A team of academic specialists led by CEDAR has developed the Propensity to Cycle Tool (PCT) for England for the Department for Transport (DfT).

The tool is available at www.pct.bike

The academic team consists of:

• Dr James Woodcock (Centre for Diet and Activity Research, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Principal Investigator)
• Dr Robin Lovelace (University of Leeds)
• Dr Anna Goodman (LSHTM)
• Dr Rachel Aldred (University of Westminster).
• The researchers are Dr Ali Abbas (MRC Epidemiology Unit) and Dr Malcolm Morgan (University of Leeds)
• Dr Nikolai Berkoff provides valuable technical support

The interactive web based tool is designed to help planners tasked with prioritising where to invest to best realise uptake of cycling. The model provides insight into where cycling has the greatest potential to grow, and also calculates resulting societal benefits (health and carbon).

The method allows estimation of cycling potential at the local level under a range of scenarios. The model focuses on commuting and school trips as these are the trips we have national data for. A novel feature of the method is its ability to quantify extra cycling potential along specific routes. The PCT is recommended by the DfT for use in Local Cycling and Walking Investment Plans.

For more detail on the case studies and use of the tool in practice see https://blog.pct.bike/

For more detail on how to use the tool see http://pct.bike/manual.html

For estimates of cycling potential at the local authority level see the CEDAR Evidence Brief Special http://www.cedar.iph.cam.ac.uk/blog/new-evidence-brief-special-englands-cycling-potential/

For the academic article describing the approach see https://www.jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/862 

For the description of the new travel to schools scenarios see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140518301257

For training on the PCT please contact Dr Rachel Aldred R.Aldred@westminster.ac.uk

For more information please contact Dr James Woodcock: jw745@cam.ac.uk  or pct@pct.bike