Selected highlights of journal papers and other research published in April and May using CLS study data.
Zoe Banks Gross, Bristol
Bristol-based environmentalist and founder of Kidical Mass, Zoe Banks Gross speaks to us after chairing our panel of experts at the launch of the Bike Life report Inclusive City Cycling – Women: reducing the gender gap.
Sustrans recently launched the Bike Life report Inclusive City Cycling – Women: reducing the gender gap, and I had the honour of chairing the panel, all of who also happend to be women.
Laura Laker, cycling journalist, Megan Streb, Sustrans Partnrship Manager, Dr Rachel Aldred, academic researcher who specialises in transport and Councillor Mhairi Threlfall, Bristol City Council’s Member for Transport and Connectivity, shared stories from the heart about barriers to women participating in cycling and engaged in lively debate.
The data from the report – which was independently collected across seven cities in the UK – highlighted that the rates of regular (once a week at least) cycling are almost three times higher for men than women in Birmingham, whereas in Bristol it is closer to twice as high. But why? For a start, in Bristol only 23 per cent of women think cycling safety is good, and only 15 per cent of women think children’s cycling safety is good.
Unpicking the data is complicated, but what is obvious is that something needs to change if we are going to address growing health issues across the UK, such as childhood obesity, as well as parity of health between poorer and more affluent communities.
The inequality in the figures for cycling between men and women is a national issue of inclusion and discrimination that can negatively impact communities. Addressing issues of equality is essential, not only to increase levels of people cycling and walking, but also to facilitate access to high quality goods and services. For example, the prevalence of food deserts in areas of deprivation, mean that if people can cycle, their options for healthier, higher quality, inexpensive food are dramatically increased.
The numbers help build a picture of why more women aren’t cycling but the reasons are often rooted in simple practicalities. Germaine Greer famously said you will never see a woman in the street empty-handed. When we talk about infrastructure, and creating infrastructure that will work for women, we need to consider designing cities that will help women move easily from work, to the school run, picking up groceries on the way, getting kids to extra-curricular activities, helping elders and home again. If it is difficult or time consuming to access good cycling infrastructure or a traffic-free route, people simply won’t cycle or walk.
Women are also frequently harassed when cycling, and this behaviour needs to be challenged because it stops women from spending time on their bicycles in the public realm. As one audience member pointed out, addressing this issue is not only something that women can do, men are also responsible for challenging the behaviour that women face when cycling. Even if you are not part of the “sisterhood” you can still support your sisters, mothers, daughters and friends.
Looking at Bristol specific data, we can see that more women are cycling here than other Bike Life cities, but looking at the council’s data on a ward level, we can see that it varies dramatically from postcode to postcode.
The areas of Bristol which have lower premature mortality rates, and obesity also happen to have higher rates of cycling e.g. 40 per cent in Bishopston and Ashley Down (BCC Ward Profile data) [1] in comparison with where I live in Lawrence Hill, only 15 per cent of people get to work by bicycle [2].
My ward also has higher levels of overweight and obese children and premature mortality. These statistics are not broken down by gender, but I use them to illustrate that the barriers to cycling are multifaceted and complex.
Physical infrastructure is a key challenge to many, but economic, social and cultural issues also affect cycling levels. It is not seen as a normal activity for many communities and it should be. The national media needs to be more representative when they feature a “cyclist.”
So what can we do to reduce the gender gap? People need to see images of all shapes, sizes, ages and ethnicities of people on bikes. You can’t be what you can’t see. Social influence, when people change their behaviour related to what their friends, family or peers do, can also increase levels of cycling (Sherwin et al. 2014) [3].
We also need to build cycling and walking infrastructure into the heart of our cities. Far too much space is given to motor vehicles, which women also do not have as much access to - only 67 per cent of women hold drivers licenses compared with 80 per cent of men. Reducing our dependency on cars is key.
We need safe, secure storage, as well as adequate space to park adapted bicycles, cargo bikes and trailers. If walking or cycling becomes the easy, obvious choice then people from all communities and socio-economic backgrounds will do it, if it isn’t, then the inequalities prevalent in our society will continue to grow.
Quality design for walking and cycling throughout our cities is necessary to increase social justice and to do so, moves us towards a fairer, more equitable society, which ultimately benefits everyone.
[1] Bishopston & Ashley Down Statistical Ward Profile 2017
©2017, Jonathan Bewley, all rights reserved
Today is Clean Air Day. Sixty-six years on from the Great Smog of London, it should be an occasion when we celebrate efforts we’ve made over successive decades to reduce harmful air pollution in the UK. A time when we look back in bewilderment at how policy-makers let a situation develop whereby people died from simply breathing.
But it’s not. It’s a day where we are forced to again raise awareness about dangers of air pollution. Today’s pollution may lack the literal and figurative visibility of previous air quality crises, but the dangers to public health are no less real and serious. It’s a problem Public Health Wales described as ‘public health crisis’; a situation caused largely by how we move people and goods. So with transport the biggest contributor to Britain’s air quality crisis, it’s time Wales started to talk about cars.
If cars create air pollution, let’s make cars cleaner? Problem solved? No. Electric Vehicles (EVs) have been hailed as sustainable form of transport and a silver bullet for air pollution, not just by government but also environment campaign groups like WWF.
We must remember motor vehicles don’t just emit pollutants (nitrogen oxide or NOx) from combustion engines burning fuel; 45% of pollutants comes from break and tyre dust. To date, decision-makers in Wales and Whitehall have largely focused on tackling NOx emissions, neglecting Particulate Matter. The World Health Organisation states that there is no safe limit for break and tyre PMs and research shows that these PMs are the most dangerous pollutant to our health. Which only goes to show scrapping combustion engines and racing towards electric vehicles will not solve our air quality crisis.
The starting point for people serious about tackling air pollution has to be fewer cars not newer cars. And that’s achieved, in part by investing more in cycling routes, making our communities easier to walk around, and modernising our public transport network.
Fewer not newer cars, and investing in active travel and public transport doesn’t only benefit air quality. Electric vehicles have other flaws that should not be overlooked or understated.
As WWF argue, electric vehicles have the potential to lower Wales’ carbon emissions. But, there is a huge caveat. To lower carbon emissions, EVs must be powered by a renewable source of energy. At present, only a third of Wales’ electricity is generated from renewal sources. Welsh Government has made a commitment to raise this to 70% by 2030 with the Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths cautioning that the target was “stretching but realistic”. The idea that EVs represent a quick fix that will rapidly decarbonise our transport system is misguided.
Setting aside the problem of displaced carbon emissions and air pollution from EVs, there’s also the important question of what EVs will do to society.
Who will gain the most from EVs? Who will benefit from scrappage schemes, subsidies and investment in EV charging points? Some people advocate public money to subsidise investment in the EV industry. As it stands, EVs will largely be the playthings of higher income individuals, whilst low income groups will continue to struggle with a transport network that doesn’t work for them. Pontcanna professionals will have a state-subsidised car when Pontypridd workers are still waiting for the metro.
The way we live, work and play is largely driven by car use. That might be fine if you own a car, but for the quarter of Welsh households that don’t own a car, this can be a problem. A lack of transport options is make or break for a lot of people and means they go without the support and services they need. That journey to a job interview becomes impossible to make on time. That trip to check Nan’s ok is too expensive to make more than once a fortnight. A long shift is followed by a two-bus journey home with a tiring wait in-between. Crossing the road safely to get to the Post Office is a dangerous mission because of cars parked on the pavement. EVs do very little to improve access to mobility.
There’s an extra one million private vehicles on the road today compared with ten years ago. The majority of short trips, under 5 miles are still made in the car. The school run is a daily reminder of how cars our clogging our streets and worsening our overall quality of life. But this can change. There’s a global movement of politicians, academics, planners, designers, developers and practitioners like Sustrans who advocate doing things differently. We’ve started to transform our towns and cities into liveable communities: attractive and vibrant places to live, work, play and do business. To do this we redesign streets and public spaces for people, not cars; and if scaled up across Wales we have the real potential to deliver positive action on the seven national wellbeing goals.
From a health and well-being perspective, EVs are also problematic. Notwithstanding air pollution concerns, EVs do nothing to tackle the wider public health crisis facing Wales. Obesity, diabetes, heart and lung conditions are all on the rise, adding to a financial pressure on the NHS that could reach breaking point within a generation. The Future Generations Commissioner is right to call for a re-think on health spending. The NHS has called for more measures which boost physical activity in the population, and whilst sport will play an important role for some, the vast majority of us will find slipping activities like walking and cycling into everyday life a lot easier to do then trips to the gym. There’s a real danger that the ‘Uber-isation’ of the EV industry will lead to more short journeys completed by car, further reducing levels of physical activity, leaving us as fat as pandas with the NHS budget pushed over the edge.
Finally there is a real safety concern. WWF suggested allowing EV drivers to use bus lanes. Let’s remember bus lanes provide dedicated space for buses to avoid car induced congestion. Bus lanes also provide an important part of the urban cycling network. Allowing EVs into bus lanes is dangerous for cycling and damaging for public transport.
As we talk about air pollution, there’s a real danger that in the rush for a quick fix, Wales will make the wrong choice and prioritise investment in EVs above active travel and public transport. That would be a huge mistake, unsustainable, and harm the well-being of future generations.
We are fully aware that for certain people, for certain trips, in certain parts of Wales, the car will remain a necessity; but for the majority of us more sustainable modes are available and preferable.
Quick fixes usually don’t exist, but more often than not the simple solutions, like walking and cycle, are already on our doorstep.
This post by Steve Brooks was first published on Click on Wales.
Councillors attend our event on Tuesday 12 June
Panellists take questions, from L-R, Cllrs Kevin Davis, Adele Morris, Clyde Loakes and Feryal Demirci
On Tuesday 12 June we welcomed councillors from all four corners of London to the New London Architecture (NLA) at the Building Centre to hear about what they could do to create streets for people. Below we share some of the key takeaways.
The capital might be big, but the journeys Londoners are making are not. For example, half of all the car trips made by Londoners could be cycled in just ten minutes and more than a third of car trips could be walked in under 25 minutes. There is clearly enormous potential for active travel in every borough of London.
With around two billion pounds set aside for their Healthy Streets Portfolio, Transport for London are making sums available to boroughs. Both through partnership projects such as Liveable Neighbourhoods, Strategic Cycle Routes, Quietways, Safer Junctions and Cycle Superhighways and through the direct borough transport funding, known as Local Implementation Plans.
Each of these funding streams for boroughs above can draw on some of the best practice approaches that that capital is fortunate to be home to. The North-South Cycle Superhighway in central London, for instance, whose cycle counters clocked one million users after five months or the Walthamstow Village scheme that halved traffic in the area, shedding 14,500 vehicles a day from neighbourhood streets. Visiting these schemes to experience them in real life is highly recommended.
A clear emphasis of our speakers was on the importance of dialogue with communities, of which four themes stood out:
Community collaboration over the design and further measures is vital. It gives ownership of elements a scheme to local residents and businesses. But primarily it makes sure that designers identify problems people want solving.
While two-way communication is important, the language is too. Instead of ‘cyclists’, ‘motorists’ and ‘pedestrians’, talk about people cycling, people walking or people driving and focus on the benefits of the schemes, not the mode of transport behind the funding.
Changing streets and how people can use them requires determination. Delivering real change means confronting everyday behaviour that we take for granted – and this can be uncomfortable, heated and emotive. In the midst of this councillors should stick firmly with the evidence available, not fears of what might happen articulated by those who shout loudest.
Trials and temporary arrangements help to test these assumption in real life. You can always revisit schemes to improve them further. After schemes settle in you’ll also find the noise subsides and those who were against might even end up in support or even pleased with the results. Indeed, mini-Holland boroughs Enfield and Waltham Forest, returned increased majorities at the local elections in May.
Councillors are elected to act in the best interests of the communities they represent. Only a third of Londoners’ journeys are made by car, yet all Londoners suffer from exposure to illegal levels of pollution and dangerous traffic that hinders active travel for all ages and abilities.
Streets for people already exist in London. In parts of Waltham Forest and Hackney, children are able to walk, scoot or cycle to school and even play out in streets free of through-traffic. In Kingston, Camden and on new Cycle Superhighways in Southwark and Westminster, families have the option to cycle thanks to the protection and separation from traffic and crossings that have been vastly improved along the way making our urban motorways a little more accessible to people walking.
For councillors and officers, the knowledge and experience is available on how to deliver them, so it’s time to get cracking.
We plan to put to host more learning opportunities for councillors in the future.
Photo credit: David Bentley
Photo credit: David Bentley
Photo credit: Lighttrapper Photography
A cycle trip can be a great way to enjoy being on your bicycle, spending time with friends or just relaxing whilst keeping active. If you are new to the world of cycling, we’ve gone to a cycle trip expert to give you their top tips on how to pack for the perfect cycle trip.
Saddle Skedaddle are the UK’s leading cycling holiday specialist, offering 252 holidays in 32 different countries around the world including many right here in the UK on the National Cycle Network.
With a wealth of cycling knowledge gained from more than 20 years of taking people on cycling adventures, Skedaddle are always happy to pass on their two-wheeled advice. Here we ask them to share with us the number one question people ask as they’re about to set off on a cycling trip in the UK.
One of the most frequently asked questions Saddle Skedaddle get asked before people head off on one of their UK cycling holidays, is what to pack.
So, here are their kit bag essentials and top tips for anyone considering exploring the UK on two wheels.
Staying hydrated whilst cycling is essential. We recommend taking a large bottle of water as well as an energy drink to keep your blood sugar levels up and to stay energized. Drinking frequently and alternating between these two drinks will enable you to stay both alert and hydrated.
Perhaps considered one of the most exciting items to pack are, of course, the tasty treats to keep you smiling en route. The food you’re going to take will re-fuel you whilst on your journey, so it is important to choose wisely. Popular treats include a banana, renowned for its high levels of potassium, which not only tastes great but provides a good source of instant and slow energy. Other favourites amongst cyclists (and our own guides) include energy bars, nuts and jelly beans. Yum!
A healthy bike leads to a happy ride! Packing a puncture repair kit and multi-tool is a must for any cyclist on the move. Always being prepared for whatever problem your bike may encounter will ensure you can fix it quickly and continue on your way, or at least temporarily until you find a local bike repair shop. Anyone hiring a bike from Saddle Skedaddle for one of their holidays will find these trusty steads come with both items as standard. Talk about handy!
The UK is stunningly beautiful to cycle through but our weather is certainly not among the most reliable. It’s always a good idea to be prepared for a shower (or two) with a waterproof jacket. Then, if a cheeky rain cloud floats your way, you can throw on your jacket and keep pedalling (or skedaddlin’) on.
As well as keeping yourself dry, we strongly advise you to keep your belongings in the same condition too! We recommend investing in a waterproof backpack, because there’s nothing worse after a day in the saddle than opening your bag to find all of your possessions are dripping wet.
Check out the Sustrans shop for Sustrans Ortlieb Velocity Rucksack.
No one wants to be weighed down when they travel and the team at Skedaddle knows it! When you book your UK cycling holiday through us you’ll enjoy the benefit of having your luggage transferred to your accommodation for the night, so you can travel light during the day. But for those eager to do it alone, panniers are an essential item for storing any extra items needed on the move. The fully waterproof Sustrans Ortlieb panniers are an absolute cyclist’s favourite.
“I always recommend to customers who undertake a cycling holiday in the UK to bring plenty of layers, it’s as simple as that! The weather can be a little unpredictable during any season and it’s best to be prepared for any eventuality, especially when you stop for a snack or to take a picture. Having that extra layer to put on or take off will make all the difference, believe me!” Alison, UK Product Manager.
Whether you’re after a classic place-to-place challenge such as the Sea to Sea (C2C) or Hadrian’s Cycleway, or fancy a more relaxed center-based experience exploring one of the UK’s many beautiful landscapes, Skedaddle offer a range of cycling holidays in the UK for every level and type of cyclist.
Image creditL Livia lLzar/Sustrans.
On Tuesday evening I spoke at the launch of the Sustrans report “Bike Life Women: Reducing the Gender Gap” which focused on data around women and cycling. We discussed a range of topics, stats, and recommendations. As local authorities across England are gathering evidence and working on their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), it seemed like a good time to share.
68% feel that their cities would be better if more people cycled—this is 2/3 of women whether or not they cycle themselves.
12% of women on average across the Bike Life Cities (Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester and Newcastle) cycle at least once a week, as do 24% of men.
If we keep focusing on the UK-wide stat of 3% commuting to work by bike (ONS 2011), we ignore the changing travel patterns we’re seeing in cities.
In addition to that 12% cycling regularly, another 16% cycle occasionally. And when asked how respondents see themselves with regards to cycling, another 30% of women say they don’t cycle but would like to.* That’s the majority of women who live in cities.
When looking to get political support and adoption for your LCWIP, get this message across early.
A wider range of their constituents cycle than politicians might realise, and even more want to start.
Cycling through a park is lovely, but women on the panel said that it didn’t necessarily fit in with the school run, picking up food for dinner on the way home from work, or other utility journeys they need to make.
Dr Rachel Aldred has looked at “distance decay” (ie. people being less willing to cycle as the trip gets longer) and found that it affects women and older people much more. Women want direct routes more than they want routes the wind through parks—although we would still like more of those as well.
Zoe Banks-Gross showed great examples of how infrastructure can either connect or sever communities from being able to access employment and activities in the rest of Bristol. Laura Laker from The Guardian gave brilliant examples of her friends grappling with the idea of cycling on painted lanes, and I’ve heard the same from many of my friends and family.
76% of women said that protected on-road cycleways would help them start cycling or cycle more.* And it’s not just women—71% of men said the same.
76% of women and 71% of men in the Bike Life cities want to see segregated, protected on-road cycleways. How often do almost three-quarters of the population agree on something?
Use this statistic as a foundation for being bolder with your LCWIP plans. Painted lanes will not get us far enough to change how people move.
Currently, it’s much easier to look at commuters to plan new infrastructure by relying on the 2011 census. This ignores the almost half of current journeys—to the shops, the school run, to see friends, run errands, or for leisure, and focuses on men of working age as more of them are commuting. And traffic counts are generally done on main roads—ignoring those who choose a quieter route, or are doing a very local journey.
We know type of infrastructure women have said would make them cycle more, and that quite a lot of those women aren’t cycling regularly at the moment. This suggests that many of them won’t be included in existing cycle commuter figures or traffic counts. Transport planners should be wary of relying too much on census data, Strava maps, or popular routes for existing cyclists for the creation of their local cycle network, or they may continue to see a narrow group of users.
LCWIPs are a tremendous opportunity to have comprehensive cycling and walking networks—both are key modes of transport.
Get the planning right, and we can work towards better places for all of us.
Please note: Unless otherwise stated, all statistics are from Bike Life 2017 UK-wide report, based on surveys of representative samples of 1,000+ residents in each of the 7 Bike Life Cities.
Sunday the 10th June saw thousands of women take to the streets of our cities to celebrate 100 years since the first women in Britain got the vote. As we saw the streets of Cardiff paraded in colours of purple, green and white there seemed to be something missing…
What is long forgotten is that bicycles have played a large role in the Women’s Liberation Movement. When bicycles came into mass production in the UK in the late 19th Century women who had long had to rely on men to travel were finally given the independence to travel alone.
Bicycles not only gave women freedom to travel, they gave women the freedom to move. Women’s fashion was heavily influenced by the bicycle, as you can imagine long restrictive skirts and impossibly high neck lines were impractical for cycling, and slowly bloomers and even trousers became mainstreamed for women.
Suffragettes were often seen with their bicycles which were adorned with ribbons and placards calling for Votes For Women. Bicycles played a huge part in their campaigning most notably when suffragettes blocked Winston Churchill’s motorcades with bicycles.
So, why it is then that over 100 years later almost three quarters (70%) of women living in Cardiff never ride a bike for local journeys.
Inclusive City Cycling a report published today by Sustrans, details women’s travel habits, views and attitudes towards cycling based on an ICM independent survey of over 7,700 residents living in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Greater Manchester.
The report revealed that 31% of women in Cardiff who do not ride a bike would like to, with the majority of those wanting to see cycle safety improved.
Claire O’Shea is one of those women.
“I would love to cycle but I have had my confidence knocked after being run off the road by a car. Cycling should give me that time to be mindful to and from work and it is the easiest and cheapest option. In reality riding a bike isn’t mindful or easy on the streets of Cardiff. Its hard work navigating through patchy cycle lanes with cars cutting up your route and watching out for car doors opening on the other side.”
A huge 79% of women surveyed would support building more protected cycle lanes even if it means less space for other road traffic. This new data only goes to show how important it is for Welsh Government and Local Authorities to invest in good cycle infrastructure, not only to bridge the gender gap when it comes to cycling, but to improve the health and wellbeing of its population.
Investing in cycle infrastructure has many benefits to the Welsh economy with only 51% of women in Wales meeting the recommended physical activity levels, changing perceptions and making it easier for women to get on their bikes for those short journeys could go a long way to improving Wales’ physical and mental health. Increasing the amount of women in Wales being physically active is essential to reducing strain on the NHS, with physical inactivity costing NHS Wales £35 million a year. For many people, especially those living in cities, the easiest and most accessible forms of physical activity are those that can be incorporated into our everyday lives, for example walking or cycling to work, education or other everyday journeys.
Cycling infrastructure also benefits social mobility with 43% of women in Wales not having daily access to a car. Women from low income households are less likely to travel far from home for work, and are more likely to rely on public transport. Still, their male counterparts are twice as likely to cycle in all seven of the cities surveyed. Increasing the opportunities for women to walk and cycle will have a positive effect on their prospects and horizons, and the overall prosperity of Wales.
Investing in improving mobility can go a long way to breaking down existing inequalities in society, improve health and wellbeing and improve air quality, so let’s stop back pedalling and take investment in walking and cycling seriously. For women’s sake.
Click here for more information or to view the full report visit.
