Over 680,000 fewer cars on city roads each day due to walkers and cyclists

Muireann Duffy

People opting to walk or cycle take around 680,000 cars off the roads of the State's five largest cities each day, a new study has found.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) published the findings of the Walking and Cycling Index on Tuesday, examining the walking, cycling and wheeling (the use of wheeled mobility aids) habits of people across the metropolitan areas of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick/Shannon and Waterford.

Across each of the five areas, more than half of adults said they walk five or more days a week, while 15 per cent said they cycle at least once a week.

The survey – conducted in collaboration by the NTA, local authorities, and sustainable transport charity Sustrans – found widespread support for measures to improve walking and cycling infrastructure, with almost three quarters of people in Dublin stating they are in favour of increased spending on such measures.

There was also agreement on how walking and wheeling could be made more accessible, with better footpath surfaces, and more places along streets to stop and rest among the recommendations.

Signed cycle routes along quieter streets, and cycling tracks along roads which are physically separated from traffic and pedestrians were suggested to incentivise cycling.

The majority of respondents said they would also support the installation of such cycle tracks, even if it meant there would be less room for other traffic.

The report found that walking, cycling and wheeling journeys taken instead of driving saved a total of 160,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions across the five areas assessed, equivalent to 2,200 flights from Dublin to London.

Overall, the NTA estimated that walking, wheeling and cycling across the five metropolitan areas equated to an annual economic benefit of €3 billion.

"It’s clear from the latest Walking and Cycling Index that more people in Ireland’s five largest cities want to cycle and walk each day," NTA chief executive Anne Graham said.

"By encouraging people to make active travel a part of their daily journey, we can all play our part in creating a more sustainable future."