Should governments invest in cycle paths to encourage more cycling?

Low incidences of cycling are thought to be due to low cycling confidence, expected effects on physical appearance, and income, and yet recent UK government policy targets expenditures on cycle paths. This paper empirically investigates these associations using a selection corrected ordered Probit model and finds that appearance and feeling poor affect the propensity to cycle but not the frequency of cycling. Cycle paths do not stimulate cyclists to cycle more, but better knowledge of them may entice some to start cycling.