On your bike, it’s the way ahead

CYCLING initiatives are growing in popularity as efforts are made to encourage people to ditch their cars.

The take-up of bike share schemes rose by up to 60 per cent in some areas, environmental charity CoMoUK found, while car club membership has also soared over the past five years.

It is estimated the move away from cars north of the Border has saved 3,620 tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to grounding 674 return flights from Glasgow to New York.

In a survey of bike share users in the UK, 64 per cent reported an increase in the amount they cycle as a result of using a scheme, while 44 per cent said it was the trigger that got them cycling again.

And 28 per cent of those surveyed said they previously commuted by car, while 36 per cent said they used their car less.

The report also found using a bike share scheme had made more than 60 per cent of people’s journeys quicker and easier.

The survey was completed by 799 users of Scottish share schemes. The majority of these were from Glasgow, with 69 per cent, while 17 per cent were from Edinburgh and 14 per cent from Stirling.

Lorna Finlayson, CoMoUK’s Scotland director, said: ‘Bike share plays an important role in getting people to change their attitudes towards travel.

‘Bike share offers a flexible solution. They often fit seamlessly into people’s commutes where they may also be travelling on train or bus, for example, to help them get to where they need to be.’

Meanwhile, more than 25,000 people are now part of car clubs in the country, more than double the number in 2017.

Miss Finlayson said: ‘Scottish car clubs are playing a vital role in tackling some of the major transport problems the country is facing, primarily carbon emissions, congestion and poor air quality.’