Could cycling be quicker than driving?

Nearly 20 UK cities are in the top 100 list of congested cities in Europe and North America. London and Manchester both make the top 10, and with Leicestershire council having to spend £6 million on their roads in a bid to reduce traffic, and Newcastle’s rush hour problem reportedly worse than it has ever been, could cycling to work actually be quicker than driving?

Car maker Citroen admitted that the average speed of a car during dreaded rush hour is just 7mph, and that motorists spend up to half their journey completely stationary, due to being stuck in traffic jams. The average cyclist however, can travel at a speed of 12-15mph.

With congestion getting worse rather than better, car journeys are likely to take even longer in future. Whereas cyclists rarely come across an obstacle they can’t get round, so cycling journeys are likely to stay exactly as they are. 

This map of London shows that cycling can be faster. When cycling from the pinned location, to any area in green, you would arrive quicker than in a car. This interactive map was created by Find Property, and you can have a go yourself here.

With London commuters losing 83.4 hours a year to sitting stationary (and furious) in traffic, cycling might not only be the healthiest option, but the quickest.

Share this article