Pedalling perspectives: Unveiling the wheels of urban life – a European survey

A survey by the European Commission involved over 70,000 people in 83 cities, covering different aspects of daily life including transportation habits.

Surprisingly, only a small percentage of respondents said they use bicycles as their main mode of transport. On average, only 14 per cent of people in all surveyed cities cycle regularly.

Interestingly, cycling rates tend to be lower in larger cities, especially those with populations between one and five million.

Only a few cities, mostly in northern Europe like Groningen, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen, have high numbers of people cycling daily.

Various factors influence cycling rates.

For example, men and younger people, especially those aged 15 to 24, are more likely to cycle regularly.

People with higher education levels and those who are single also cycle more often, while retired or unemployed individuals tend to cycle less.

Despite the urgent need to tackle climate change and reduce reliance on cars, many city residents still prefer driving, with 48 per cent of respondents using cars every day.

However, car use is less common in bigger cities, partly because of good public transportation options and initiatives like congestion charges in places like London, which aim to reduce emissions and traffic.