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news
Commuter cyclistCycling to work saves over 100,000 tonnes of CO2 a year claim cycle to work scheme providers
The saving to the environment of cycling to work has been calculated by the Cycle to Work Alliance, who say that cyclists taking part in the scheme save over 100,000 tonnes of emissions between them each year by choosing to ride rather than drive.
And two thirds of those who do ride to work have saved on a car journey they would otherwise be making, the Alliance's Green Way To Work report found.
The 18,500 people rsponded to the survey and based on their answers the Cycle to Work Alliance calcluates that all those who use the scheme cycle more than 13 million miles a week.
The research also found:
54% of respondents did not cycle to work before signing up to the scheme.
72% would not have bought their bike if it had not been available through the scheme.
98% of respondents would encourage their colleagues to participate in the scheme.
Norman Baker, minister for cycling, said: “I am delighted to see that the [bikes-for-work scheme] continues to grow, and it is encouraging that findings in this report show more and more commuters are looking towards cycling as their main mode of transport to work.
“By boosting the number of people who travel to work by bike, the scheme is making a tangible contribution to addressing the government’s commitment to reduce the country’s carbon emissions and create sustainable growth.”
Steve Edgell, chair of the Cycle to Work Alliance and director of Cycle Solutions, added: “This research is important in demonstrating the benefit of the scheme in achieving the government’s sustainable transport objectives.
“It highlights how the scheme encourages commuters to give up expensive and environmentally unfriendly cars, and instead look to cycling as a sustainable alternative."
Latest Comments
- David9694 8 min 26 sec ago
Live: Car plunges over wall and lands on beach rocks...
- biking59boomer 14 min 34 sec ago
Looks like yet another bike share service that's going to fold because of selfish idiots.
- biking59boomer 18 min 16 sec ago
It would be more educational to give them a fine. They wouldn't forget that in a hurry.
- Rendel Harris 27 min 9 sec ago
Interesting article but it does in fact seem to prove that coaster brakes indeed aren't suited for descents: "the bikes’ antiquated hub coaster...
- headingley 30 min 50 sec ago
Here in Leeds the fantastic network of city centre protected cycle lanes are annually partly blocked by the Christmas Market. I can only guess what...
- quiff 4 hours 18 min ago
Fair point - I was restricting myself to pedal bikes. As I've never spent that kind of money on anything though (mortgage doesn't count), it's kind...
- brooksby 5 hours 21 min ago
And finally: I wonder how many of the "more than 3,000" signatures on that petition are actually locals, who live or work there (and are not just...
- Doug_D 6 hours 57 min ago
Another book suggestion - I can highly recommend "Lost Summers and Half-Forgotten Afternoons: A Mint Sauce collection" - a beautifully presented...
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14 comments
If we really wanted to reduce the CO2 footprint of travelling to work (because of course, CO2 is the perfect invisible enemy) then perhaps we should all try to ride British (or at least European) made bikes/parts/clothing because actually importing all of the goods from the Far East must add up and their environmental controls are most likely not as strict as in Europe.
If I travel 20 miles a day to work, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year in my Suzuki Jimny which does 28.5mpg (actual, 40mpg quoted) and produces 162 g/km of CO2 (quoted) then I produce 1143529 grams of CO2 from the burning of fuel alone. That's 1.14 tonnes of CO2 per year from driving to work based on engine emmisions only.
Provided I've got any grasp on maths at all that is. Maybe if I'm wrong someone can post up to show me why?
You also have to factor in the research and development, the drilling, the refinery's, the transport of the fuel to the filling the stations, and everything else that create's CO2 along the way....
If you could magically work it all out and add it to the CO2 of your vehicle alone over the year I'd bet the results would be surprising.
Don't get me wrong, I am not a green purist, we run two cars in our household. Ia lso think the figures quoted in this article are daft, but its not just about how much C02 your car kicks out. The real C02 culprit is industry, particularly in China, but fewer people in cars more of the time can only be a good thing.
One of the posters above me was right though. We human beings are the parasites of this world, spreading, poisoning and consuming till there will be nothing left. Enjoy it while you can. We just need a masive meteor impact, or global nuclear war to wipe us all off the face of the earth so it can start again. Well at least till our Sun turns Red Giant and obliterates the Earth anyway. Whats the point! it will all be for nothing!!
Fair point racyrich. But no, not quite, I did do it before though, but I will confess it was hit and miss and the new purchase did help re-motivate me. Sorry I'm not a purist and most probably a little flawed then.
Blimey, aren't we all a bunch of nihilistic cynics today? If it wasn't for the cycle to work scheme I'd be another muppet sat in a queue of traffic for twenty miles belching out acrid diesel fumes five days a week. If reports like this just get a dozen more people out of a car and onto a bike then maybe we won't all being going to hell quite so soon... plus we stand an ever so minute better chance of not getting knocked off by a smidsy! Oh no, the grumps are catching!
You only commute by bike because you bought your bike a bit cheaper through the scheme? That hardly elevates you to some moral high ground from which to moan at 'grumps'!
A few of us cycling makes zero difference. I am afraid the damage from the way we cant stop breeding and consuming is already huge and it will be far too late before any real steps will be taken to reduce the pollution. I pity future generations.
Im a ray of sunshine eh
The 13 million miles is based on the hundreds of thousands who have done the scheme to date. (I read the appendix to the report)
I couldn't give a shit about the environment, I just enjoy riding a bike and making sure bob crow doesn't get any of my cash
They rounded it up. The actual figure was 967.455 tonnes.
"The 18,500 respondents whose information made up the report cycled more than 13 million miles a week."
I don't believe these figures at all. It means that each of the 18500 cyclists would be doing something like 700 miles a week. And the CO2 amount is just plain ridiculous.
Couldn't give more shit about carbon dioxide.
100,000 tonnes
utter nonsense,yet another arbitrary lunatic abstract figure plucked out of the air
Humanity is going to hell in a handcart make no mistake,cycle to stinking work or not
"who say that each cyclist saves over 100,000 tonnes of emissions each year"
Don't be daft. The headline is correct - all the cyclists commuting to work save that sort of amount between them.