Londoners tackle the strikes with bikes: cycling more than doubles as commuters brave winter conditions to buck WFH trend
• Data gathered by VivaCity reveals a 102% increase in cyclists during train strike chaos
London, UK, 4th January 2023: Londoners are taking to their bikes in an effort to tackle the recent winter train strikes. That’s according to VivaCity, the transport technology scaleup, which revealed that during the recent UK ‘train strike days’, there were more than double the number of cyclists on Pancras Road, King’s Cross.
Gathered anonymously and in real time, the number of cyclists increased by 102% compared to the three previous ‘non strike’ days, with 4,970 cyclists making up *18% of all traffic. The data highlights that commuters are prepared to battle the winter conditions to get back into the office.
While cyclists make up a larger share of road users during train strike days, there was also a 20% increase in cars – proving that all commuters aren’t quite ready to give up the comfort of their own car or Uber, yet they’re still keen to get to the office (instead of WFH).
VivaCity works with local authorities and governments across the capital and beyond, and recently partnered with its 25th London Borough in a bid to make cities smarter, safer and more sustainable. The company’s cutting edge artificial intelligence sensors gather accurate, detailed and anonymous data 24/7 on transport modes, traffic flow and travel patterns, supporting strategic decisions to help optimise the transport network and improve urban infrastructure.
Mark Nicholson, CEO and co-founder at VivaCity, said: “With train strikes having a huge impact on travel across the capital, it’s interesting to see how many Londoners have opted to cycle to work during the weeks affected by train strikes. It’s promising to see active travel being prioritised, our mission is to work with local authorities to ensure that London’s roads are well equipped for, and welcome these changes in the long term.”
*Data gathered and compared from 20-27th October, 3rd November, 6th-7th,12th December as non-strike days, vs 10th November and 13th-14th December as strike days.