Women in Ireland Less Likely to Cycle Than Men Due to Safety Concerns, Survey Finds

A recent survey commissioned by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has shed light on a persistent gender disparity in cycling habits across the nation. The findings reveal that women in Ireland are considerably less likely to cycle than men, a gap attributed to a confluence of factors including perceived road safety, aggressive driver behavior, and the burden of family responsibilities.

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Cycling, even this area, is just not safe. We have lanes that are supposed to be for cyclists and instead people park their car there.

The statistics are telling: only 1.3% of all trips made by women are by bicycle, compared to 3% for men. This disparity is even more pronounced among secondary school students, where a mere 0.4% of girls cycle to school, contrasted with 3.8% of boys. This stark difference underscores the challenges young girls face in adopting cycling as a mode of transport, potentially setting a pattern that continues into adulthood.

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There is no light and it's pitch black so it's scary and you worry for your safety. No woman is going to go down a pitch dark road with no cycle lane. It's just not going to happen. A man might do it, yes, but a woman, she's not going to do it.

Compared to countries with established cycling cultures like the Netherlands, where women cycle over 20 times more frequently than their Irish counterparts and enjoy parity with Dutch men, Ireland's infrastructure and social environment appear to be significant barriers. The survey highlights that over half of the women surveyed cited safer roads as a crucial factor that would encourage them to cycle more, with nearly as many identifying unsafe roads as a primary deterrent.

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I believe if they cycled Irish roads for even just a week they would understand cyclists much more.

Beyond road safety, issues such as poor lighting on routes and aggressive behavior from drivers and pedestrians create an intimidating environment. Many women expressed concerns about safety, particularly when cycling after dark or encountering harassment. The report suggests that a cultural shift, alongside infrastructure improvements, is needed to make cycling a more accessible and appealing option for women in Ireland. The TII's findings are a call to action for creating a more inclusive and safer cycling environment for everyone.

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Sometimes I just get unpleasant interactions with groups of men or groups of teenage boys that'll yell something at me as I'm going past. I once had some teenage lads try and step in front of me while I was cycling, and made to grab my bike, and I just had to yell at them and go round them.