Peak District Rider Survey Update

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to complete our recent Peak District MTB Rider Survey. Here is a little feedback from Will Blomfield….

The level of response was fantastic with over 1200 surveys completed in less than a month. Although the majority of responses were, unsurprisingly, from riders based in Sheffield and Derbyshire, we had responses from every part of the UK and even abroad. It just goes to show what a world-class biking destination the Peak District is!

The publication of the survey has generated a lot of interest in the economic benefits of mountain biking to the Peak District and has really served to highlight that trail sanitisation is probably the key concern of regular riders in the Peak.

Detailed analysis of the responses is available on request but the key findings are:

• the work on trail sanitisation will alter the riding habits of 94% of riders
• continuation of the work would significantly affect the riding habits of 39% of riders by making them ride there less often or putting them off riding in the Peak altogether
• Mountain bikers each spend, on average, £768/year in the Peak District
• Survey respondents alone estimate spending almost £1m a year in the Peak.

We are planning to work alongside groups such as Peak District MTB to try to enlighten Derbyshire County Council and the Peak District National park to the economic benefits of mountain biking and in turn adopt a more consultative approach to trail maintenance.

We’ll keep you posted…