More than 700,000 cycle trips have been made since the Cycle Superhighway between Bradford and Leeds opened in July 2016.
Those are the figures released by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority today – with more than 10,000 journeys made on the Stanningley Road section during July alone.
A press release from WYCA says record numbers have been making the most of the summer weather on Bradford and Leeds cycling infrastructure, which was either built or improved as part of the £60 million CityConnect programme aimed at encouraging more people to cycle and walk.
Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:
“We’re delighted so many people have been making the most of these routes – not to mention the great weather – and travelling in a way that boosts their health and saves them money, as well as bringing wider environmental and economic benefits.
“Since opening in July 2016 the Superhighway has been used for more than 700,000 cycle trips, opening up walking and cycling routes to some of our most disadvantaged communities and connecting people with opportunities for work, training and leisure.
“We’re putting people at the heart of what we’re doing because we want West Yorkshire to be a place where nobody is left behind and everyone benefits from a modern transport network and a strong, successful economy.”
The cycle superhighway is a partnership project with Leeds City Council and the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council.
This Wednesday (15 August) is Cycle to Work Day, which provides an opportunity to hop on a bike and see what all the fuss is about.
Meanwhile, New Wortley Community Club has received a slice of a £70,000 funding pot from City Connect to deliver a grassroots initiative enabling people to access work, school or training opportunities by cycling or walking.
Is this fact or an estimation?
Fake news. I have a shop next to the cycle lane and it is always deserted. Lost my parking space and some business for this bag of crap.
Report the truth
I commute into Leeds on this cycle lane every day.
What many people fail to realise, the reason they don’t see lines of cyclists using this infrastructure is because cycling is incredibly efficient. Cyclists have been and gone while they have been sat in queuing traffic.
Even if you have doubts about the accuracy of the headline figure, do you think there would have been more or less congestion and pollution if even half these journeys had been undertaken in cars rather than bikes?
Excellent news. Regarding the question below, the number of cyclists is recorded automatically using sensors embedded in the cycle way, hence it’s fact, not an estimation.
I’m a keen cyclist from the Bradford area and live less than a mile from the cycle lane. I have to say that this is a load of nonsense, the cycle lane is mostly deserted and littered with glass and gravel!
The cycle lane is the worst designed cycle lane I know of. I’ve had countless near misses in the lane with people stepping out from bus shelters and stepping of buses, people parking their cars in the lane, it’s an absolute death trap.
Matt, clearly many cyclists (including me) disagree with your assessment.
I used to cycle up Stanningley road everyday, and the difference now that the cycleway is in is night and day. Yes, it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough for a first attempt.
My family and I live in green hill place which is part of the so called supper highway. There are no road markings to depict the cycle lane so we have riders using the footpath more than the road . Not only is it an hazard to people leaving there driveways but also the possibility of injury to cyclists as cars reversing from there drives. Shouldn’t it be a requirement to have an audio warning system fitted to bikes?
I agree FAKE NEWS the council have to justify this expenditure so let’s bump up the usage a few thousand
Donald Trump has a lot to answer for …