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Cycling with children isn't practical

“Cycling isn't a practical transport option when you have children”

The response

This is a problem of public infrastructure, as children generally don't have a problem cycling! Most children are attracted to cycling, rightly seeing it as providing freedom.

The reason many people believe it is too difficult to ride somewhere with children is because there is insufficient provision of safe places to cycle. Areas with high volumes of cycling invariably have safe places to do so – off-road paths, protected cycleways, separation from motor traffic, quiet residential streets, etc.

As the Dutch and Danish experience shows, children are able to cycle significant distances from a young age, and cycling with children can be a great way for families to get around, and also for children to travel independently. Data shows that in the Netherlands almost half of all trips made by under-17s are cycled, and over three-quarters of high school pupils cycle to school.

Dutch families cycling safely at a busy urban junction

Dutch families cycling safely at a busy urban junction

Photo by The Alternative Department for Transport (Copyright, used with permission)

The children in this photo are too young to have taken their school cycling lessons, yet are already cycling to and from school.

The children in this photo are too young to have taken their school cycling lessons, yet are already cycling to and from school.

Photo by The Alternative Department for Transport (Copyright, used with permission)

family shopping by bike assen

Photo by As Easy as Riding a Bike (Copyright, used with permission)

a mother cycling with three children in groningen the netherlands the mother is riding a box bike in which two younger children are sat an older child is riding his own bike alongside them

Photo by A View From The Cycle Path (Copyright, used with permission)

many people cycling through a park in the netherlands including one father with a toddler sat on a child bike seat mounted between the rider and the handlebars

Photo by As Easy as Riding a Bike (Copyright, used with permission)