Increase in people walking and wheeling
People who walk, wheel or cycle for non-leisure trips when they could have used a car take up to 82,000 cars off Cork roads every day.
That’s according to a new survey, published on Tuesday, which showed 75% of residents are in favour of additional investment in walking and wheeling up from 71% in 2023, while 67% of residents are in favour of additional investment in cycling, up from 63% in 2023. The survey points to continuing demand for active travel with 52% expressing their desire to walk, wheel more in the future, and 38% expressing a desire to cycle more.
The Walking and Cycling Index provides the largest assessment of walking, wheeling, and cycling in Ireland and the UK. It is delivered in collaboration with Cork city and county councils, the National Transport Authority and the sustainable transport charity, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust.
The National Transport Authority published the findings which revealed a large 14 point increase in the number of residents who walk or wheel (meaning the use of a wheelchair or mobility scooter) at least five times a week, up from 52% in 2023 to 66% in 2025.
The Cork Metropolitan Area Walking and Cycling Index is based on an independent demographically representative survey of nearly 1,100 residents from across the Cork Metropolitan Area, aged 16 and above, not just those who walk, wheel or cycle. The Cork Metropolitan Area covers an area from Midleton to Blarney and south to Carrigaline.
The report also found that walking, wheeling and cycling save 13,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in Cork each year, which is equivalent to about 130,000 residents taking flights from Cork Airport to London Heathrow Airport.
The Index showed, across many different groups, the number of residents walking or wheeling has risen significantly. It found 69% of women walk or wheel at least five days a week, up from 52% in 2023. People aged 66 and over walking or wheeling at least five days a week has increased significantly from 40% in 2023 to 59% in 2025. Also, the number of people with disabilities who walk or wheel at least five days a week has gone from 31% to 48%.
Older people are also cycling more with the survey revealing 9% of those aged 66 and over are cycling at least once a week, up from 5% in 2023.
Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Fergal Dennehy said: “The public health impact of choosing to walk or cycle instead of driving is particularly striking, and of course, the environmental benefits of active travel are undeniable, all evident in the data here. We stand firm in our commitment to make active travel a more viable, safer and accessible option for all who live in, work in, and visit our city.”
Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley said: “As Mayor of the County of Cork, I welcome the Walking and Cycling Index 2025 which shows growth in active travel. Cork County Council, in conjunction with the NTA, has spent over €100m on active travel schemes since 2021. These include over 8km of a shared pathway connecting Dunkettle to Carrigtwohill. In Carrigaline, the Bridgemount Link opened in 2025 with an average of 942 daily users.”
Anne Shaw, CEO of the NTA said: “The feedback in the report is clear: people in Cork want to walk, wheel and cycle more. We are responding with infrastructure that supports this ambition and helps create a healthier, safer and more liveable Cork Metropolitan Area.”
This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.