The UK is in the middle of a cycling boom, with bike shops up and down the country running out of equipment. While lockdown has curtailed our plans for 2020, it has seen many of us dust off our bikes and get on two wheels for our daily exercise.

Now, as we leave the worst stages of COVID-19 and prepare for a new, post-lockdown world, the Government is encouraging commuters to cycle to work. They signalled this with a £2billion package announced in May to create “a new era for cycling and walking” in our towns and cities.

While staying away from crowded busses and trains may help stop the spread of Coronavirus, that may not be the only benefit to come out of this new era of cycling. A study from Imperial College London released in May 2020 has shown that those who cycle to work will live longer, are less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, and are less likely to die from cancer.

The Cycling To Work Report 

Researchers tracked 300,000 people in England and Wales between 1991 and 2016. They found that those who cycle to work are:

• 20% less likely to die early compared to those who drove cars
• 24% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes
• 16% less likely to die from cancer

The data also showed that 66% of people drove to work, 19% used public transport, 12% walked, and 3% cycled. Men were more likely than women to drive or cycle to work, but were less likely to use public transport or walk.

Those who walked to work were also 7% less likely to be diagnosed with cancer.

Richard Patterson, who led the study, stated:

It is a good time for everyone to rethink their transport choices. With severe and prolonged limits in public transport capacity likely, switching to private car use would be disastrous for our health and the environment.

Encouraging more people to walk and cycle will help limit the longer-term consequences of the pandemic.

The positive news for those who love cycling comes as the Government is placing more emphasis on encouraging “active and greener” methods of commuting to reduce pressure on public transport. Part of the £2billion injection is a £250million “emergency active travel fund” which will see the development of more bike lanes, wider pavements, and safer junctions throughout the UK.

Dr Anthony Laverty, a senior author of the study, said:

It’s great to see the government is providing additional investment to encourage more walking and cycling during the post-lockdown period.

Whilst not everyone is able to walk or cycle to work, the government can support people to ensure that beneficial shifts in travel behaviour are sustained in the longer term.

Before the lockdown began in March only 2% of commuter journeys in the UK were completed by bike. We would hazard a guess that this figure begins to rise throughout 2020, with a near perfect storm for the future of cycling.

How can SorryMate Cycle help you?

If you have had an accident on your bike, it can often feel like there is no one to turn to, to help you get back on. SorryMate Cycle are there for cyclists who need legal advice when they have been knocked off their bike by a car, injured themselves due to potholes or poor road surfaces, or when they have been involved in an accident with other cyclists or pedestrians. 

We are cyclists, just like you, and understand the distress an accident can have. We want to make our roads safer, and we go after those who don’t.

SorryMate Cycle deal exclusively with cycle accident compensation claims. We are made up of a team of specialist personal injury cycling lawyers, registered with the SRA, that can help you recover your deserved compensation.

Find out today if you have a claim for compensation by completing an enquiry form or by calling 0800 6 300 301.