Women's Cycling Focus Group
The team behind the Cycling Demonstration Town (CDT) project are holding a special event for female cyclists (and would be cyclists) on August 13 at The Dukes theatre in Lancaster.
The team behind the Cycling Demonstration Town (CDT) project are holding a special event for female cyclists (and would be cyclists) on August 13 at The Dukes theatre in Lancaster.
Starting at 6pm, the Women's Cycling Focus Group event will be a chance to meet some of the CDT team, pick up information and discuss positive ideas about how to increase cycling in the district.
It is open to cyclists and non-cyclists and will be run on an informal basis so come along and share your views, or just sit and listen. Doors open at 6pm with the opportunity to pick up information and chat, with the main event starting at around 6:20pm. Light refreshments will be available. All attendees will be entered into our special prize draw to win a funky pair of green and white floral panniers.
According to the last census in 2001 less than 2% of women in the Lancaster district regularly used a bicycle to get to work, as opposed to over 5% of men. These figures are likely to have increased in the intervening years but a gap still exists between men and women.
During May and June a survey was carried out to find out why women choose to cycle (or not) and what would help to increase cycling levels for all types of journeys. The survey was completed by 350 people and found:
* 79% of respondents owned a bike (or had one available to them)
* 86% of respondents are aged between 18 - 59
* 20% said cycling was their main mode of transport - 51% said that the car (as driver) was their main mode
* 40% cycle at least weekly, while 8% never cycle
* 27% regularly cycle to work
* 2% regularly take children to school, while a further 9% do so occasionally or would consider doing so
* 62% were confident or average cyclists; 33% were not confident and 4% could not cycle
* The five main advantage of cycling were: physical health (97%), environmentally friendly (85%), low cost (82%), being outdoors (77%) and mental health (65%).
* The five main disadvantages were: weather (77%), road safety (74%), carrying loads (63%), personal safety (49%) and bike security (43%)
* 57% expressed an interest in maintenance training, 40% in on road cycle training and 29% in off road training
* 83% of respondents were possibly interested in cycling more
Date Updated: 19/03/09