Oxford named fourth in UK cities 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.

Another university city proves that brains and bikes go hand-in-hand. Oxford claims the fourth spot with 4.77% of locals cycling to work. Like Cambridge, Oxford’s narrow streets and academic vibe have long encouraged a two-wheeled lifestyle, and while it might be a tight squeeze down the High Street, cyclists here clearly wouldn’t have it any other way.

Edinburgh tops the list with 10.00%, and Cambridge comes in strong at 8.13%, both cities long celebrated for their bike-friendly layouts. Glasgow secures third place at 6.00%, marking a strong performance for a major urban centre. York clocks in with 3.45%, proving that even with ancient walls and cobbled paths, cycling can still be the transport of choice.

Hull follows with 3.06%, quietly climbing the rankings with its accessible routes. Gosport ranks just behind at 2.97%, a coastal gem making strides in sustainable commuting. Norwich sits at 2.81%, Bristol at 2.64%, and Portsmouth at 2.47%, each city showing a steady commitment to pedal power despite differences in size and geography.

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: