Majority of people from Leeds don’t feel safe cycling on UK roads

In 2021 about 6.5 million people cycled for sport, leisure or travel, in England but new research commissioned by national law firm Simpson Millar has revealed the concerns which are higher than the national average of 57.6 per cent.

Commenting on the survey findings, the firm’s head of personal injury law Melanie Burden, said: “Cycling is incredibly popular in the UK.

"It’s great for exercise, a fantastic transport mode, and we have some of the most incredible countryside for people to explore.

"We want to encourage more people to get on their bikes and enjoy cycling.

“However, there is clearly work to be done by the Government and local authorities to do more to encourage more people to get on their bikes and to make the roads safer for all road users.

“This report shows that there is a real need for a better infrastructure to be put in place for cycling, as it is across mainland Europe, to head off the climate crisis, enable people to save money and reduce traffic by leaving their cars at home and creating a healthier population that costs the NHS less money and benefits us all.”

According to the survey of 2,000 participants, pedal bike users feel most vulnerable on city centre roads where there is no dedicated cycle way, and at roundabouts.The survey also revealed that around a third (28.9 per cent) of cyclists felt vulnerable on rural roads, a concern backed up by government data which shows that between 2015 and 2020, 56 per cent of pedal cycle fatalities occurred on rural roads compared to 29 per cent of traffic.

Those taking part in the survey were asked what additional measures should be brought in to help make cycling feel safer, with a significant number of participants voting for more cycle lanes on busy routes (49.7 per cent).

Wider cycle lanes (37.8 per cent), compulsory use of bicycle taillights and indicators (33.1 per cent), and more cycle-friendly junctions/roundabouts (32.3 per cent) were also popular options.

According to the Department for Transport (DfT), in 2021 111 pedal cyclists were killed and 4,353 were reported to be seriously injured in Great Britain, and the latest provisional report released in November 2022 shows that there were 99 fatalities in the year ending June 2022.

Some people in Leeds are acting on concerns regarding the safety of taking a pedal bike out on the road, with the Simpson Millar survey showing that 7.5 per cent of local participants who used to cycle frequently ‘don’t anymore due to safety concerns’. Higher than the national average of 6.6 per cent.

While the data also shows that pedal cycle traffic grew by 62 per cent between 2004 and 2021, analysis of the Simpson Millar survey findings shows that in Leeds 7.5 per cent of cyclists have quit over safety concerns. That is higher than the national average of 6 per cent of cyclists.

Leeds City Council has pledged to make Leeds a cycle friendly city by embracing cycling as a normal everyday activity for everyone.

It has developed a strategy in partnership with businesses, charities and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

A full network of cycle lanes and routes in the city can be found on the council website.