Walking and cycling rates are no better than in 2002

walking and cycling rates have not improved in nearly two decades – throwing government targets to boost ‘active’ travel into doubt.

Figures published by the Department for Transport reveal cycling accounted for just 2 per cent of all journeys made last year, with the overall distance travelled on bicycle the same as in 2002.

The national travel survey also found the number of cycling trips made per person each year dropped from 18 in 2002 to 17 last year.

The stagnant figures come despite millions being invested in new cycle lanes – and suggest it is likely to fall well short of its target to double cycling trips between 2013 and 2025. The number of journeys made on foot has remained steady over the 17-year period, standing at 264 in 2002 and 262 in 2018.

But the distance in miles walked per person each year has risen by 2 per cent in the same period, the DfT report said.

Cars are still the most common mode of transport, accounting for around 61 per cent of average miles travelled. The number of car journeys made between 2015 and 2018, both by drivers and passengers, was up 3 per cent.

Car ownership has also risen from 1.09 cars or vans per person in 2002 to 1.21 in 2018.

and just 1.5 per cent of all cars in the Uk are electric.

Experts yesterday urged the public to adopt modes of ‘active travel’ – or the Uk will risk falling short of its new target to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Scarlett Mcnally, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and member of the Uk Health alliance on Climate Change, said: ‘active travel is the “best buy” to reduce outdoor air pollution. Exercise also greatly improves our physical and mental health, so the scale of the potential win-win effect is huge.’

She added: ‘Behaviour change may seem difficult, but we have done it for dog poo and plastic bags. The government needs to tackle the major disincentives to walking and cycling by building more safe cycle lanes, increasing cycle parking spaces and re-training drivers to protect and respect all road users.’

nicky Philpott, director of the alliance, said: ‘active travel, such as cycling and walking, not only directly improves our physical and mental health, but also contributes to reductions in hazardous emissions from diesel and petrolfuelled vehicles.

‘Boosting levels of cycling and walking is a challenge that we urge the new Transport Secretary to commit to tackling.’

Joe irvin, chief executive of walking charity living Streets, said: ‘walking is the healthiest, most environmentally-friendly way to make short journeys. More than half of car trips in England are under two miles, though 42 per cent of the public say they could make many of these journeys on foot.

‘with a growing crisis in health due to inactivity, air pollution and climate change, it’s more important than ever to make walking the natural choice for our local, everyday journeys, such as the walk to school. The government should continue to invest in cost-effective behaviour change programmes to encourage more walking.’

‘Must change our behaviour’