The City staff in planning has analyzed Census of Canada 2006 commuter information to give an update on the number of people cycling in Toronto.
Cycling is also more common among people who live closer to downtown. For example, the bicycle mode share for the census tract located at College St. and Bathurst St. is 17%, while most suburban areas of the city have a bicycle mode share of less than 1%.
In 2006 1.7% of Torontonians rode their bicycle to work. The average in Canada of 1.3% is higher than Toronto suburbs' and the Golden Horseshoe region's modal share of 0.5%. Why is that? There is the obvious answer that outside of urban centres cycling requires riding long-distances with high-speed traffic. But Hamilton is fairly urban. The other likely factors are that cycling infrastructure in these regions is not adequate and there is a weak cycling culture.
But we still need to have a sense of perspective that 1.7% is not that much higher than 0.5%, especially compared to locations with about 30% of all trips made by bike such as Denmark or The Netherlands. In Toronto the West-end and Toronto Islands are approaching those numbers. The Toronto Islands allow no personal cars so that makes sense. As for Toronto's west-end there's still a lot of work to make cyclists feel as if the City cares.
Comments
The EnigManiac
Flawed Census
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 04:13The problem with the census is that it reflects an inaccurate number of cyclists. The census asks for residents PRIMARY mode of transportation for commuting and does not allow for split modes. Most cyclists do not ride from Nov-Apr and usually list public transit or car instead of their bicycle that they use in nicer weather from May-Oct. So, the city is accepting these numbers as gospel and, once again, they will fall short of providing facilities and infrastructure unless they adjust for split modes.
herb
no, it's not flawed
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 16:00Joe, perhaps you should actually read the City's page first, before deciding what the City accepts or doesn't accept. They make exactly that point:
Census bicycle mode shares are an indicator of how many people ride a bicycle, but they do not tell the whole story. The Census only counts bicycle trips to work, and excludes non-work bicycle trips, such as to run errands or visit friends and family. Also, people who ride a bicycle to work for part of their trip (for example, in combination with public transit) may not be counted as cyclists because the Census only allows one choice for mode of travel to work. If all of these other bicycle trips were counted, Toronto's bicycle mode share would be higher than 1.7%.
The census isn't flawed if you take it for what it is measuring: primary mode of transportation for commuters. And for that it is still quite revealing.
The EnigManiac
Yes, it is flawed...
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 17:51You may have noted that I said that the city will misinterpret the data UNLESS they account for split modes and, as you revealed, they are. Good for them. Hopefully, we will have some positive results in 15 or 20 years once all the committees, subcommittees, organizations, associations and department heads finally finish their studies.
But the census is still flawed because it does not reflect dual modes of commuting and the city is not the only agency using that information. The census data is also cited by federal and provincial governments when it comes to law enforcent and funding of cycling-related infrastructure and ammenities. Many other government bodies and organizations cite the census numbers as well in their decisions.
herb
primary mode
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 20:24Yes, I "revealed" this info. You're welcome.
Let me attempt to be clearer.
The Census question on mode of transportation admits it focuses on the primary mode:
That's what they claimed to measure and that's what they did indeed measure. The City used this data to make maps and charts on "Bicycle Mode Share" but they also included a caveat saying that the percentage would be higher if it inclued intermodal transportation.
So I say it's inadequate in terms of measuring the bicycle mode of transportation, but it measures the primary mode of transportation just fine.
Thus, it isn't "flawed", just your attempt to make sweeping statements.
Darren_S
Pigeonhole
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 06:30No one stat can describe the number of cyclists. Herb has pointed out that it all depends on the definition. Can we count everyone who has ridden a bicycle in their lifetime a cyclist? Though we could count everyone who currently owns a bike as a potential cyclist, even if they have not ridden in the last year.
Darren_S
Saturation
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 06:29It would be nice to see what the saturation numbers would be for each neighbourhood. Would the numbers increase any if the general cycling conditions improved or is the pool already saturated? Would anymore people that live in the College and Bathurst area ride if they were given more facilities or is that it? How would the numbers change if a Bloor Danforth bike lane were to be put in?
Seymore Bikes
In the City
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 09:27Last night as I drove west along the Bloor Viaduct I counted 8 cyclists heading in the opposite direction - it was 8:15pm. Applying some rough math, I calculate that it took me about 1 minute to cross the bridge - that works out to 480 cyclists per hour, after 8pm on a Thursday night - sure maybe it was a spike, but it was also 7C in April after dark.
An assessment aimed at areas within 15 km of CN tower might be more beneficial to advancing cycling in the near future.
I agree with EnigManiac - there needs to be a report on the number of people who use cycling as a means of transportation to varying degrees. Years ago, I only rode on fair weather Friday's because it was casual day at the office. I made the transition to a 4 season commuter since then, so there is value in counting those who have the ability to 2 wheel to work.
Darren_S
Weak count.
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 06:40"...I counted 8 cyclists heading in the opposite direction - it was 8:15pm. Applying some rough math, I calculate that it took me about 1 minute to cross the bridge - that works out to 480 cyclists per hour, after 8pm on a Thursday night..."
Your count depends on how fast your were traveling. If you took the bridge in 30 seconds you would have had 960 cyclists per hour. Also depends on how fast the cyclists were traveling. If you picked a static point you would have counted fewer cyclists.
herb
too small sample
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 13:38Not to mention that there was only one sample. It is hardly statistically relevant to do a one minute count one time. With such a small sample size the averages can hugely vary. You can't even get an average of the bike traffic on the Bloor viaduct unless you do it on different days, times and with larger sampling periods.
Seymore Bikes
Fun with Numbers
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 22:47I said it was likely a spike and that I was using rough math, so please spare me the math critique.
I was just impressed to see so many cyclists out after dark in the first week of April.
The City of Toronto's 2003 Bicycle/ Motor-Vehicle Collision Study provides figures from 1997-98 that lists the average daily bicycle volume at Castle Frank & Bloor at about 900 cyclists on weekdays.
Does anybody know if there is more recent data on the number of cyclists crossing the Bloor Viaduct?
kiwano
I really think that to get a
Thu, 05/21/2009 - 22:20I really think that to get a modal share up to Denmark/Netherlands levels, we need to look at policies that are just completely out of reach for municipal governments, like the ~300% sales tax in Denmark on new cars.
Now that Oshawa's been shut down and we no longer have to worry about that possible outcome, we really should go for it.