𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

I’m a commuter cyclist, so I’m often out and about on my bike when it’s dark – especially in these grim winter months. 

But whenever I’m out late, I find myself weighing up the choice between well-lit roads with heavy traffic – or quiet, unlit cycle lanes or tow paths, free from cars. 

Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place.

So many women have told me, “there are cycle paths I don’t feel safe to use at night”.  That’s why the Daily Express streetlight campaign matters. 

It reflects an all-too-familiar reality for women like me who plan their lives around what feels safe after dark, rather than what’s easy or sensible.

It’s why my team at Cycling UK launched our ‘My ride. Our right’ campaign last year. 

While the Daily Express and Cycling UK campaigns may have slightly different focuses, they share the same truth: whether you’re walking or cycling, feeling safe in public should be a basic human right. 

Women deserve the same rights as men to move around freely, confidently and without fear. Lighting can play a quiet but powerful role in that. It shapes how streets are used and who feels welcome on them.

We know women make half as many trips by bike as men and are more likely to be put off cycling by fears of unlit routes and harassment. 

We also know how small things can make a big difference to women’s perceptions of safety. In places with improved lighting, calmer speeds and cycle parking in a good, visible location, we see more women on bikes.

While some sceptics may say that streetlights are too costly for councils, I say it’s a worthy investment in making our public spaces work for everyone. 

Whether the solution is to keep the lights on or design streetlights with motion sensors, women shouldn’t feel forced to choose between a busy road and a dark, isolated path.

This isn’t just about transport – it’s about equality, opportunity and getting rid of the rock and the hard place entirely. Because when we make cycling safer for women, we make it safer for everyone.