Cycle Usage Trends

[Sharky]

Just received the CTC news bulletin including the following trends.
Quite surprising for me, when there is supposed to be a boom in cycling now, but look back to 1949, unbelievable high volumes. Must have been quite something to be a cyclist in those days, especially when motor volumes were much lower.

But how do they collect the data. Is somebody watching me?
There seems to be a blip in 1950 - I can explain that one - my mum stopped cycling when I was born.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Just received the CTC news bulletin including the following trends.
Quite surprising for me, when there is supposed to be a boom in cycling now, but look back to 1949, unbelievable high volumes. Must have been quite something to be a cyclist in those days, especially when motor volumes were much lower.

But how do they collect the data. Is somebody watching me?
There seems to be a blip in 1950 - I can explain that one - my mum stopped cycling when I was born.

View attachment 132800

The circa '76 blip might be due to the rising price of oil?
The circa '82 blip due to the BMX and the start of the MTB boom.

 

[Fab Foodie]

On reflection I'm pretty surprised that 2015 has only just reached '82 levels ....

 

[Lonestar]

I don't remember lots of people cycling in '82..Then again I was cycle commuting to Seven Kings at the time.Not into London as nowadays where it's more noticeable.What about up narf...was it more common there?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I don't remember lots of people cycling in '82..Then again I was cycle commuting to Seven Kings at the time.Not into London as nowadays where it's more noticeable.What about up narf...was it more common there?

I was cycle commuting from Clapham to The Elephant in 82 to 84 and it was reasonably busy at that time. Nothing like now though. However, it got pretty violent on the road. Drivers are certainly better now than then.

 

[Lonestar]

I was cycle commuting from Clapham to The Elephant in 82 to 84 and it was reasonably busy at that time. Nothing like now though. However, it got pretty violent on the road. Drivers are certainly better now than then.

Oh I agree but I guess the route I was using was more out of London so not so busy.

 

[psmiffy]

I was cycle commuting from Clapham to The Elephant in 82 to 84 and it was reasonably busy at that time. Nothing like now though. However, it got pretty violent on the road. Drivers are certainly better now than then.

I was commuting Fulham Road to Blackfriars Road at that time - There were not a lot of other cyclists on my route - Apart from the occasional black cab being out of order it was very pleasant - no problems locking bike outside Lords or the Oval for last session

Edit - on reflection the worst hazard were the double deckers driven like those little whizzy hatchbacks that are prevalent these days - and the pedestrians doing flying dismounts/mounts out/onto the open back

 

[Fab Foodie]

I was commuting Fulham Road to Blackfriars Road at that time - There were not a lot of other cyclists on my route - Apart from the occasional black cab being out of order it was very pleasant - no problems locking bike outside Lords or the Oval for last session

Edit - on reflection the worst hazard were the double deckers driven like those little whizzy hatchbacks that are prevalent these days - and the pedestrians doing flying dismounts/mounts out/onto the open back

There was quite a peleton up the A24 following the Northern line. The fact that there was a lot of bus lane may have helped. Slip-streaming buses was good sport!

 

[Sharky]

That peak in 1976, wasn't that the time of the rail strikes? I remember commuting into London around then, when the strikes were on.

 

[Fab Foodie]

That peak in 1976, wasn't that the time of the rail strikes? I remember commuting into London around then, when the strikes were on.

Could be. The oil crisis was 1973 ....

 

[Lonestar]

Also rail strikes in 1982 delayed my starting on the railway.

 

[jefmcg]

I think this is useful too in understanding the start of the chart ...

• 1 June 1945: The basic petrol ration for civilians was restored.[18]
• Mid-1947: The basic petrol ration was stopped.[18]
• 1 June 1948: The Motor Spirit (Regulation) Act 1948 was passed,[42] ordering a red dye to be to put into some petrol, and that red petrol was only allowed to be used in commercial vehicles. A private car driver could lose his driving licence for a year if red petrol was found in his car. A petrol station could be shut down if it sold red petrol to a private car driver. See List of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1940–1959: 1948.
• June 1948: The basic petrol ration was restored, at a third of its previous size.
• 26 May 1950: Petrol rationing ended.[43]

 

[Sharky]

Could be. The oil crisis was 1973 ....

That was the three day week wasnt it? Working by candle light. It was that summer that first got me commuting into london.

 

[Felix79]

Would the early 1950's also be when the early baby-boomers would be learning to ride a bike? Would that be a reason for the amount of people cycling to rise?

 

[ufkacbln]

It also depends on circumstances, changes to an area and local demographics

Gosport used to come third to Cambridge and Oxford in the cyclist commuting rates

However as the Service presence decreased, the number of fit younger people living within short distances from work also decreased

The figures reflect this