I've been keeping an informal count in my head of cyclists seen on the QBC from Marshall Street to just beyond Salisbury place on my way to and from work for several years now. Just wish I'd popped the numbers into a spreadsheet every day, but there you are, it's just anecdotal.
Usual walking to work time between 8.15am and 9.30am I've seen the numbers go up from on average (just guessing here) 40ish to 60ish, depending on the time of year. During term time this usually coincides with a fair chunk of the school run, mainly on the way to Sciennes I'd guess, though it beats me why they cycle on that busy thoroughfare when there are several quieter streets to the west.
Numbers drop during the summer even though the weather is generally better for cycling, with summer holidays and school and university being out.
Numbers are thinner in the afternoon (generally between 4.30pm and 4.50pm), 40 is a very good day, with averages around 30 I'd guess. But these numbers are not swelled by school travellers and it's a tad early for going-home commuters. However, I'd say they have gone up, earlier on 30 would have been unusually high.
This year I'm seeing what I believe to be an increase in uni students, though that fluctuates like all things with eager beavers at start of the academic year falling off somewhat, but even so it feels like substantially more. I can tell the uni students because I believe they tend not to go in for high vis, and helmetless more often, whilst my feeling is the work commuters tend to be suited up.
I'm moving office at the end of the week, to the West Port area, so won't be making my mental tally every day, but just thought I'd like to throw this out there for what it's worth.