What is the potential for e-bikes to reduce car use, carbon emissions and car dependency in Bath and North East Somerset?

Analysis by Pete Dyson (Doctoral Researcher at University of Bath and Bicycle Mayor of Bath) involving re-running a national transport model published by Ian Philips et al., (2022)(University of Leeds) specifically for the Bath and West of England Combined Authority Area

Past research at a national level estimates electrically assisted pedal bikes (e-bikes) could significantly reduce car usage and address vulnerability to high transport costs (Philips et al., 2022). This mini-project has re-run this national model specifically for the BathNES region to add the Movement Strategy and Local Plan.

This report and data could be useful for: Transport Modelling, Local Transport Plans, Active Travel Scheme Planning, Net Zero and Just Transition

This new BathNES data show that e-bikes could potentially replace a large amount of car travel (roughly 2,500km per person per year). The contribution is a much larger in countryside and rural areas because (a) car ownership and usage is much higher in these places, so there is more to replace (b) e-bikes have the biggest relative advantage at covering longer distances than people need to cycle in cities (c) e-bikes create cycling capability in hilly areas. For BathNES, the potential contribution of e-bikes is approximately double that of traditional bikes and ten times that of walking to reduce car distance travelled. The vulnerability index makes an important contribution, showing how specific places of socioeconomic deprivation and car dependency could benefit most from e-bikes to address inequalities other than carbon and car use reduction.