By Jamie White – Head of Communications

A new study from Skoda UK, conducted to mark the finale of the Tour of Britain, has revealed the cycling habits of people across the UK.

The results show that Scotland is home to the most fervent cycling fanatics, with Glaswegians spending an average of 4.9 hours a week on their bikes.

This is followed closely by Manchester – where the National Cycling Centre is based – and Liverpool residents (both at 4.7 hours).

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Southampton, where locals clock up an average of just 3.3 hours of cycling each week, while residents of Plymouth (3.5 hours) and Brighton (4 hours) are not far behind.

Bike ownership per household also increases the further north you go – with Nottingham and Leeds families possessing the most, at 2.8 bikes and 2.7 respectively.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh has the highest number of cycling commuters of any city in the UK, with 33 per cent of residents biking to work. Conversely, Southampton has the fewest cycling commuters, at just seven per cent.

Andrew Cullis, Head of Marketing for Skoda UK, said: “As a company that began as a manufacturer of bicycles back in 1895, Skoda has a huge heritage in the sport of cycling. This association continues with our ongoing sponsorship of the Tour of Britain, as well as many other major global events.

“On that basis, we were interested to understand how cycling habits compare and contrast across Britain. It seems that people in the South need to don the Lycra and hit the open road more often: cyclists in the North are racing ahead.”