Cyclists in Shetland have contributed to a surge of people getting in the saddle during the past year.
Cycling Scotland has published statistics revealing journeys on two wheels had increased by 43% between March and August this year across the country – coinciding with the imposition of coronavirus restrictions.
The national agency has described the rise as “heartening” at a time people are being encouraged to be more active and reduce pollution.
Four bike counters in Lerwick recorded significant increases during August compared to the same time last year.
There were rises of 69.5% on Knab Road, 46.7% and 29.3% on the Sletts path and 42.9% on the cemetery path.
However, a counter installed on Grantown Road in Forres recorded a decrease of 5.3% during the same period.
Cycling Scotland chief executive Keith Irving said: “In the past six months, we’ve all seen our lives radically change.
“One of the few positive changes is that more people have returned to cycling or started to cycle.
“We expected that the progressive lifting of lockdown restrictions in most areas would affect cycling numbers and for the second month running we are seeing these increases start to slow slightly.”
The biggest increase nationally was recorded on Clyde Street in Glasgow, where the rise in cyclists was recorded at 199% over the last six months.
Mr Irving added: “Cycling also has a key role to play in tackling the climate emergency and the pressures on our transport systems that face us as a nation.
“Today’s data demonstrates we need to redouble efforts to limit polluting traffic growth and enable more people to cycle, through infrastructure investment, creating green jobs in our economic recovery.”
