Safety in Numbers
The “Safety in Numbers” research set out to examine the relationship between the cycling safety and the number of cyclists, within a defined area. Innovative use of transport statistics provided important context and depth to the project.
As well as casualty data from MAST Online and population data from ONS, the project used data on the proportion of residents who cycle for utility purposes, provided by Sport England. This combination of data sources made it possible to explore the relationship between cycling risk and a proxy of cycling exposure.
As well as casualty data from MAST Online and population data from ONS, the project used data on the proportion of residents who cycle for utility purposes, provided by Sport England. This combination of data sources made it possible to explore the relationship between cycling risk and a proxy of cycling exposure.
The project provides an explanation for the apparent paradox presented by cities such as Cambridge and Oxford, which present a high risk of cycling when using population as a denominator. Cycling exposure is a more appropriate denominator for cyclist risk because it refers specifically to the cycling population.
Agilysis then used this approach to provide contextual insight into cycling road risk at regional level.