URL:

http://www.utsg.net/publication.php?Year=2007

Keywords:

policy

Abstract:

A model has been constructed that relates the proportion of bicycle journeys to work for English and Welsh wards to relevant socio-economic, transport and physical variables. The model uses 2001 census data and is based on the logit model with a saturation level estimated by the model. Socio-economic class, ethnicity and income deprivation influence cycle use, and their effects point to issues of culture and conformity as being important. While females may be more aware of risk, it is possibly the attractiveness and comfort of off-road routes which could be an important choice factor. Greater distance to work, hilliness and the physical condition of the road are linked with lower levels of cycling and confirm the importance of comfort and effort as attributes of cycling which need to be accounted for in mode and route choice models. An upper bound of journeys to work by bicycle of broadly 50% has been estimated. The development of the model is presented elsewhere, and this paper considers the model’s policy implications for promoting cycling.