Conclusions
4.26 It is important to note that most of the value from reducing pollution is generated as a result
of health protection rather than the value of reducing greenhouse gases. In rural areas the number of people affected by emissions is much lower than in built up areas. Therefore the
value of reducing emissions in urban areas is much higher than in those that are less
populated.
4.27 The average cycle trip is 2.4 miles or 3.9 km according to the National Travel Survey 2005.
For the purposes of our calculations we have used the average trip distance and assumed that
return trips are double this. We have assumed that the average cyclist makes 160 trips per
year this would equate up to 624 kilometres per year.75
4.28 Applying this would suggest that the annual economic benefit in reduced pollution of one
person switching from single-occupancy car use to cycling would be worth £69.14 in major
cities and £12.98 in rural areas.
4.29 Below, we provide calculations for reductions in single-user car trips in both agglomerations
and in extra-urban (rural) areas. For other trips, for example in market towns, a sensible midway
point should be assumed.