Cycling UK to light up the night with nationwide campaign for safer cycling

Cycling UK will co-launch a series of mass glow rides with cycling groups, supporters, activists and communities across the UK in late October.

Taking place on 22 October, the event forms part of the My ride. Our right. campaign, which calls for safer streets and improved cycling infrastructure particularly to help women feel confident cycling after dark.

With more than 40 rides already planned, the charity has created a regularly updated map to help people find their nearest event. Glow rides will take place across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, lighting up streets and paths in a collective call for change.

In England, events are confirmed in Bristol, Liverpool, Newbury, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Preston, Sheffield, Worcester and York. Scotland will see rides in Dundee and Edinburgh, while in Northern Ireland a ride will take place in Belfast. Wales will host its own event in Llanberis, Gwynedd.

Cycling UK’s initiative follows its recent study, which found that more than half of women in the UK (58%) feel their cycling journeys are limited by safety concerns and a lack of suitable infrastructure. Over a third (36%) said roads do not feel safe enough to cycle on, while nearly a quarter (23%) identified the lack of dedicated cycle routes as a significant barrier. The findings underline the unique challenges women face and highlight the need for safer, well-lit routes designed with their experiences in mind.

The research also revealed how crucial route design is in shaping travel choices. Nearly half of women (45%) said they would be encouraged to cycle if there were a direct route to their local town centre or high street, while 39% said physically separated cycle lanes would make a difference.

However, Cycling UK argued that building commuter corridors alone is not enough. The charity believed that cycle networks must connect people to the places they actually need to go, including city centres, schools, local amenities and neighbourhood high streets, making cycling a practical, everyday mode of transport.

“These glow rides show that women across the country are fed up with the lack of safe cycle routes in their areas,” said Sarah Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cycling UK. “Communities have long called for transport choices that not only make the commute to work cheaper, but also connect with schools, local high streets and green spaces.”

“The best cycle network is only as good as its weakest links,” added Jill Borcherds, a glow ride organiser in Stevenage. “Our glow rides will highlight examples of where conditions are far from ideal, including dark, secluded routes where the only alternatives are busy main roads.”