Cycle to Work Day: Supporting better rural commutes

By Charlotte Murray, Senior Communications Officer at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

Every year, Cycle to Work Day hopes to inspire people to commute by bike. It highlights the value that people find in cycling to work, whether that’s saving money, getting a bit of exercise or connecting with nature.

While the focus is often on commuting by bike in urban areas, cycling is increasingly visible in the countryside both for leisure and everyday journeys. People cycling could benefit from improved infrastructure to make their journeys easier.

Around 4% of employed people commute by bike to work, while only 2% of rural commuters cycle to work. There are many reasons for those figures, demonstrating opportunities to get more people cycling to work.

At Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, we know that cycling is good for everyone – it supports better health and wellbeing, improves air quality and gets people out in nature. It reduces congestion so that those who do need to drive can get to where they want to go easily.

Infrastructure in urban areas is often made up of protected cycle lanes, cycle-friendly junctions and traffic-calmed streets designed for high levels of traffic. In rural areas, the solutions are different. They could be things like shared-use paths, quiet lanes and rights of way that prioritise leisure, longer-distance journeys.

Challenges of creating joined-up rural cycle routes

Creating easy to navigate, joined-up cycle routes in rural areas that people might use to commute presents a distinct set of challenges.

While the National Cycle Network often passes through rural areas on the quietest and flattest sections, these aren’t always continuous and result in gaps or “missing links” that can make journeys less direct and harder to navigate.

For rural commuting to feel like a realistic option for everyday journeys, people need to be confident that a route will take them from A to B safely and efficiently; navigating a busy road or confusing junction can discourage potential cyclists from leaving the car at home.

Ownership and maintenance also add further complexities. Walk Wheel Cycle Trust currently owns around 2% of the National Cycle Network, with the rest owned by local authorities or private landowners. Rural routes are often used by fewer people, meaning they’re lower on maintenance priority lists. Over time, this can lead to issues such as obscured signage and narrowed lanes from encroaching vegetation which discourage use further.

Finally, the current infrastructure is hard to adapt. Narrow, winding roads can have little space for a cycle lane or even a pavement. There are environmental sensitivities to consider such as erosion and wildlife disturbance. A lack of lighting options also means they also aren’t welcoming all year round.

How to get more rural commuters on their bikes

Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated approach. On the National Cycle Network, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s work is guided by four strategic aims: fix it, love it, green it and connect it. Together, these provide a framework for improving routes so that more people can get around actively, while improving the environment and linking up with longer transport options.

“Fix it” focuses on improving existing routes: from better surfaces and drainage to clearer signage and improved access. Fixing and regularly maintaining rural routes will make them more appealing and reliable for everyday use, and by more people.

“Love it” is about ensuring people know these routes exist. In rural areas, people may be unaware that a designated, signed route exists; routes that meet the standard of the National Cycle Network where safe, attractive, high-quality routes are prioritised.

“Green it” supports improvements that work with the natural environment by protecting and enhancing biodiversity. As well as benefiting nature, a cycle commute through a thriving greenspace is proven to improve mental wellbeing.

“Connect it” addresses the gaps in the Network. In rural areas especially, routes may be fragmented around villages and towns. Improving links between these places and key destinations makes cycling a viable option for everyday journeys.

Case study: Lune Valley Greenway

The Lune Valley Greenway (National Cycle Network Route 69) is a great example of a designated route which connects rural communities with employment and opportunities. Utilising an old railway line, it links Morecambe and Lancaster with the rural communities of the Lune Valley. The route provides a safe and accessible corridor away from busy roads for walking, wheeling and cycling.

However, its current limitations also highlight the importance of a joined-up network. While the Greenway itself offers a high standard of provision, we want to extend it. Right now, it’s difficult for people to continue their journeys safely. A lack of lighting along the route also means many people won’t feel comfortable using it all year round.

A local user explains:
“The contrast in safety between the greenway and what happens beyond it is chalk and cheese. It’s an absolute barrier and people never get to go further than this. The extension of the Lune Valley Greenway would just completely transform the choices for how we travel around the valley. For us as a family, it will mean that we can cycle for leisure, we can cycle to school, and I think also it just opens up the valley to a much greater range of people who can come and enjoy it the way that we do.”

Research led by Professor Radka Newton at Lancaster University reinforces this point: “The Greenway is an essential asset as something that connects people to their work, but also to their leisure. So as a university researcher, I initiated a project to look into how we can work with the communities to understand their lived experience on the Greenway. One area that was pointed out in our research, people really want to feel safe.”

Experiences shared by people using the Lune Valley Greenway show us that where the route is high quality and continuous, it is well used by commuters. But it could be better utilised if extended to National Cycle Network standard. Research shows us that people want to feel safe, and creating traffic-free sections is a step towards achieving this.

Working to make active travel an easy option for commuters

Recently rebranded, at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (the new name for Sustrans), we’re all about getting people to where they need to go more easily. By connecting, fixing, greening and encouraging people to love the National Cycle Network, we hope to make walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys a more realistic choice, and more people might be inspired to cycle to work in rural areas.

Walk Wheel Cycle Trust works with partners across the UK to improve the National Cycle Network and increase access for everyone. We welcome opportunities to collaborate with organisations working towards this shared goal. Visit our website to find out more.

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