More effort is needed to protect active commuters, scientists say

More must be done to protect cycling commuters, researchers have said, after a new study examined the risks and benefits of travelling to work by bike.

Cycling commuters have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death.

But their risk of injury was found to be higher than those who commute by car or bus.

Researchers examined data on 230,390 commuters taking part in the UK Biobank study.

The team from Glasgow University found that 2.5% (5,704 people) cycled to work.

After an average follow-up period of almost nine years they found that 4.4% of all the study participants had at least one hospital admission for an injury or had died as a result of injury.

Injuries were experienced by 7% of those who cycled compared to 4.3% of people who used a “non-active” mode of transport.

Commuters who cycled to work were estimated to have a 45% increased risk of injury compared with “non-active” commuters.

The risk was also found to be higher with a longer commute.

But commuters who cycled to work had a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and death compared to non-active commuters.

Those who rode a bike to work were found to have a 21% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, were 11% less likely to have had a first cancer diagnosis and were estimated to have a 12% reduced risk of premature death, compared to those who opted for a car or bus.

The authors estimated that if 1,000 people changed their mode of commuting to include cycling for 10 years, there would be 26 additional week-long hospital visits for injury.