Dublin Metropolitan Area Walking and Cycling Index

Formerly known as Bike Life, this is the UK and Ireland's biggest ever study of walking, wheeling and cycling.

The Dublin Metropolitan Area Walking and Cycling Index provides useful and illuminating information regarding the health, economic and environmental benefits of both walking and cycling.

Every year, walking and cycling in Dublin Metropolitan Area results in:

3,207

serious long-term health conditions prevented

€1.1 billion

in economic benefit for individuals and the region

93,000 tonnes

of greenhouse gas emissions saved

Up to 330,000

cars taken off the road every day

John Legge, Emergency Medicine Doctor_Dublin Metropolitan Area Walking and Cycling Index

John Legge, Emergency Medicine Doctor

Since I was a child, I always cycled. For me it is just convenient and easy as a means of getting around. Working in emergency medicine, there is a lot of shift work and I often have early starts or late finishes, so public transport may not be up and running when my shifts end.

It’s nice to have the bike, it’s always reliable and I know how long my journey is going to take. It means my exercise for the day is done at the same time, so I get the benefits of that as well as fresh air.

Public support for the development of cycle infrastructure within the Dublin Metropolitan Area

95% of residents in Dublin walk, with 64% of residents walking at least 5 days per week, and 25% cycling at least once a week.

The Index also found that only 53% of people with a disability walk or wheel at least five days a week, compared to 65% of people without a disability.

The report found that people increasingly feel safe cycling, with 65% of all residents stating that they think the level of safety for cycling in their local areas is good, which is an increase from 47% from 2019.

Similarly, 86% of residents think the level of safety for walking is good.

71% of surveyed residents support cycle tracks along roads even where that means less room for other traffic.

This is a positive indication that the people of Dublin continue to be supportive of cycling in general and of the measures needed to make it an integral part of transport in our society.

Front cover of the Dublin Walking and Cycling Index

Download the Dublin Metropolitan Area Walking and Cycling Index

See Dublin Metropolitan Area's vision for walking, wheeling and cycling.

Download the report.

You can also download this report in text-only format.

This report is also available in Irish:

Dublin Metropolitan Area through the years

This is the second time we've collaborated with the National Transport Authority of Ireland to survey active travel in the city. Download our previous reports: