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HEAT for cycling is being used in several countries within and outside the European Region, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are adapting the tool for use in the United States of America.

Austria

The modal share of cycling in Austria is currently 5%, with an average trip length of 2 km. Calculations made with the HEAT for cycling tool estimate that this level of cycling saves 412 lives every year owing to regular physical activity. The corresponding average annual savings for Austria from this reduced mortality are estimated to amount to €405 million.

Czech Republic

The level of cycling in the city of Pilsen is low, but a study by the Charles University Environment Centre (Czech Republic) showed that 2% of participants would be ready to take up regular cycling if the infrastructure were improved. Assuming an average of 2 cycling trips per day, the mortality savings from such an increase in cycling would result in discounted annual savings of €882 000. The calculation was based on a representative study on travel behaviour in 764 subjects. The study included questions on willingness to change travel means, provided certain improvements in the transport infrastructure would be made.

Sweden

The Swedish Road Administration has adopted HEAT for cycling as part of their official toolbox for the economic assessment of cycling infrastructure.

United Kingdom

• The Department of Transport adopted HEAT for cycling as part of its comprehensive online guidance on the appraisal of transport projects and wider advice on scoping and carrying out transport studies.
• Transform Scotland, a Scottish alliance for sustainable transport, used HEAT for cycling to estimate the benefits from both conservative (20%) and more ambitious (40%) targets of journeys under 5 miles being completed by bicycle. These represent cycle rates for all distances of 13% and 27%, respectively. These estimates refer to the Scottish working-age population (aged 15–64). Annual savings would amount to £1–2 billion if the cycle share reached 13% from the current level (1%).
  A recommendation was made that the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) include the direct economic benefits from improved health due to increased cycling and walking. It could make use of the HEAT for cycling tool, but should also incorporate walking and benefits resulting from improved health.

New Zealand

• A report commissioned by the New Zealand Transport Authority discussed different approaches to valuing health benefits of active transport modes, including HEAT for cycling. Combining different approaches, the authors calculated an average annual value of a person’s being active at about NZ$ 2500–3300, including mortality and morbidity. The authors also suggested a model to value savings from walking and they calculated weighted per-kilometre savings for various active transport modes. The report contains a draft section on active transport for consideration for the economic evaluation manual of New Zealand.
• The University of Auckland, New Zealand, used HEAT for cycling to estimate changes in mortality associated with 1000 additional adult (aged 20–64) regular urban commuter cyclists. Figures were produced for the overall New Zealand population and for ethnic subgroups (Maori and Pacific), estimating a reduction in mortality of 17.5% in all groups. Annual savings were estimated to amount to NZ$ 765 000for the whole population, and more for the ethnic subgroups.
• HEAT for cycling was also used to evaluate the possibility of adding cycling and pedestrian facilities to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the major bridge connecting Central Auckland with the North Shore that currently only provides access to cars, trucks and buses. Based on hypotheses for the number of adults that would use the Bridge for regular commuting, the average distance they would cycle and the frequency of use, the mortality benefits and economic savings from the establishment of such a cycleway were calculated using HEAT for cycling. For every 1000 adults who regularly commute by cycle across the Bridge, annual savings were estimated to be NZ$ 1 529 000.