Transport for London has launched a new campaign to encourage more women to take up cycling.
Figures show that despite 75% of women in London knowing how to ride a bike, only 13% currently cycle.
TfL says the reasons why many women choose not to cycle are well acknowledged, including the fear of being involved in a collision, concerns around too much traffic and not feeling confident.
To mark International Women’s Day (8 March), TfL has launched the Cycle Your City campaign – which aims to overcome these barriers and inspire a change in perceptions.
As part of the campaign, TfL will work with a diverse group of women and organisations to build an in-depth picture of women’s experiences of cycling across the Capital.
The campaign will run throughout 2020 – with a series of workshops and events taking place. Details of these will be announced in May.
Heidi Alexander, deputy mayor for transport, said: “We are proud that thousands more Londoners each year are discovering the many benefits of cycling, from better health to reducing carbon emissions.
“We are doing everything we can to make cycling safer and our growing network of Cycleways is enabling more Londoners of all backgrounds and abilities to cycle safely and with confidence.
“But as these new findings show, more work still needs to be done, particularly when it comes to getting more women on a bike.
“I am delighted that TfL is launching this important new campaign which will enable us to address the barriers that are holding women in London back from cycling.”
TfL says the campaign will be used to inform policy that will encourage and enable more women to cycle in the future.
Christina Calderato, TfL’s head of transport strategy and planning, said: “We invest heavily in making cycling in London safer and easier for everyone.
“Despite lots of improvement, women are still persistently underrepresented in London’s cycling community. It’s clear we need to change that, so they can access the range of benefits that cycling can bring.
“We need fresh thinking, which is why we’re launching a campaign to work with women who cycle along with those who don’t, to better understand the challenges they face. Their feedback will inform our decision-making to ensure every Londoner can cycle in our city.”
Perhaps another reason for not riding a bicycle in the congested parts of London is unavoidably breathing in diesel fumes from large vehicles in very close proximity? Any health benefits from the exercise could be cancelled out.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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