Walking, Cycling and Wheeling is Available to All

The final outcome is measured using the following indicators:

  • Household access to a bicycle, and
  • Perception of suitability of urban areas for walking, wheeling and cycling.

Household access to a bicycle

Data from the Scottish Household Survey shows that in 2024, 38% of individual adults had access to at least one bike for private use. Figure 34 also indicates differences in access by sex. A higher proportion of men reported having access to a bike, while the proportion of women with bike access was lower than the national figure for 2024 (35% vs 38%) – this pattern is consistent across the years.

Figure 34. Adult access to at least one bike for private use, by sex (2014-2024)

In addition, Figure 35 shows the breakdown of household access to at least one bike for private use by annual net household income. Access to bike for private use increases as income rises. In both years, those from the highest income households have the highest proportion of household access to a bike – 61% in 2024 and 58% in 2019. When comparing 2019 to 2024, there was a statistically significant increase in household access to bikes for those with an income between £25,000 and £40,000.

Figure 35. Household access to at least one bike for private use, by annual net household income (2019 and 2024) (incomes adjusted by inflation for 2024 equivalent values)

Perception of suitability of urban areas for walking, wheeling and cycling

Evidence for this indicator comes from the Walking and Cycling Index. This source provides data on whether residents feel their local area is a good or bad place to walk, wheel or cycle. The most recent data (i.e. 2025) shows that 78% of respondents believe that their local area is a good place to walk or wheel and 50% reported the same for cycling. This compares to 73% and 45% respectively in 2023.