World Bicycle Day 2025: Pedalling towards a sustainable future

This week saw the seventh annual World Bicycle Day, a UN-backed celebration of the most efficient, affordable, and sustainable mode of transport ever invented.

As far as we're concerned, every day is World Bicycle Day, but the theme this year's event – Cycling for a Sustainable Future – could hardly feel more urgent. With climate targets slipping out of reach, cities choking on traffic, and health services groaning under the weight of preventable illness, the case for getting more people on bikes has never been stronger. The bicycle is more than just a way to get from A to B – it’s a catalyst for healthier lives, cleaner air, and cities that are fairer and more accessible for everyone.Yet here in the UK, we still seem to treat cycling as a fringe activity. Something "other people" do.
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This year’s World Bicycle Day is a call to action. For governments, that means creating space for cycling – literally. Because however inspiring the UN’s messaging may be, it won’t get people pedalling if the roads feel like the opening scene of Mad Max.

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It’s worth remembering that over 70% of UK adults support more protected cycle lanes, yet only 2% of journeys are made by bike. That isn’t apathy – it’s infrastructure. It’s potholes, close passes, and the persistent cultural framing of bikes as "getting in the way." If we want the benefits – cleaner air, quieter streets, more active lives – we have to stop designing roads for cars first, and everyone else later.

A bike is more than just a bike

The bicycle is a liberation machine. For children, it’s often their first taste of independence. For those priced out of car ownership or excluded from driving due to age, disability, or income, it offers access to jobs, education, and community. And with the right adaptations – cargo setups, electric motors, trikes – it becomes a viable alternative for families and those with limited mobility.

But none of that happens in a vacuum. In Paris, 1,000km of protected bike lanes didn’t appear by accident – they were a political choice. The city decided to prioritise walking and cycling. It took bold leadership, and the results are transforming the urban experience. In the UK, meanwhile, we’re still tiptoeing around a feart of upsetting the driver lobby.
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World Bicycle Day is also a good time to remember that not everyone on a bike fits the sporty stereotype. At ETA, we see riders from all walks of life – commuters, pensioners, parents with child seats, delivery riders, people with disabilities – all using bikes as everyday transport. It’s why we offer 24/7 breakdown cover as standard with our cycle insurance. Because the more we broaden our idea of who cycling is for, the more we can build a future where it truly works for everyone.

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Cycle Rescue is free with ETA bicycle insurance

If you suffer a breakdown (including punctures, or even a flat e-bike battery) while out cycling, our 24-hour Cycle Rescue team is on hand to arrange transport for you and your bicycle to a safe location. The service is included for free with ETA cycle insurance, along with:

• Theft, accidental damage & vandalism
• E-bike battery theft cover
• Cycle Rescue
• No devaluation of your bike over time
• £2m third party PLUS £20,000 personal accident cover
• Shed and garage storage
• Low standard excess of 5% (£50 minimum)
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The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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