Leicester named among UK cities with the most bike commuters, according to study

Across the UK, it seems that more workers are embracing pedal power, from university cities to major metropolitan hubs. But have you ever wondered which parts of the country are leading the charge when it comes to cycling to work?

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.

Leicester comes in at 21st in the UK cycling commute rankings, with 1.48% of its workforce travelling to work by bike. As one of the country’s most diverse and dynamic cities, Leicester has been steadily improving its cycling credentials through investment in safer routes and cycle-friendly initiatives. With a relatively flat layout and an ambitious active travel strategy, the city is making it easier and more appealing for residents to leave the car behind and hop on a bike instead.

Topping the list is Edinburgh, where 10.00% of residents cycle to work, making the Scottish capital the national leader in pedal-powered commuting. Cambridge follows closely in second place with 8.13%, continuing its legacy as a cycling stronghold. In third is Glasgow City at 6.00%, a promising sign of progress for one of the UK’s biggest urban centres. Oxford ranks fourth with 4.77%, reinforcing the trend of university towns embracing greener transport. York takes fifth place at 3.45%, where residents navigate the historic streets with ease on two wheels.

Kingston upon Hull comes in sixth at 3.06%, demonstrating that even coastal cities are catching the cycling bug. In seventh, Gosport surprises with 2.97% of commuters choosing bikes, outpacing many larger towns. Norwich secures eighth place with 2.81%, while Bristol, a long-time cycling advocate, follows in ninth at 2.64%. Rounding out the top 10 is Portsmouth, where 2.47% of the workforce commutes by bike, proving that smaller, densely built cities can also foster strong cycling cultures.

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 21 list of UK cities with the most bike commuters in the  study: