Some recent stats from the European Cyclists Federation website.
Economy & Job Creation.
Cycling is good for the rural economy. A visiting cyclist spends an average of £25/day on locally provided food and services, compared to car-borne visitor’s £7.30. Car users bring what they’ll need with them, whereas cyclists can’t. Because of the exercise: cyclists feel hungrier when they stop and that they’ve earned the right to pamper themselves.
According to a 2014 European Cycling Federation Report, Europe’s cycling industry now employs some 655,000 people – more than mining and quarrying and almost twice as many as the steel industry. This includes bicycle manufacture , tourism, retail, infrastructure and services
In Scotland, cycle tourism generates over £200m pa – more than the Whisky industry
Health.
The health benefits of cycling outweigh the safety risks by a factor of 20 to one.
Cyclists on average live two years longer than non-cyclists and take 15% fewer days off work through illness
An adult who cycles regularly will typically have a level of fitness equivalent to being 10 years younger.
Countries with the highest levels of cycling and walking generally have the lowest obesity rates.
Cycling has a positive effect on emotional health – improving levels of well-being, self-confidence and tolerance to stress while reducing tiredness, difficulties with sleep and a range of medical symptoms.
People cycling to work ‘mortality rate is 28% below the average population.
Walking and cycling have benefits at the population level. As has been the case for decades, the biggest impact at the public health level would come from increasing the levels of walking and cycling by those population groups who do the least walking and cycling.
Carbon Emissions.
When the complete life cycle of the following modes are taken into account, the carbon emissions are approximately:
- Bicycle: 21 g CO2/passenger/km travelled
- Electric-assist bicycle: 22 g CO2/passenger/km travelled
- Passenger car: 271 g CO2/passenger/km travelled
- Bus: 101 CO2/passenger/km travelled
A bicycle commuter who rides 8 Km to work, four days a week, avoids 3220 Km of driving a year, the equivalent of 380 L of fuel saved and 750Kg of CO2 emissions avoided.
