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The Guardian
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Women put off cycling by safety fears and intimidating drivers
Intimidating behaviour from drivers, poor infrastructure and fears over safety are deterring more women in the UK from cycling compared with men, research has found, while bike sales continue to fall after the 'Covid boom'. The barriers to cycling have widened between men and women 'across every measure in the past seven years', according to research by Cycling UK, a charitable membership organisation. A survey commissioned by the organisation found experiences of intimidating behaviour, such as drivers overtaking too closely and other threatening incidents, decreased by 5 percentage points for men, but remained consistent for women. More than half of women (58%) reported that their cycle journeys were limited by safety concerns and a lack of suitable infrastructure, while 36% of women also pointed to roads not feeling safe enough to cycle and a lack of dedicated cycle routes (23%) as significant barriers to cycling. 'This highlights the unique challenges women [cyclists] face, and a real need for safer streets and well-lit routes designed with the experiences of women in mind,' the report said. The group said the importance of infrastructure and investment 'cannot be overstated', and is calling for the government to ramp up long-term investment in active travel, so it accounts for 10% of travel budgets. Simon Irons, the data and insights director at the Bicycle Association, said tackling safety was key to encouraging cycling at all levels. 'The number one barrier to cycling is consistently feeling safe on the road,' he said. 'Covid gave us safe roads and it is estimated brought 1 million extra cyclists out, which resulted in a 50% surge in largely leisure-related bike sales and a massive spike in cycling levels.' This dipped again when cars returned, with many leisure cyclists deterred. 'As the roads returned to normal, the new leisure cyclists disappeared and the industry has been dealing with the subsequent dip in sales and heavy overstocks since.' The association's latest annual market data service report, which covers 70% of the UK cycling market, says 2024 saw a 'further decline', with the total volume sales in 2024 'at a new low point'. It said the number of bikes sold last year fell to 1.45 million; meanwhile, sales of e-bikes also dropped 5%, with an estimated 146,000 units sold. Shared bikes and bike-hire schemes in particular saw a strong surge in participation last year, Irons said, but 'it's hard to prove that the growth in shared bikes has led to a decline in [bike] sales'. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Children's bike volumes also fell by 2%, according to the report, despite the number of children receiving Bikeability cycle training increasing year-on-year since Covid. Emily Cherry, the chief executive of the Bikeability Trust, said the organisation has seen increased demand for loaned bikes to carry out training. 'In 2023, we recognised that we were getting more requests to loan a cycle for training. This led to us purchasing over 1,000 cycles of local authorities and, in 2023-24, they were used 16,000 times. In areas of high deprivation, we find up to two to three children do not have access to a well-maintained cycle or a place to safely store it.' Sarah McMonagle, the director of external affairs at Cycling UK, said: 'It's important we build safe cycle routes designed with the experiences of women in mind – while also calling out bad behaviour on our roads. Gender should never play a role in whether or not people feel able to choose to cycle.'
Telegraph
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Bicycle sales plummet to lowest in a century
Bicycle sales have plummeted to the lowest level in a century despite billions of pounds of taxpayers' money being spent on promoting cycling. A report by the Bicycle Association reveals that last year saw a 'further decline' in sales of bikes. The organisation, the trade body for the cycling industry, even warns this may be a 'new normal' owing to a 'long-term decline in sales of mechanical adult and children's bikes'. During the 2020 lockdown, Boris Johnson, the then prime minister, announced a £2 billion investment to create a 'cycling revolution'. Although funding for new cycling infrastructure – including cycle lanes and e-bike hire schemes – triggered a surge in bike travel, the latest data show that increase has now slumped to below 2019 levels. The association's annual market data service report, which covers 70 per cent of the UK bike market, says total volume sales in 2024 were 'at a new low-point'. It said the number of bikes sold last year fell to 1.45 million – the lowest level for 100 years. Meanwhile, sales of e-bikes also dropped 5 per cent with 146,000 devices sold. The report, presented in Birmingham this month, also highlights how the Department for Transport 's (DfT) own 'cycling traffic index' shows the numbers of trips taken on 'the public highway and the roads next to them' had 'decreased by 1.9 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels' and dropped by 2.6 per cent compared to 2023. The DfT also revealed the proportion of trips taken by bike had fallen 32.8 per cent compared to the pandemic peak in cycling in March 2021. Some councils and regional transport authorities that embraced Mr Johnson's 'cycling and walking revolution' have been accused of waging a war on motorists and in some cases introducing cycling infrastructure to the detriment of public transport. Noting how ' cycling activity in 2024 dipped to below 2019 levels', the Bicycle Association report concludes that 'poor UK weather' including 'below average sunshine' could have contributed to the reduction in 'on road' cycling. It predicts that the cycling market – worth an estimated £1.77 billion – will 'remain challenging through 2025', but expects the 'long downturn will bottom out over the coming months'. The authors add: 'There is clear evidence of a long-term decline in sales of mechanical adult bikes and children's bikes. 'Even when recovery takes place, the 'new normal' is likely to look different than the pre-Covid period, with lower volumes and a renewed focus on restoring and increasing value.' It predicts that the 'change of Government' to Labour 'offers opportunities for longer term growth' with the likelihood of 'increased investment in active travel'. It says: 'Cycling fits well into the new Labour Government's approach to 'mission-led government'...' Asked about the report, a DfT spokesman said: 'Everyone should be able to travel how they choose, and we know walking and cycling has significant health and environmental benefits, which is why we recently announced a nearly £300 million boost for 300 miles of new cycle tracks and footpaths. 'This will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days every year, easing pressure on the NHS, and will add £9 million to the economy as we deliver our Plan for Change.' Earlier this year, The boss of Brompton Bicycle warned the cycling industry was in 'turmoil' after the bike maker's profits were nearly wiped out amid discounting by rivals. Will Butler-Adams also predicted that the 'sad state of affairs' would continue into 2025, but would not be as bad as 2024.
