Getting the British back on bicycles—The effects of urban traffic-free paths on everyday cycling

The UK National Cycle Network (NCN) developed by the transport organisation, Sustrans, is a significant policy intervention aimed at encouraging cycling. Around half of the population is purported to live within one mile of the 20,000km Network. Traffic-free paths (separated from the public highway away from motor traffic) form about one third of the Network but account for around 80% of trips. The importance of NCN urban traffic-free paths in encouraging people to cycle is often assumed but despite large aggregate datasets characterising users, there is no research on the effects on the local communities which they serve. This paper presents research which aimed to identify the contribution of a typical section of NCN urban traffic-free path in encouraging cycling for everyday travel amongst a community living adjacent to this type of intervention.