Findings come ahead of National Bike Week (10-18 May) and show growing demand for safer streets, particularly among women.
Key findings:
- 82% of adults in Ireland say they cycle rarely or never; just 13% cycle weekly
- In comparison, 24% of EU citizens cycle at least once a week - rising to 61.3% in the Netherlands, 47% in Denmark, and 42% in Finland.
- 56% of adults in Ireland say safety concerns have stopped them from cycling
- Women are over 25% more likely than men to say safety concerns have stopped them cycling (62% vs 49%)
- Top barriers include: the volume of traffic on our roads (66%), dangerous driving (61%), lack of segregated bike lanes (40%), previous incidents or near-misses (21%), and poor street lighting (21%)
- 25% cycle for leisure or exercise, 9% cycle with children or family, only 6% cycle to commute to work or college
- 35% of adults own a standard bike; 4% own an electric bike, 1% own a cargo bike, and 5% use RedClick dublinbikes or other bike sharing services
- In Dublin, 9% of adults use RedClick dublinbikes or another bike share scheme
- Since 2020, the Irish Government has invested over €1billion in cycling infrastructure. Its National Sustainability Mobility Policy aims to deliver at least 500,000 additional daily active travel and public transport journeys by 2030
Over half of adults in Ireland (56%) say safety concerns are stopping them from cycling, with new RedClick research revealing that 69% worry about personal safety and 51% lack of confidence cycling in traffic. The findings, released ahead of National Bike Week, highlight the need for safer, more inclusive streets – a focus of RedClick new Shared Streets campaign.
Insurer RedClick is the commercial partner of the RedClick dublinbikes scheme, which is operated by JCDecaux on behalf of Dublin City Council.
The research, conducted by independent polling company Ireland Thinks, with a nationally representative sample of 1,648 participants, comes as the Irish Government continues to invest in cycling infrastructure, with over €1 billion committed since 2020 and €1 million per day earmarked for active travel in 2025. The findings highlight the value of that investment - and the importance of continued momentum to address the remaining barriers. Concerns raised by respondents include the volume of traffic (66%), dangerous driving (61%), lack of segregated cycle lanes (40%), previous incidents or near-misses (21%), inadequate evening street lighting (21%), and weather conditions (34%).
Below EU average
Across Europe, 24% of EU citizens cycle at least once a week - rising to 61.3% in the Netherlands, 47% in Denmark, and 42% in Finland.
However, just 13% of Irish respondents report cycling at least once per week, while 5% cycle more than once per month, meanwhile a striking 82% admit to cycling rarely or never. Most people cycle for leisure or exercise (25%), with fewer doing so to commute (6%) or cycle with children or family (9%).
Public see benefits – but barriers persist
Cycling is widely recognised for its benefits, with the most frequently cited being improved physical and mental health (32%), enjoyment (27%), environmental impact (21%), and time savings (23%). Others pointed to the ease of parking (12%) and the freedom from relying on public transport.
However, several behavioural and practical challenges remain. In addition to safety-related concerns, respondents cited poor weather (34%), long distances (33%), lack of confidence cycling in traffic (51%), and personal safety (33%) as key deterrents. Others pointed to the inconvenience of arriving sweaty or windswept (18%), limited access to secure bike parking (15%), and inadequate workplace facilities such as showers or changing rooms (12%).
Women face greater safety barriers
The research reveals a clear gender gap in how safe people feel cycling in Ireland. 62% of women say safety concerns have prevented them from cycling, compared to 49% of men - meaning women are over 25% more likely than men to avoid cycling due to safety fears. Among those who experience barriers to cycling, women were also more likely to cite lack of confidence in traffic (22% vs 12%), poor evening lighting (16% vs 7%), and personal security concerns (73% vs 65%).
These insights highlight the importance of continuing to build cycling environments that feel safe, inclusive, and accessible for all.
Government investment in cycling infrastructure
The Irish Government has invested over €1 billion in cycling infrastructure since 2020, with a commitment to spend €1 million per day on walking and cycling projects in 2025, as announced in Budget 2025. These investments support the goals of the National Sustainable Mobility Policy, which aims to deliver at least 500,000 additional daily active travel and public transport journeys by 2030.
Building on this momentum, the findings suggest there is now an opportunity to focus on day-to-day improvements such as road safety, secure parking, and cycling confidence to support even broader participation.
Changing how people cycle
Cycling habits are evolving, with more people opting for shared and electric alternatives. While 35% of respondents own a standard bicycle, 4% now own an electric bike, 1% own a cargo bike, and 5% use bike-sharing services such as RedClick dublinbikes. Usage is particularly high in Dublin, where 9% of adults say they use a bike-sharing scheme.
When asked what changes would encourage them or others to cycle more, safer roads and improved driver–cyclist etiquette emerged as the top priority (56%). Other suggestions included more dedicated cycle lanes (38%), better secure parking (22%), greater policing of bike theft (22%), improved street lighting (17%), and more supportive workplace facilities (18%).
Commenting on the Shared Streets research findings, RedClick General Manager Lorenzo Ioan, said:
“As proud partners of the RedClick dublinbikes scheme, operated by JCDecaux on behalf of Dublin City Council, we’re proud to support National Bike Week with new research that gives insight into how people feel about cycling today - and what would help make it a more realistic option for more people.”
“People clearly recognise the health, environmental and lifestyle benefits of cycling. And while the survey highlights certain barriers, they are practical and solvable - especially with the strong foundation already in place thanks to sustained Government investment in cycling infrastructure.”
“That’s why we launched the Shared Streets campaign: to help close the gap between intention and action by supporting safer, more inclusive public spaces where cycling is not just possible, but actively supported and encouraged.”
RedClick Shared Streets Campaign Ambassador, Jo Linehan:
“Behavioural change takes time, which is why this research from RedClick is so important. It highlights the areas where further education, communication and support is required to help encourage even more people in Ireland to saddle up this summer and beyond.
“With recent investments in cycling infrastructure across the country and the clear enthusiasm from survey respondents about the environmental and health benefits of cycling, there’s no reason why we can’t encourage more people to cycle across Ireland.”
