The Government has today (Monday 24 November) published National Transport Model (NTM) figures projecting that the average number and length of cycle trips will drop over the next 25 years while car use grows. This follows a written Parliamentary question at the request of CTC, the national cycling charity, tabled by Dr Julian Huppert MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group.

The figures show the average amount of cycle trips is set to decrease from 22.1 per person annually in 2015 to 20.5 in 2040, with the average length decreasing from 2.5 miles to 2.2 miles over the same period. Car driving is set to increase from 447.6 trips to 507, with the average journey length increasing from 9.0 miles to 9.2 miles. The forecasts do not account for the Department’s Cycling Delivery Plan, as this is still in development.

Roger Geffen, Campaigns and Policy Director at CTC said:

“These figures show the glaring mismatch between the Prime Minister’s aspiration for a ‘cycling revolution’ and the DfT’s predictions where the ‘revolution’ has failed to start and is even rolling backwards.

“Public health professionals are flagging up an obesity time bomb. Big business is calling for investment in cycling. Now is the time for Government to provide the funding, leadership and ambition in their 10 year cycle plan that CTC has long been calling for.”

For the full question and Government response see the Parliament.uk website: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-18/214853/