AVZ Briefing-DfT 2024 National Travel Survey findings

25th November 2025

To download this briefing as a pdf click here

Key findings

Compared to 2002, the gender gap in cycling is widening and has worsened in 2024.
In 2024, females cycled 34% as often as males and covered 22% the distance; both of these were lower than in 2002 and most of the years in between.
There was little difference between genders in what they reported as the main barriers and the main encouragement sources for cycling. And whilst about a quarter who do not cycle cited no interest in cycling, a higher share (41% females and 39% males) reported none of the measures proposed would encourage them to cycle.
For those open to cycling, safer roads (slower speeds, less traffic and more considerate driving) ranked higher than cycling infrastructure (i.e. lanes and paths) as an encouragement source.

The latest DfT National Travel Survey findings on Active Travel, published in August 2025, show cause for concern. This may be due to the sample surveyed but it merits attention, given the role cycling infrastructure is expected to have in delivering the much desired increase in cycling.

Average annual cycle trips and distance (Tables 1 and 2)

Females

In 2024, females in England averaged 8 cycle trips a year and covered 19 miles.
Compared to 2002, this was 29% fewer trips but the distance had not reduced.
The pandemic year of 2020 was the only time when the number of cycling trips were higher than in 2002.
Average distance cycled has increased in between and more than doubled between 2019-2020.
But the distance has fallen in the last two years from 25 miles to 19 miles, the same as in 2002.
So fewer cycle trips are being made by females but those being taken are longer.

Compared to males

In 2024, females made 34% of the cycle trips that males did and averaged a cycling distance only 22% of that of males.
Both were lower than in 2002, when females cycled 44% as often as males and 33% the distance.
While the average number of cycle trips by males had also decreased over the last 22 years, their average distance had increased to 87 miles, up 49%.
Both females and males reported fewer cycle trips in 2024 than in 2022, but the decrease is greater for females. And the average distance cycled increased for males but not for females.

Main barriers and encouragement sources (Tables 3 and 4)

The most common barrier was “no interest in cycling” with 27% females and 25% males reporting this in 2022 (the last year with data). When asked about what would encourage them to cycle, the highest share was amongst those who reported none of the options (41% females and 39% males).
Road safety concerns were the second most common barrier (14% females and 11% males). Lack of cycle paths and quality of cycle paths scored much lower. And it was safer roads, defined as slower speeds, less traffic and more considerate driving, which was the most popular source of encouragement (after none), rising to 26% for both genders in 2022. Off road and segregated cycle paths came next, at 11% for both genders, followed by safe cycle lanes (8% for both genders).
See below for more information about the barriers to cycling and encouragement sources.

Thanks to DfT for undertaking this research and publishing the results.

Table 1: Average annual cycle trips by gender, England