City council to encourage more people to ride a bike at special event.
Milton Keynes Mayor Marie Bradburn and High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire Kurshida Mirza will bring business and council leaders together next week in a bid to tackle cycle safety for women in the city.
The dignitaries will be among a host of attendees meeting to discuss the reasons why women feel so unsafe riding a cycle in Milton Keynes and to agree new measures that will address the issue.
They will hear how only one in four cyclists in MK is a woman even though three in four women actually want to ride, at a special event hosted by bike parts supplier Madison Cycles in Bradwell Abbey.
During the meeting, Cllr Akash Nayee, acting Cabinet Member for Public Realm, will spell out why MK City Council wants to encourage more people to get on a bike, especially groups who face barriers, including young and elderly people, and women.
And Jane Whild, of Voices of Women in MK and formerly The Open University, will share the findings of her research showing that 80% of women non-cyclists would like to cycle.
Mayor Bradburn will also launch a ‘Winter Wheelers’ competition among MK businesses, schools and other organisations, to increase their cycling in December and January despite the cold weather.
“As I cycle around our great city, I get lots of people saying hello.” said the Mayor. “But some of the stories I’ve heard of verbal abuse from male drivers is appalling.”
“There are several reasons why it’s been hard for me to cycle as much as I want,” said High Sheriff Mirza. “But one is just my confidence riding the bike itself, whether on Redway or road.”
At the end of the meeting, participants will be invited to join a group cycle ride to MK Gallery for ‘A Safe Place for Women’ event and other ‘White Ribbon’ presentations encouraging men to support the campaign for women’s safety.
If you would like to join the event at Madisons Cycles on Monday 25th November, 3.30-4.45pm, contact Tom Bulman, Organiser of Cycling Citizens MK, cyclingmk@citizensuk.org, 07962 838685.
