Edinburgh named the UK city with the most bike commuters, according to study

A new study by Cartridge Save set out to uncover just that. They analysed over 100 towns and cities across the UK to find out where cycling is truly taking off as a mainstream mode of commuting.

The rankings were built using the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), specifically looking at the percentage of employed individuals in England and Wales who listed cycling as their main way of getting to work. 

To give a full UK picture, comparable figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were pulled from their respective national statistics bodies, Scottish Government Statistics and NISRA, and combined to form a final league table of the country’s biggest bike-commuting hotspots.

Scotland’s capital is setting the pace for the rest of the UK with a solid 10.00% of residents commuting by bike, ranking in first place. With its combination of beautiful green spaces, historic streets, and a growing network of cycle paths, it’s little wonder that Edinburgh has become a beacon for sustainable commuting. The city’s efforts to expand its cycling infrastructure appear to be paying off, with one in ten choosing to cycle their way to work – rain or shine (and let’s be honest, it’s often rain).

Cambridge ranks second with 8.13% of its workforce cycling to work. Known for its bike-friendly layout and university influence, it's no surprise to see it near the top. Glasgow follows with a respectable 6.00%, a strong showing for Scotland’s largest city, where cycling infrastructure has seen significant investment in recent years. In fourth, Oxford boasts 4.77% of residents on two wheels, continuing the trend of academic cities embracing cycling.

York comes next at 3.45%, where its historic streets and flat terrain make biking an attractive option. Kingston upon Hull follows closely with 3.06%, benefitting from its coastal routes and relatively flat layout. Gosport ranks seventh at 2.97%, a quiet achiever on the South Coast. Norwich (2.81%) and Bristol (2.64%) continue to push the green transport agenda, while Portsmouth rounds off the top 10 list at 2.47%, proving compact seaside cities can keep pace in the cycling stakes.

Not every city is in love with the idea of cycling just yet. At the other end of the table, Brentwood in Essex ranks lowest, with just 0.23% of commuters travelling by bike. Also among the least bike-friendly cities are Bradford (0.28%), Blackburn (0.29%), and Barnsley (0.30%) – areas that could potentially benefit from improved infrastructure and cycling awareness.

Others joining the bottom ten include Durham (0.31%), Oldham (0.31%), Rotherham (0.34%), Bolton (0.36%), Rochdale (0.36%), and Dudley (0.39%). Whether it's down to geography, lack of investment, or just cultural preferences, these towns and cities have some catching up to do when it comes to pedal-powered commuting.

Top 10 list of UK cities with the most bike commuters: