To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, Transport for London (TfL) is set to name ten Santander bikes after professional female cyclists or ‘unsung heroes’ to encourage women’s participation in cycling.
Less than a third of all cycle trips in London are made by women, as gender specific concerns still prevent women participating in the sport.
These include general road safety, emotional safety as a woman, and sexual harassment specific to cycling.
As part of its Equity in Motion initiative TfL commits to understanding these challenges and making cycling more accessible for everyone.
To achieve this, the city needs a better cycling infrastructure with more dedicated cycle lanes, greater segregation between road users, and better road surfaces.
All cyclists benefit from these changes and there are a few more which can make especially women feel safer.
Better lighting in parks and underpasses and more visible cameras to scare off perpetrators are easy fixes to help women feel safer.
London Cycling Campaign Women’s Network, said: “Since long before the invention of the modern bicycle, women have been cycling in London.
“So, we welcome TfL’s celebration of women in cycling and the recognition that women want to cycle safely and in greater numbers.”
“There’s a long road ahead for London to become a city where all women have freedom to ride, but we’ll get there together.”
By highlighting examples of inspirational female cyclists TfL hopes to encourage more women to give cycling a go.
Customers can send their nomination to [email protected] before midnight on February 8 along with a brief explanation as to why they have inspired them to take up cycling.
Professional cyclists will be chosen by majority vote and the unsung heroes selected subjectively by a panel of judges.
Feature Image: Free to Use from Pixabay
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