The CTC today reports that official government figures show that the number of people taking to bicycles to get around has reached the highest level for 17 years.
For the period between 2007 and 2008, cycling increased by 12%. And at the same time, the number of cycling deaths dropped from 136 to 115, though there has been a 1% increase in serious and slight injuries.
“Official statistics prove that cycling is on the rise in Britain, yet casualties don’t appear to be rising at the same rate,” says CTC Policy Co-ordinator Chris Peck. “This bears out CTC’s Safety in Numbers campaign which shows increased levels of cycling and safety go hand in hand.”
CTC says these figures add weight to its Safety in Numbers campaign, which shows that cycling gets safer the more people do it. The CTC is also prompting all cyclists to ask their MPs to sign an Early Day Motion (EDM 1431) which has been tabled by Gwyn Prosser MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, in support of CTC’s ‘Safety in Numbers’ campaign.
