§ Lord Reaasked Her Majesty's Government:
What figures are available for the ownership or use of pedal cycles in the United Kingdom for each of the past 10 years.
§ Viscount DavidsonThere are no annual figures for cycle ownership. Cyclists are not licensed, nor are bicycles registered, so their numbers can only be estimated from surveys. The following details have been derived from the National Travel Surveys:—
258WA
Number of bicycles in GB Million 1975–76 7.32 1978–79 9.47 1985–86 13.14 The estimated volume of pedal cycle traffic is published annually in the Government's Transport Statistics (HMSO). Figures for 1978 and the period 1984–1988, are:
Billion vehicle kilometers Kilometres 1978 5.11 1984 6.41 1985 6.08 1986 5.48 1987 5.74 1988 4.97 It is estimated that some 11 million people cycle on Britain's roads at least once a year. In an average week about 3.6 million of them use their bicycles. Over 1 million people cycle to work regularly.