Cycling provides an environmentally friendly alternative mode of transport while delivering health and fitness benefits to the community. The NSW Government through the RTA is committed to improving bike facilities for bicycle riders and making it safer to ride. The NSW Government aims to create a series of connecting cycleways for bicycle riders. Initially the government planned to deliver an average of 200 kilometres of cycling facilities a year over ten years but has been able to deliver an average of 233 kilometres of cycling facilities a year.
The ‘Cycling in Sydney’ document provides the latest information on bicycle use, ownership and the demographics of bicycle riders in the Sydney metropolitan area. The document also shows findings from the latest Household Travel Survey which shows an increase in trends towards the number of people cycling and the number of cycling trips undertaken in the Sydney metropolitan area. This indicates growing support for cycling in Sydney.
A summary of findings:
- In 2005 Sydney residents made over 120,000 bike trips on an average weekday and almost 160,000 bike trips on an average weekend.
- Bicycle trips account for about 1per cent of trips per day.
- Although accounting for a small share of the total transport task, bicycle use is growing fast, 23 per cent on weekdays and 58 per cent on weekend days since 2001.
- This brought weekday bicycle mode share from 0.62 per cent in 2001 to 0.71 per cent in 2005. Over the same period weekend bicycle mode share went from 0.79 per cent to 1.1 per cent.
- The growth in bicycle travel is supported by increased bicycle availability, with more households owning more bikes.
- Household bicycle ownership rose from 1,225,000 (0.82 per household) in 2001 to 1,480,000 (0.96 per household) in 2005.
- In 2005 42 per cent of Sydney households owned at least one bicycle, up from 37 per cent in 2001.
- Despite declining household size, the proportion of households owning two or more bikes grew by 18 per cent.
- Cycling for social and recreational purposes remains the single most reported reason for bicycle travel, especially on weekends. In 2005, 75 per cent of bicycle trips were for social and recreational purposes.
- Males and teenagers still make up the majority of bike users, but more females and people of all ages are taking to cycling.
The ‘Cycling in Sydney’ document also includes measurements of bike usage using bicycle counters, which also reveals increases in cycling usage in the Sydney metropolitan area.
For further information on bicycle ownership and use data please contact:
Transport Data Centre – Ministry of Transport
www.transport.nsw.gov.au/tdc
Ph 02 9268 2211
Fax 02 9268 2839
Email tdcinfo@transport.nsw.gov.au
For information on bicycle policy and bicycle usage from RTA bicycle counters please contact:
Ph 13 22 13
email bicycles@rta.nsw.gov.au
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