W@W Topic of the Month

August 2009

Women and Cycling

When asked at a seminar to think of my favourite childhood activity, I immediately conjured up mental images of my pals and I touring the streets and wilds of Inverness on a variety of two-wheeled chariots. Our bikes offered us the freedom of the town and probably burned off the picnics and fizzy drinks we guzzled whilst out of our parents gaze. I still enjoy a cycle and even now experience the same sense of freedom and enjoy the fresh air which we have so much of here in the Highlands.

So it’s with dismay that I read that women are three times less likely to cycle than men. Evidence shows that from their teenage years onwards, many females become less and less active in their everyday lives. In fact 64% of women in a Cycling England survey said they never cycle. Reasons given often centre around how cycling can affect appearance – looking sweaty, getting soaked in rain, experiencing the dreaded ‘helmet hair’ and prompting the difficult decision of whether to go make-up free or risk a Gene Simmon’s impression at your destination.

But these reasons can become insignificant when we learn that 70% of women do not take enough physical activity to benefit their health. Sedentary lifestyles are leading to obesity and increase the risk of health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancers and osteoporosis.

One of the easiest ways to achieve the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity most days is to include active travel – cycling and walking into your daily routine. Travelling actively for all or part of your journey offers several other major benefits: it reduces CO2 emissions, helps you de-stress, avoids congestion and the hassle of finding a parking space.

61% of all car journeys are under 2 miles, many of these could be walked or cycled, which would save petrol and money. In fact, it could even save you a gym membership fee!

Another reason cited by women is road safety. One explanation given for the large numbers of women using the National Cycle Network is that it enables people to walk and cycle away from traffic and passes within one mile of 55% of the UK population.

To seek to address safety issues and enable more walking and cycling, The Highland Council is currently having Active Travel Master Plans developed for all towns in the region. These will produce priorities for action including: likely cycle and walking routes and paths, bike storage and links to the National Cycle Network.

Hopefully infrastructure improvements and recognition that cycling is an excellent form of transport, great exercise, cheap, good fun and helps the environment will see a boom in the number of women cycling in Highland. Of course those women who are mum’s can also influence their children to cycle as statistics show (and I’m one) that children introduced to active travel tend to continue walking and cycling to work in later life.

Further information:

Bike Belles - Dedicated website for women and cycling
National Cycle Network Report 2008
SUSTRANS Active travel and women's health factsheet
Cycling Action Plan for Scotland
Highland Council Active Travel Web Pages
Highland Council Active Travel Master Plans

Contributed by Malina Macdonald
Travel Plan Co-ordinator, Highland Council.
Tel: 01463 702867. Email: malina.macdonald@highland.gov.uk