According to data released by the UK Office of National Statistics, the proportion of people cycling to work across England and Wales stayed more or less static, despite big rises in bike commuting in major cities and repeated predictions that Britain was on the way to becoming a cycling nation.

Overall, 741,000 working people aged 16 to 74 cycled to work in 2011, a rise of 90,000 from the previous census a decade earlier, but an associated increase in the working population meant the proportion of cycle commuters was unchanged at 2.8%.

Following the success of GB cycling there were numerous predictions that a significant proportion of Britons would soon cycle to work.

However, the ONS analysis appears to bear out the complaint of cycling campaigners that while more people cycle for sport or leisure, travelling by bike remains the preserve of younger men who are confident enough to mingle with heavy, fast traffic.

Source: Office of National Statistics