People who cycle to work in Ireland earn almost 20 per cent more money each year than the average earnings of those who get to work by all other modes of transport, a research paper has concluded. The data shows cyclists were the second highest earners, above those who drive to work.
The detailed earnings data (below), which was compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), debunks the view still held by many people in Ireland that cycling is a forced mode of transport for those who cannot afford to drive. Indeed, the annual earnings of those who drive to work were just above the average salary for all workers surveyed.
The date below is based on earnings data from 2016 and also mode of transport data from the same year. The data is now set out in a new research paper on the bike to work scheme for e-bikes. Median earnings means the salary level at the midrange while "mean" earnings is "average earnings".
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For example, in the list below, when it says €37,031 were the median earnings among the group of works who cycle to work, it means half of those who cycle to work have a salary above that figure and the other half earn a salary below that figure. The mean earnings of those whose cycle to work is €49,141, meaning that's the average salary of those who cycle to work.
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The earnings, by mode of transport to work, are:
- Train/Luas to work: Median earnings are €41,727 and mean earnings are €53,131
- Cycle to work: Median earnings are €37,031 and mean earnings are €49,141
- Driver to work: Median earnings are €34,655 and mean earnings are €43,650
- All modes average: Median earnings are €32,500 and mean earnings are €41,184
- Bus/coach to work: Median earnings are €27,415 and mean earnings are €33,604
- Walk to work: Median earnings are €22,598 and mean earnings are €30,145
The fact those who cycle to work make, on average, 19 per cent more than all other workers combined is mentioned in a new Parliamentary Budget Office paper on the Cycle-To-Work Scheme for E-bikes.
That paper estimates some 22,000 people availed of the cycle to work scheme in 2020 and in some bike shops 40 per cent of the bikes sold were e-bikes. Based on that data, the Parliamentary Budget Office estimates some 8,800 people will use the bike to work scheme this year to purchase e-bikes.
The bike to work scheme was introduced in 2009. It was first amended in July 2020 when the original €1,000 limit was increased to €1,250 for bicycles and €1,500 for electric assist bicycles. Those limits could also be used for cargo bikes and the latest proposed change increases the limit for cargo bikes only to €3,000; whether electrically assisted or regular.
