Study warns forceful cycle advocacy risks hindering bike lane progress

Posted on 11 Jun 2025

A new academic study has found that overzealous pro-cycling campaigners on social media may be inadvertently damaging the case for better cycling infrastructure across the UK.

The research, led by Dr Alexander Nurse at the University of Liverpool and published in Local Government Studies, revealed that some councillors and transport officials find the tone of online advocacy around cycling to be hostile and counterproductive.

Based on interviews with nearly 50 local government officials and councillors, the study highlights how “toxic” and aggressive social media debates, while dominated by anti-cycling voices, can also include vocal cyclists whose criticism is seen as unconstructive.

One participant remarked that cycling campaigners are often “mostly counterproductive due to their rudeness,” while another noted a growing reluctance among councils to promote new cycle lanes for fear that “nothing we ever do will make cyclists happy.”

The findings suggest that loud digital voices, even those in favour of active travel, can alienate decision-makers and undermine cycling’s wider political support, particularly among undecided councillors.

Well-known biking social media figures such as Jeremy Vine and Cycling Mickey have long championed the cause of safer cycling, but the study points to a tension between passionate online advocacy and effective policy influence.

Despite these concerns, the report acknowledges that the majority of abuse faced by council officials stems from anti-cycling factions, often fuelled by misinformation and anonymous accounts aligned with fringe ideologies.

Dr Nurse said: “This research shows that while passionate advocacy for cycling is important, the way it’s delivered matters and aggressive or dismissive online behaviour can alienate the very people needed to make change happen.”

The study also highlights that social media, while visible and loud, is rarely the most effective channel for influencing policy; officials cited emails and direct conversations as far more impactful.

Independent bike retailers, often embedded within local communities, may play a quieter but more persuasive role in advocating for change, leveraging face-to-face relationships and deep local knowledge.

Dr Nurse added that the findings raise broader questions about democratic engagement and how campaigners, however well-intentioned, can engage more productively with those shaping public space.