The UK offers a stunning, diverse range of urban and rural landscapes to enjoy from behind your handlebars.  

But some regions might feel safer to travel through than others by a country mile.  

So, we surveyed over 1,000 motorists (500+ being two-wheeler riders) and found that, while three-quarters (79%) feel safe on the roads, some factors jeopardise this – from road rage to night driving.  

To help the riding community, we ranked 50 UK cities and towns for safety based on the below factors:

• Local crime rate – after 1 in 4 (27%) riders expressed concern in travelling through (what they consider) ‘areas with a negative reputation’ 
• Light pollution levels which could impact visibility 
• Congestion – 27% say congested areas make them feel unsafe
• No. and proximity of police stations  

It’s worth noting this is a snapshot based on available sources, so it’s not definitive. 

Celtic cities lead – Belfast in Northern Ireland is the safest to drive and ride in, according to our data.  

Three Scottish cities make the top 6 – in fact, Aberdeen has the lowest crime rate of all the UK regions. Swansea comes in third for Wales.   

York is the safest in England. London just missed this shortlist – in at 26th – but it does have the most police stations, followed by Manchester.  

Portsmouth is the least congested. Traffic flows at 26mph, on average (the slowest being London, crawling at 8mph typically!). 

Coastal haven Brighton & Hove, followed by Bournemouth, are the least light-polluted but fall in other respects. That’s positive because light pollution risks either impairing or distracting riders.

*Based on data analysis

The UK’s safest town is Telford, Shropshire – a relatively new area developed in the 1960s.   

Shoreline spot Poole, Dorset, has the lowest crime rate and light pollution.  

You’re also least likely to encounter congestion in Middlesbrough, of all the towns AND cities.  

(Rankings based on data collection from Oct 2025) 

*Based on our data analysis  

No matter how closely you monitor the weather forecast, two-wheel travel can be marred by hail and gales. Then there are the potholes, which can overwrite an otherwise happy memory of cruising down a country lane. Environmental factors worried the riders we surveyed the most.  

Careless behaviour from other road-users, like tailgating – which 39% of those on two-wheels encounter ‘often’ – are the third biggest concern.  

Regain control by staying calm, as they’ll have their own reason to rush and/or be emotional – it’s no reflection on you. 

Women’s International Motorcycle Association (WIMA)’s membership secretary, Julie Emmitt, told us:  

“Riders face unique vulnerabilities. We’re small and easily missed – you might relate to ‘SMIDSY’ (‘Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You’), especially at dawn and dusk. Built-up areas bring additional concerns like theft risk and, in congestion, especially, road rage from others – I feel this far more acutely on my bike than in the car. But, like me, you might feel the pros hugely outweigh the cons.”