Tracing the Level of Cycling among Women in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The gender gap in cycling signifies the manifestation of a higher prevalence of men in cycling activities, encompassing both recreational and transportation purposes, within urban areas. However, according to Goel et al. (2021), the Netherlands has a share of females in cycling trips at 54.4, highlighting the country’s gender equality in cycling and the balance in accessibility of cycling as transport. This phenomenon is only prominent in a handful of countries, including the Netherlands, Japan, Germany and Finland (Goel et al., 2021). Therefore, it is clear that the Netherlands is a country with lower levels of gender inequality in a pro-cycling environment (Prati, 2018), making it an important case study to understand gender equality, and explain factors that can contribute to closing the gap. The research focus of this study was analysed based on literature review findings that safety, built environment, culture and socio-demographic background are key determinants of cycling, especially for women. The findings of the literature review required analysis of not only cycling, but cycling from the female perspective. Further, the conceptual frameworks presented from literature that were relevant to this paper identify some of the factors explaining the level of cycling in cities. This is taken a step further by explaining these factors from a gender perspective to provide an additional level of analysis. The objective of this research was to explain the factors of gender equality in cycling in Rotterdam. The strategy adopted web-based surveys and interviews with bicycle users to inform the factors in the adoption of bikes. Web-based surveys and interviews helped inform the perceptions of women around cycling to gain insight into the experiences of women, an identified focus area for future research (Prati, 2018). This study asserts that understanding the factors influencing cycling among women is essential for promoting gender equality and informing planning efforts aimed at enhancing sustainable transportation in cities. This study identified income level, personal health reasons, urban road safety, infrastructure, trip costs, personal costs and weather conditions as main determinants explaining the level of cycling among women in Rotterdam. This was supported by statistical evidence whereby characteristics of both the person and place interact to encourage female participation in cycling.