2019 Bristol Making tracks Our vision for cycling in Bristol We have made huge Bristol is sustaining achievements in its recognition transport in Bristol as a cycling city, over recent years, continuing to attract particularly in cycling. high levels of walking and cycling to work We were the first compared with other Cycling City in the UK, large UK cities. As the city which brought high levels continues to grow, the numbers of people of investment in cycling infrastructure and walking and cycling is increasing, contributing promotion – doubling cycle journeys. to minimising congestion in Bristol. This is just the start. I want to support cycling as a means to We are developing thousands of new homes connect people from where they live to where and jobs and there will continue to be more they want to go for many different journey people navigating an already congested purposes. We have an air quality issue in network. We need to encourage more people the city and promoting cycling through better to cycle to help minimise congestion as the infrastructure and engagement to enable all city grows, but we need to ensure cycling is a our citizens to travel by bike, where possible, realistic option and practical for more journeys. can help to tackle this issue. We will continue to work with our citizens and We have created the One City Plan with stakeholders to identify barriers to cycling and partners and stakeholders from across Bristol seek to overcome them to get more people on to set ambitious targets to tackle congestion bikes in Bristol. and increase travel by sustainable modes. Increasing cycling is fundamental to achieving Councillor Kye Dudd these targets. Cabinet Member for Transport Marvin Rees Mayor of Bristol 2 Contents 4 Report summary 12 Barriers 6 Realising benefits 14 Solutions 8 Cycling participation 17 Improving cycling 10 Social inequality and mobility 19 Bike to the future Introducing Bike Life Bike Life is the biggest assessment of cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland. It is delivered by Sustrans in collaboration with 17 cities and urban areas. Each city* reports on progress towards making cycling an attractive and everyday means of travel. Bike Life reports every two years. In 2015 and Inverness 2017 seven cities published reports. Glasgow, Perth and Stirling followed and published their Perth Dundee first reports in 2018. Stirling Glasgow Edinburgh Fourteen areas are participating in Bike Life in 2019. This includes our first Tyneside London borough, Tower Hamlets, and Belfast our first city outside of the UK, Dublin Liverpool Metropolitan Area. Dublin City Region Greater Metropolitan Manchester This is the third report from Bristol, Area produced in partnership with Bristol West Midlands Greater City Council. The information in this Cambridge report comes from local cycling data, Cardiff Bristol modelling and an independent survey of Tower Hamlets 1,440 residents aged 16 or above in Bristol.** Southampton City Region The survey was conducted by social research organisation NatCen and is representative of Bristol residents, not just those who cycle. More details on all Bike Life reports can be found at www.sustrans.org.uk/bike-life. Our thanks to the people of Bristol who took part in the survey and shared their stories with us. *City is used as a shorthand for Bike Life cities, city regions and boroughs. **Survey conducted April–July 2019. Bike Life Bristol 2019 3 Avonmouth Southmead Report Hospital summary Bristol Temple Meads Population* Survey area 459,252 Imperial Retail Park Everyone benefits when more people cycle Every day, cycling in Bristol Every year, cycling: There is significant appetite takes up to in Bristol for cycling. prevents 222 serious long-term health conditions 28% 28,000 cars saves 15,000 tonnes of of residents cycle at least once a week off the road greenhouse gas emissions Based on cycling by residents that £ live in a household with a car. Does £ creates £69.5 million 23% not include leisure cycling trips. in economic benefit for don’t cycle but would like to individuals and the city Safety concerns stop cycling being a genuine travel choice for many residents Many residents are less likely Proportion of residents Proportion of residents to cycle regularly, for example who cycle at least who think cycle safety women and disabled people. once a week needs improving 19% of women 72% of women However, all groups want cycling safety to be improved. 37% of men 68% of men 17% of disabled people 70% of disabled people 31% of non-disabled people 70% of non-disabled people To help residents to cycle more we need better cycling infrastructure 82% 70% 12 miles think that more cycle tracks support building more of of cycle tracks along roads along roads physically these tracks, even when physically separated from separated from traffic and this means less room traffic and pedestrians pedestrians would be useful for other road traffic** currently exist to help them cycle more in Bristol *NOMIS mid-year 2017 population estimate. This is the most recent available for all Bike Life areas. 4 ** Please note this question has changed since 2017 from ‘could mean’ to ‘would mean’. See Bike Life methodology for further details. People from socio-economic groups D and E are most likely to suffer the impacts of higher traffic levels,† yet are least likely to own a car Proportion of residents from socio-economic groups 74% Cycling as a mode of transport AB or DE who have a car of residents from is ideally suited to urban life. or van in their household socio-economic groups D and E never cycle, but Cities that are designed 89% of people from groups AB for cycling can help many 60% of people from groups DE 35% residents access everyday would like to start services and reduce social Not having a car can increase This is equal to and economic isolation. the risk of social exclusion, debt and transport poverty.†† 32,000 adults Socio-economic group is a classification based on occupation maintained by the Market Research Society. Groups A and B are professional and managerial. Groups D and E are semi-skilled and unskilled manual occupations and people not in employment. Bristol residents believe improving their streets for cycling and walking would make their area a better place to live, work or visit 66% 73% 51% think more cycling would think space should be think streets outside make their area a better increased for people local schools should be place to live and work socialising, cycling closed to cars during drop and walking on their off and pick up times 66% local high street think fewer motor 51% vehicles on our streets think speed limits should would be useful to help be reduced on local roads them cycle more Residents would like to see more government Craig Pilkington spending on public transport, cycling and walking For many, the barrier to cycling is that they feel 80% Public transport unsafe on the roads, so safer and more pleasant 62% Cycling routes are important 57% Walking in encouraging people to cycle. 30% Driving †Glasgow Centre for Population Health, 2013. The built environment and health: an evidence review. Bike Life Bristol 2019 ††Sustrans, 2012. Locked Out Report. 5 Realising benefits Why everyone gains when more people cycle Bristol residents cycle 11 times around the world every day 66% Annual trips by purpose* agree that more Leisure: 3,100,000 Work: cycling would 13,500,000 make Bristol a 10% 46% better place to live and work Shopping, 29.6 million personal business and social trips: trips 10,300,000 made by cycle in Bristol in the 35% past year, which adds up to 96.7 million School, college or miles School (child): 860,000 university (adult): = 270,000 miles a day 3% 1,800,000 6% Cycling keeps Bristol moving Studies show cycling frees up road space If these cars were all in a in comparison to driving.** This helps to traffic jam it would tail back keep Bristol moving for all road users. 85 miles 28,000 return cycle trips equivalent to the distance are made daily in Bristol by people that could from Bristol to Warwick have used a car *Leisure trips include adults and children. Education trips are shown separately for adults and children. All other trips are just adults. 6 **Litman, 2017. Evaluating Transportation Land Use Impacts. Based upon Eric Bruun and Vuchic, 1995. The Time-Area Concept. Cycling unlocks health benefits for everyone Cycling in Bristol prevents 222 serious In Bristol the physical activity benefits long-term health conditions each year of cycling 67 prevent 27 early 52 48 deaths annually 26 28 which is valued at † Cases prevented £94.6 million Hip fracture Dementia Depression Coronary Other More people cycling improves air quality: heart conditions ‘Other conditions’ includes type 2 disease diabetes, stroke, breast cancer, 31,000 kg of NOx colorectal cancer. and Saving the NHS in Bristol 4,200 kg of particulates (PM10 and PM2.5) saved annually £1.5 million per year Around 300 deaths each year in the City of equivalent to the cost of Bristol can be attributed to exposure to both 49,000 GP nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter. This represents about 8.5% of all deaths appointments in the city. Based on Sport England MOVES tool which shows the return From Air Quality Consultants, 2017, Health on investment for health of sport and physical activity. Impacts of Air Pollution in Bristol. Cycling helps reduce the impact of our climate crisis 15,000 tonnes Transport now accounts for 27% of the UK’s of greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions, of which the methane and nitrous oxide) saved annually, main sources are petrol and diesel cars.