Monitoring/Policy
Three-month stats show continued increase in people cycling even through winter months
20 January 2021
Our network of cycle counters shows significant increases in cycling in some areas in the last three months of 2020, and a 14 per cent increase nationally
Statistics we released today show an average increase of 14 per cent in cycling rates across Scotland from October – December 2020, compared to the same months in 2019.
Since the first lockdown in March 2020, we have released regular updates on the number of people cycling in Scotland, using data from a network of nationwide automatic cycle counters.
Even with the decrease in daylight hours throughout the months of October – December, we were pleased to see a continued rise in the number of people getting out and about on their bikes.
Increases of 22 per cent in October, 7 per cent in November, and 4 per cent in December were recorded via our network of National Monitoring Framework counters.
The top ten sites recording the largest percentage increase compared to 2019 were:
- Kingseat Road in Dunfermline: 314%
- Holmston Road in Ayr: 177%
- Morrison Way in Livingston: 131%
- Knab Road End in Shetland: 119%
- Clyde Street in Glasgow: 104%
- Clyde Walkway in Cambuslang: 100%
- Keptie Street in Arbroath: 100%
- Mugdock Wood in East Dunbartonshire: 94%
- Arbroath Road in Dundee: 86%
- Milgarholm Park in Irvine: 85%
The biggest percentage decreases in cycling rates were found on Girvan’s Victory Park Road, Dundee’s Tay Road Bridge, and Glasgow’s Bridgegate.
Full data can be accessed via the Active Travel Open Data Portal.
The National Monitoring Framework of 63 automatic cycle counters is managed by Cycling Scotland and funded by Transport Scotland, to monitor cycling rates across the country.