Dublin Metropolitan Region | Walking and Cycling Index 2025

Walking, wheeling and cycling take up to 510,000 cars off the road each day in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, according to the 2025 Walking and Cycling Index, published in partnership with Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and the National Transport Authority.

Key findings from the Dublin Walking and Cycling Index 2025

Key findings from the Dublin Walking and Cycling Index 2025 include:

Walk, Wheel, Cycle Participation Rates:

12% of adult residents cycle at least 5 or more days a week, up from 8% in 2023.
70% of adult residents walk 5 or more days a week, while 46% use a car 5 or more days a week.
25% of adult residents cycle at least once a week.
Older residents remain engaged in active travel – 62% of residents aged 66 and over walk or wheel at least 5 days a week, and 12% of residents aged 66 or over cycle at least once a week.
Cycling trips to work increased from 23.2 million trips in 2023 to 30 million in 2025 (up from 27% to 33% of all cycling trips)

Economic, Health and Environmental Benefits of People who Walk, Wheel or Cycle:

Every day those who walk, wheel and cycle for non-leisure trips when they could have used a car take up to 510,000 cars off roads in the Dublin Metropolitan Area. If these cars were all in a traffic jam it would tail back 2,452 kilometres.
Residents walking, wheeling and cycling create an annual economic benefit for individuals and the Dublin Metropolitan Area of €2.19bn comprising €1.8bn annual economic benefit from walking/wheeling and €393.8m annual economic benefit from cycling.
Walking and cycling in the Dublin Metropolitan Area saves the HSE €55.7 million annually, equivalent to the cost of over 920,000 GP appointments.
Those walking and cycling instead of driving, save greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.21 million flights from Dublin Airport to London Heathrow Airport.
There is a €1.71 net economic benefit for each km cycled instead of driven and €1.23 net economic benefit for each km walked instead of driven.

Public Attitudes of the Dublin Metropolitan Area towards Walking, Wheeling and Cycling:

71% of residents in the Dublin Metropolitan Area support building cycle tracks physically separated from traffic and pedestrians even when that means less room for other traffic.
45% want to walk more, and 34% want to cycle more in the future.