CYCLING and e-scooters are responsible for 6850 jobs in WA and contribute about $2 billion directly and indirectly – $18b nationally – to the economy, a new report says.

Swan MHR Zaneta Mascarenhas said the report highlighted cycling’s importance to the WA economy, and called for cycling infrastructure investments.

Ms Mascarenhas, who chairs the Parliamentary friends of cycling group, said cycling tourism generated $128.7 million for the WA economy, with a significant portion of this value going to regional Western Australia.

WA (22 per cent) has one of the highest rates of e-scooter use among adults in the country, with 35 per cent of 18-34 year-olds across the country using them over the year.

Eighty per cent of e-scooter users were motivated by environmental concerns, with fun and enjoyment the main reason to ride them.

“I’d love to see local, state and federal governments work together to identify new and innovative ways we can improve our active transport infrastructure,” Ms Mascarenhas said.

WestCycle Active Transport Manager, Dr Georgia Scott, welcomed the report but called for better and safer active transport infrastructure.

“This report confirms the importance of cycling and active transport to Western Australia’s economic, public health and emissions reduction goals,” Dr Scott said.

“The findings are encouraging in that many people are riding bikes regularly, and women’s participation is higher than we anticipated at around 40 per cent.

“However, the report also affirms what the sector has known for a long time: that most people who want to ride, or ride more, need safer infrastructure to do so.”