Only 1 in 5 women feel safe cycling at night, says report

A report from bikeshare brand Lime, published last month, reveals that safety is the biggest concern preventing women from cycling. The research, conducted with the help of strategic insight agency Opinium, found that only 19% of women feel safe cycling at night alone and that 100% of female Lime riders want improvements to personal safety.

The research set out to understand the large participation gap between women and men. Statistics from the British government show that in 2022, men made almost three times as many cycling trips than women. The authors wanted to "understand the extent of this gender disparity and identify potential solutions".

What are the barriers to cycling for women?

Through an external, UK-based poll of the general public, surveys of Lime riders, and qualitative case studies from Lime riders, the researchers found three major barriers to accessing cycling for UK women.

Firstly, a lack of confidence. The report found that women feel generally less confident to men when cycling, especially when engaging with traffic and other road users. 41% of women say they are nervous in traffic, compared to just 21% of men, and 27% of women cite lack of experience as a reason not to ride, compared to 14% of men.

Secondly, insufficient infrastructure is a key barrier to cycling for many women. 31% of women are concerned by the lack of cycle lanes, compared to 21% of men, and 30% of women said the poor road surfaces and potholes in the UK put them off riding. The authors suggest that concern over infrastructure compounds with the generally lower confidence level to create a major barrier to cycling.

Finally, the report found that cycling is seen as even less safe at nighttime. Only one in five (19%) respondents viewed cycling as a safe transport option at night. Meanwhile, 74% of women rank cars as the safest choice when travelling alone at night.

The main deterrents from cycling after dark were poorly lit roads (46%), isolated cycle routes in quiet areas (41%), antisocial behaviour (36%) and fear of harassment from other road users (34%).

In light of these statistics, the authors concluded: "It is clear that the concern for personal safety, especially when dark, adds another layer to the wider barriers to women accessing cycling as a transport option."

Why do some women feel cycling is a safe option at night?

Whilst most women feel cycling is unsafe at night, 19% of women responding to the Opinium poll saw cycling as a safe transport option after dark. Of these respondents, half put that down to the increased speed of cycling; it allows you to move through unlit areas more quickly. 33% said cycling allowed them to avoid uncomfortably long wait times, for example for a bus or taxi, whilst 27% said cycling meant they didn't have to travel with strangers, and 25% cycling allowed them to avoid unwanted interactions and potential harassment from pedestrians.

Interestingly, Lime's internal survey suggests that female Lime riders feel far safer on a Lime e-bike than the general population. 68% of female Lime riders said they felt safe riding alone at night, citing speed, personal control, no waiting and avoided interactions as the main safety advantages. Meanwhile, just 36% of the women Lime surveyed feel safe walking at night.

Of course, given the research was performed by Lime, it's perhaps unsurprising that the results fall in Lime's favour. Regardless, it seems logical that the extra speed of an e-bike gives women a greater feeling of safety when riding at night. The higher speed of an e-bike gives cyclists greater separation from pedestrians, and allows riders to blend more fluidly with city traffic.

How can we make cycling safer at night for women?

The researchers asked respondents how we could make women feel safer cycling at night.

67% of women said more dedicated cycle lanes would make them feel safer, and 59% called for better street lights.

There was a particular focus on parking areas. 69% of women wanted e-bike rental parking areas to be better lit, whilst 62% wanted parking areas closer to home to reduce the amount of time spent walking alone after dark – a key safety concern for many women. 68% of women wanted more parking near public transport hubs, to make e-bikes more effective as a 'last mile' transport option.

Finally, the women surveyed were strongly in favour of technical solutions, with 66% supporting the idea of a 'well lit route home' option on navigation apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps or Citymapper.

For the full report and findings, read it here.