Organisation: TRL
Date of Publication: October 2026
Uploaded to Knowledge Centre: 4 November 2026
Lime Technology Ltd commissioned TRL to undertake an evidence review of the factors influencing cycling safety in the UK, with a focus on infrastructure, street design, traffic conditions, behaviour, training and education.
The review found the evidence base is substantial but uneven, with important gaps and known underreporting issues, particularly for non-fatal and single-cyclist incidents. The evidence identified suggests cycling safety is shaped by a complex interaction of infrastructure, environmental, behavioural and road-user interaction factors, rather than by any single cause.
The evidence supports a ‘Safety in Numbers’ effect, where higher cyclist volumes are generally associated with lower individual cyclist risk, but it also cautions that increases in cycling alone are unlikely to guarantee improved safety. The strongest practical findings point to the importance of high-quality cycling-specific infrastructure, particularly segregation from motor traffic, safer intersection design, management of traffic speeds and volumes, and road environments that reduce conflict and complexity. Driver and rider behaviour and cycle training also have a role.
Overall, the review finds that improving cycling safety requires a system-wide approach that combines infrastructure, behaviour, training, governance and policy, with interventions and investment targeted towards the areas and conditions of highest risk, in particular where cyclists and motor vehicles come into conflict.
Click the link below to view the full report:
https://www.trl.co.uk/publications/factors-influencing-the-safety-of-cycling-in-the-uk