INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AGENCY

Who needs cycle paths in Moscow and St. Petersburg?

Summer is the season when many Muscovites exchange cars and public conveyances for bicycles (if the weather allows). For the last three years Moscow authorities have been building a net of special cycle paths and bicycles parking lots. The center of the city lets bicycles on hire (like they do in European capitals). Independent research agency “Bashkirova & Partners Ltd.” conducted a survey to find out how many Russians have bicycles.

Half of Muscovites do. It’s 10 percent point cyclists more in Moscow than in St. Petersburg and 5 percent point more than in Russia on average. Large percentage of cyclists in Moscow justifies the authorities’ plans for developing cycle paths net. So who is the user of the innovation? Are there more teenagers or adults among cyclists?

 

Surprisingly enough, there are more cyclists among respondents at age of 30+ than at age of 18-29. It can be explained by the fact that both respondents who use cycle themselves and those who bought it for their children claimed they have a bicycle. No doubt, the majority of respondents over 60 meant their grandchildren’s cycles.

 

36% of childless respondents have cycles, that is 10% less than among respondents having kids, this fact confirms our suggestion.

On basis of the results of the survey one can assert that building cycle paths in Moscow is relevant, because there are lots of cyclists there, both among teenagers and adults. Bicycles are already very popular (the center of the capital lets cycles on hire for the second year), the developing of the infrastructure in all the districts of the city will contribute to the popularity of this eco- and health-friendly type of vehicle.

  

The survey was conducted in May, 2014 on national random route sample of Russian citizens (18+). Personal interviews were held domiciliary with 1500 of respondents in 8 federal districts, 100 settlements, in 200 sampling points. Sampling error ±2.5%.

    

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