 
• Mobility impairment 
• Learning disability 
• Mental health condition(s) 
• None of these 
• No health condition 
• Other 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer  

Disability (grouped) 

• Has health condition 
• No health condition 
• Don’t know / Didn’t answer 

 

Can I access the raw data for the Walking and Cycling Index?

The Walking and Cycling Index dashboards offer an interactive way to explore data but do not offer the option to download datasets.

If you are interested in accessing data for in-depth analysis, please download and fill in our data request form and send your request to kate.dickins@sustrans.org.uk.

Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.

 

I have a question about the dashboard which isn’t covered here. Who should I contact? 

Please email kate.dickins@sustrans.org.uk and we will respond to your query as soon as we can.