Workers who cycle or walk to work save the country nearly £1billion a year in saved lives.
A study has found there has been an increase in staff walking and cycling to work and achieving daily exercise goals.
Experts say the commuting trend brings down deaths and has a knock-on health benefit for society.
The research, published last week in the Journal of Transport and Health, found more than one in two Scottish active commuters took part in “30 minutes of moderate intensity activity” every day.
The study, by academics at Edinburgh University, looked at the behaviour of Scots based on the 2001 and 2011 censuses.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has developed a system for economically measuring the value of reduced mortality that results
from walking and cycling.
The system, called Health and Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT), is used by governments around the world for developing health and transport policy.
The study found cycling to work for Scots was worth £92million in 2011 and walking worth an incredible £814million.
It concluded: “This study provides clear evidence of the substantial health and economic benefits that active commuting makes at a population level.
"These findings support the case for further investment to increase levels of walking and cycling.”
Report co-author Dr Paul Kelly, of Edinburgh University, said: “There is an increase in people commuting to work by foot and bike. We are not saying it’s perfect but it’s encouraging to see the numbers growing.
“There is plenty of evidence that supports the knock-on health benefits of this type of commuting.”
Lead author Dr Graham Baker, also from the Edinburgh University Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, said: “Our study found in 2011 there was around one in six Scots commuting to work on foot or bike.
“There is room for improvement, however. If we want to have rates as high as countries like Denmark or Netherlands, we need to invest in our infrastructure.”
Cycling Scotland said there has been a huge increase in people using bikes during lockdown. It revealed the number of cycling journeys made between March and August 2020 was 43 per cent higher than in 2019.
Jim Densham, of Cycling UK in Scotland, said: “If the levels of cycling we see now are to continue beyond
the pandemic, Scotland requires urgent investment to create the safe space where anyone from five to 95 can cycle in safety.”
