Bolton people cycled at least once a week last year, new figures reveal

New data from the Department of Transport shows that despite a fall nationally, according to their annual Active Lives Survey, 6.8 per cent of adults in Bolton biked at least once a week in the year to November 2021, up from 5.6 per cent the year before.

This was also a rise from 5.3 per cent in the year to November 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

Investment has gone into Bolton to make it a safer place to cycle with improvement being made at junctions in and around the town centre.

Major Bolton town centre junction closures planned

Currently work is take place at the Manchester Road junction near to Trinity Street as part of measures to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

The work is designed to link into the Cyclops, Cycle Optimised Protected Signals, junction improvements at Bradford Street/ St Peters Way and Newport Street / Trinity Street.

The idea is to create an 'orbital' cycle route that separates cyclists from other modes of traffic.

Figures nationally show the proportion of people regularly cycling has decreased compared to the year which marked the first lockdown.

Across England, the proportion of adults cycling once a week or more fell to 9.1 per cent in 2021, having remained between 11 per cent and 12 per cent since 2016.

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This was driven by fewer people cycling for leisure in particular – in the year to November 2020, 8.5 per cent of respondents were doing so weekly, but this fell to 6 per cent in 2021.

Cllr Sue Baines, Bolton Council’s executive Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: "It is interesting that nationally adult cycling rates have decreased, but here in Bolton there has been a slight increase in either adults cycling for pleasure or for commuting to their work.

"The latest Government data 31st August 2022 highlights that the North East and North West of England have reported most decreases, but it seems Bolton is bucking the regional trend a little.

"I feel this is due to the focus Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has placed on the benefits of riding a bicycle and the changes underway across GM including more “Beelines” and cycle ways.  

"The health benefits of cycling are numerous and include improved cardiovascular health, improved muscle strength and joint flexibility, all of which are important as we age.

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"Cycling can relieve stress and interestingly burns the same number of calories as running. 

"GM is offering free cycle training for adults (16+) and details can be obtained from the Bolton Council website. 

"Importantly however is the need to cycle responsibly and adhere to the Highway Code and be aware of other road users, and if you have not cycled for a while, the need to check with your doctor if you have any contra-indicated health problems."

Bolton may have seen an increase in the number of cyclists due to the enhanced cycle lanes which were installed near the train station and across the town.

Photo by Henry Lisowski: Chorley New Road cycle sign

Sustrans, a campaign group for better walking and cycling, said the figures show there is still a need to make active travel "safe, accessible, and welcoming".

A spokesperson for Sustrans said: "During the pandemic, when there were fewer cars on the road, the public took to their bikes.

"It’s sad to see this return to expensive and pollutant car-use, especially as the urgency for alternatives has only increased, alongside the cost of living."

The National Travel Survey, also compiled by the Department for Transport, shows people in England on average drove 300 times in 2021, a rise on 295 the year before, but still far fewer than the 380 trips taken by car in 2019.

Edmund King, president of the AA motoring association, said the Government has missed a chance to better promote walking and cycling.

Mr King said: “The reversal of lockdown trends points to the Government and councils’ failure to seize the opportunity to ingrain and promote more of those changed behaviours into the way the UK travels.”

Analysis by the AA suggests that even the rising cost of fuel may not push drivers to swap four wheels for two.

In July the organisation polled more than 15,000 drivers, finding that just two per cent had switched to walking or cycling as a result of higher fuel prices.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The Government is investing a record £2 billion over this Parliament to enable more walking, wheeling and cycling through better infrastructure, cycle training and active travel prescriptions.

“Though cycling levels have returned from the exceptional levels we saw during the pandemic, we remain fully confident our investment will enable many more people to choose walking and cycling for everyday journeys by 2030.”