The new report, the Children’s Walking and Cycling Index, found a more positive picture for other types of active transport, with 86% of children having walked, wheeled or used a scooter in the previous week, 62% of them at least five times.
We’re asking local and national policymakers to act on children’s enthusiasm for cycling by making sure they invest in more traffic-free and quiet cycle paths so that more children feel safe to get on their bike and get all the lifestyle and health benefits cycling offers.”.
The study, led by the charity Sustrans, also found strong support among children for measures to help them cycle and walk, such as dedicated bike lanes, slower traffic speeds and barring motor vehicles from outside schools.
There was a much smaller gender gap for this, with 61% of girls walking, wheeling or riding a scooter at least five times, against 63% of boys, and little difference between primary and secondary age children.
Of those asked, 78% supported more separated bike lanes, 81% wanted more quiet paths for cycling, 70% backed slower traffic speeds, and 66% supported closing streets to motor traffic outside schools at pickup and drop-off times.
