This month, we published the Walking and Cycling Index 2025. It's a report of the biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in the UK and Ireland. For the UK report, we've partnered with 17 regional and local partners, and share the facts and stories below.
Photo: Chris Foster, 2025
The UK report has been released alongside the Scotland aggregated report following the launch of 22 regional and local reports from across the UK and Ireland which share data and insights into the experiences of walking, wheeling and cycling in these areas.
You can find all the reports here.
The UK report showed that in the 17 Index areas in 2025, walking, wheeling and cycling:
- Prevented an estimated 28,037 serious long-term health conditions such as hip fractures, dementia, depression and other conditions
- Saved the NHS £346.7 million, equivalent to the cost of 7.7 million GP appointments
- Reduced congestion by taking up to 2.9 million cars off the road every day
- Saved 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases
It shows us what happens when travelling actively is an easy choice for everyday journeys.
Everyday journeys and the ripple effect
The Index reports tell the stories of residents in towns and cities across the UK, of how they experience walking, wheeling and cycling in their area.
Aminah is one such resident. After moving to Leicester in 2023 to study, walking became part of her everyday life.
Unable to afford a car and experiencing several health issues, she walked 45 minutes to university every day.
By the time she was able to see a doctor, her health had improved and her symptoms had gone - something she was able to attribute to walking every day.
Aminah, Leicester Resident. Photo: Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, 2025.
Aminah's experience reflects what we see across the Index. When people are supported to build movement into their daily routines, the benefits to physical and mental health can be significant.
The impact of walking, wheeling and cycling in 2025
£9.56 billion
The total annual economic benefit of all trips walked, wheeled and cycled
82%
of residents would like to see more shops and everyday services, such as banks and post offices, close to their home
75%
want better pavement accessibility, like level surfaces and dropped kerbs at crossing points
71%
support reducing speed limits, improving crossing points and introducing protected cycle paths in school neighbourhoods
Benefits to health and well being
With stretched public health services across the UK, it’s positive to see that walking, wheeling and cycling save the NHS almost £350 million per year, equivalent to the cost of 7.7 million GP appointments.
The physical benefits from walking, wheeling and cycling prevent nearly 5,854 early deaths annually and prevent an estimated 28,037 serious long-term health conditions each year.
When we extrapolate figures to towns and cities across the UK, they equate to almost 156,000 serious long-term health conditions prevented annually and a saving to the NHS of £1,944,700,000.
These forms of travel also make our air cleaner, which makes us healthier too. When residents in Index areas choose to walk, wheel or cycle instead of drive, it saves 510,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Everyone should feel welcome in their neighbourhood
As house building accelerates across the UK and Ireland, there is a clear opportunity to design places where walking, wheeling and cycling are the easy and natural choice for everyday journeys.
In Cardiff, Abbas has discovered both the potential and the challenges of urban living on foot.
Abbas, Cardiff resident
Since moving, I’ve decided to explore Cardiff on foot and I’ve found it to be an unparalleled experience, combining history, modern organisation and green spaces.
However, not every walk feels smooth. Congested roads are often a challenge to cross. The city continues to need more work to organise, such as how traffic moves around the centre, expanding pavements, providing different types of seating.
Safer school journeys
By supporting child-safe neighbourhoods, we give children the independence to roam, play and develop which in turn contributes to the creation of safe and inclusive public spaces that are accessible to all.
The Index shows most people support both School Street style closures and improved school neighbourhoods – such as with speed limit reductions, improved crossing points and protected cycle paths.
In Dundee, Claire’s experience highlights the transformative impact of safe and accessible walking and cycling routes on family life.
Claire, Dundee
I am really lucky. We’ve got an amazing cycle route right on our doorstep that goes almost all the way to my office. It’s fast, safe, and a convenient way to travel.
These paths have been great for my kids too. It gives them the space to ride freely and play on their bikes in a safe environment… I truly believe having these routes helps them grow confident on their bikes.
We now often cycle to the waterfront in Dundee, and it’s turned into a fun outing rather than being forced into a car journey.
The Walking and Cycling Index is designed to support local and national decision-makers by providing robust evidence on what is working, and where action is needed, to enable more people to choose to walk, wheel or cycle their everyday journeys.
The data in the UK Walking and Cycling Index is from 2025 and is based on an independent, demographically representative survey of more than 22,000 residents in the 17 UK Index areas, aged 16 and above, not just those who walk, wheel or cycle.
You can read and download a digital version of the report by clicking here.
Also published this week is the 2025 Scotland Walking and Cycling Index, bringing together data from the eight Scottish cities. This report is funded by Transport Scotland and is available to download by clicking here.
