Has cycling decreased in Australia? A comparison of 1985/86 and 2011 surveys

There has historically been very little data on cycling in Australia. This lack of data has made it difficult to track whether cycling has changed over a long period of time. The number of cycling trips per day per person increased by 25.1% from the Day-to-Day Travel in Australia 1985/86 Survey to the 2011 National Cycling Participation Survey, while the Australian population 9 years of age and older has increased by 58.5%. The crude rate estimates a 20% reduction in cycling relative to population; however, this analysis does not account for changing Australian demographics during that time. When the rates of cycling are age-sex standardised, cycling trips in Australia increased by an estimated 11.0% (95% CI: 10.8%, 11.1%). The estimated increases in cycling trips, both in raw numbers and age-sex adjusted rates, support increased investments in cycling in Australia.