Up to 660,000 cars taken off Irish roads daily by those who walk, wheel or cycle, survey finds

Ellen O'Donoghue

People who walk, wheel or cycle to work when they could have used a car take up to 660,000 cars off the road every day in Ireland's five largest metropolitan areas, according to a new survey.

The National Transport Authority published the findings of the Walking and Cycling Index on Tuesday, which provides an assessment of walking, wheeling, and cycling in Ireland.

Wheeling refers to the use of wheeled mobility aids.

The index covers the Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick/Shannon and Waterford metropolitan areas, and was delivered in collaboration with local authorities, the NTA and sustainable transport charity Walk Wheel Cycle.

The areas included represent 42 per cent of the state's population.

The number of adult residents walking or wheeling at least five times a week ranges from 70 per cent in the Dublin metropolitan area to 45 per cent in the Waterford metropolitan area.

Those who cycle at least once a week range from 25 per cent in Dublin to 12 per cent in Waterford.

The survey also indicated a high level of support for more government spending on walking and wheeling, ranging from 78 per cent in Waterford to 64 per cent in Limerick/Shannon.

A similar level of support for additional spending on cycling was also noted, ranging from 74 per cent in Waterford to 54 per cent in Limerick/Shannon.

The survey pointed to people's continuing desire to walk or wheel more in the future, ranging from 52 per cent in Cork to 41 per cent in Limerick/Shannon, while residents' desire to cycle more ranged from 38 per cent in Cork and Galway to 27 per cent in Limerick/Shannon.

The annual economic benefits from people walking, wheeling and cycling to individuals and society in the five metropolitan areas each year are almost €3 billion, according to the survey.

The Walking and Cycling Index uses a model to understand the costs and benefits of driving, walking, wheeling and cycling.

Its inputs include travel time, vehicle operating costs, health benefits, air quality and taxation.

In health terms alone, according to the survey, each year, people walking and cycling in metropolitan areas prevent a total of 5,874 serious long-term health conditions.

The cost saving to the HSE is estimated at €75 million.

The report also found that walking, wheeling and cycling saved a total of 120,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions across the five metropolitan areas, equivalent to 1,500,000 flights from Dublin to London.

Across all five Irish metropolitan areas, residents gave similar answers as to what would help them walk or wheel more.

Better footpath surfaces, including dropped kerbs at crossing points, fewer cars parked on footpaths, and more frequent crossing points with reduced wait times and nicer places along streets to stop and rest were some of the reasons given.

Residents also gave similar answers to what would help them cycle more, with infrastructural improvements such as traffic-free paths through parks or greenways, signed cycle routes along quieter streets, and cycle tracks along roads physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, some of the reasons given.

There was also strong support for building cycle tracks physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even when that means less room for traffic, ranging from 86 per cent in Waterford to 69 per cent in Limerick/Shannon.

In Dublin, up to 510,00 non-leisure return walking, wheeling and cycling trips are made daily by residents who could have used a car.

12 per cent of adult residents in Dublin cycle at least five or more days a week, up from 8 per cent in 2023.

Older people remain engaged in active travel, with 62 per cent of residents aged 66 and over walking or wheeling at least five days a week, and 12 per cent of residents aged 66 or over cycling at least once a week.

In Cork, residents walking, wheeling, and cycling create an annual economic benefit of €415.9 million.

The Cork Walking and Cycling Index found a marked increase in women walking, with 69 per cent of women saying they walk or wheel five or more days a week. This is up from 52 per cent in 2023.

Nine per cent of adults aged 66 or over in the area cycle at least once a week, up from five per cent in 2023.

Walking, wheeling and cycling in Cork saves 13,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in Cork each year, equivalent to around 130,000 residents flying from Cork Airport to London Heathrow Airport.

In Limerick/Shannon, 64 per cent of residents were in favour of additional investment in walking and wheeling, with 54 per cent in favour of additional investment in cycling.

Walking, wheeling and cycling in Limerick/Shannon prevents 325 long-term health conditions annually, valued at around €4.1 million, or the cost of over 68,000 GP appointments.

The number of young people aged 16-25 in the Limerick/Shannon metropolitan area who cycle at least once a week has increased to 33 per cent, up from 27 per cent in 2023.

In Galway, 67 per cent of residents walk or wheel at least five times a week, up from 60 per cent in 2023. The survey also revealed that 21 per cent of adult residents cycle at least once a week.

The Index showed strong support (82 per cent) amongst residents in Galway for building cycle tracks physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even where it means less room for other traffic.

The survey revealed that 78 per cent of residents in Waterford are in favour of additional investment in walking and wheeling, up from 68 per cent in 2023, while 74 per cent of residents are in favour of additional investment in cycling.

More than half of Waterford residents want to walk or wheel more, and a third want to cycle more.

Those who walk, wheel or cycle for non-leisure trips in Waterford when they could have used a car take up to 15,000 cars off the road every day.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien commended the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and the National Transport Authority for their work in collating the reports.

"I look forward to seeing more and more people choosing to walk, wheel and cycle as part of their daily commute," O'Brien said.

The NTA's chief executive, Anne Shaw, said that they will use the data collected in the survey "to guide our work as we continue to deliver high quality walking and cycling infrastructure, more safer routes to school, and active travel networks that connect people’s homes with their work, school and local amenities."