Pedal power drives up city cycle figures

THE number of people commuting by bike in the Capital is continuing to rise, according to cycling campaigners.

Edinburgh-based lobby group Spokes said bikes accounted for 13 per cent of all vehicles between 8am and 9am during a count earlier this month.

The group said the figure was the fourth successive annual rise, up from 12.5 per cent last November.

Council transport bosses estimate that four per cent of all journeys across the city are by bike.

Edinburgh recently become the first UK city to sign up to the Charter of Brussels, which sets a target of 15 per cent of all trips to be by bike by 2020.

Spokes said that three out of four cars it counted were carrying only one passenger, a "huge waste of precious rush-hour road space".