Manchester Rides High: Ranked in Top 35 Most Bike Friendly Cities in the World
Manchester has been recognised as the 34th most bicycle-friendly city in the world in the prestigious 2025 Copenhagenize Index – EIT Urban Mobility Edition, ahead of many other global cities. This accolade is a powerful testament to the city’s ongoing commitment to cycling, following its successful year as the European Capital of Cycling 2024.
The Copenhagenize Index is the world’s most comprehensive benchmark of bicycle-friendly cities, evaluating 100 cities from 44 countries. The Index is renowned for its robust, evidence-based methodology, which balances quantitative data with qualitative insights to assess how well cities enable safe, convenient, and mainstream cycling. As the report states, “the Copenhagenize Index seeks to seize the real-world conditions that are currently shaping the cyclist’s experience. Ultimately, it positions the user at the heart of the assessment. It rewards all local actors involved in making the city bikeable for all.”
A Testament to Progress and Partnership
Manchester’s impressive ranking reflects years of dedicated investment, policy innovation, and community engagement. The city’s cycling journey has been shaped by a clear vision: to make cycling a practical, year-round mode of transport for all. This recognition comes as Manchester continues to build on its legacy as European Capital of Cycling 2024, further embedding active travel into the fabric of daily life.
How the Index Works
Cities are assessed across 13 indicators grouped into three pillars:
- Safe & Connected Infrastructure: The extent and quality of protected cycle tracks, bicycle parking, traffic calming, and safety.
- Usage & Reach: The share of daily trips made by bicycle, growth in cycling, inclusivity (such as women’s participation), and the presence of bike-share systems.
- Policy & Support: Political commitment, advocacy, the image of cycling in the city, and the strength of urban planning.
The Index “measures what cities build, what people do, and what makes progress possible – governance, funding, planning and public perception that drive long-term change.” Each city’s composite score is a simple average of its 13 indicator scores, providing a transparent and comparable global ranking.
Looking Ahead
Manchester’s achievement is not just a reflection of past success but a call to continue investing in cycling as a strategic tool for climate action, public health, and quality of life. As the Copenhagenize Index notes, “cycling is now understood not as a marginal transport choice, but as a strategic tool for climate action, public health, and improving quality of life.”
Thank you to all partners who contributed to this achievement and continue to support our journey.
Manchester City Council, British Cycling, Marketing Manchester, Transport for Greater Manchester, Cycling UK and the many, many cycling locations and community cycling groups.
For more on Manchester’s cycling initiatives, visit mcractive.com/cycling
