West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin joined an autumnal cycle ride with our Network Development director along the Spen Valley Greenway to highlight the need to make more routes safer for women and girls.
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin cycling along the Spen Valley Greenway. PHOTO: West Yorkshire Combined Authority
The Mayor’s visit last week marked new lights switching on along the traffic free path, as the evenings get darker.
She also welcomed access improvements, and pledged her support for the Trust’s work to make routes safer for women and girls to walk, wheel* or cycle their journeys.
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "Women and girls shouldn't have to change their behaviour in order to feel safe.
"We are investing in well-lit paths and accessible routes for all to enjoy, and it was wonderful to get on the bike and experience it first-hand.
"Together with our partners, we’re delivering a better-connected, greener and safer West Yorkshire."
Local cycling group leader Fozia Naseem welcomes the improvements on the Spen Valley Greenway. PHOTO: West Yorkshire Combined Authority
The Spen Valley Greenway is a 12km route between Dewsbury and Bradford, which is part of the National Cycle Network.
The route is often used by people commuting to the station, work or school, but numbers drop off when the evenings get darker.
A Trust survey on the Greenway in 2024 found that only 10% of women felt safe using the route after dark, and 19% of men.
To help tackle this problem our team worked with Kirklees Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority to install LED lighting between Cleckheaton and Liversedge earlier this year, as well as other improvements which make the route safer and more accessible.
The path is now lit every evening, and ultimately we aim to light the whole greenway.
Selina Gregoire walks on the path regularly and says the lights will make a big difference.
“I like to walk in the evening and I’ll happily do it in winter now the path is lit up and feels safer.
“I know a lot of people have been waiting for the lights to go on, particularly the older generation, and dog walkers who want to do evening walks.”
Fozia Naseem leads an inclusive cycling group for women on the Greenway. She says lighting helps extend the times women can be active on the path.
“For people who are newish to cycling things can come out of the blue on an unlit path, so it’s too much to take on. This will open up more opportunities to cycle at different times of the day.”
The experience on the Spen Valley Greenway aligns with national statistics too.
According to a YouGov poll in February this year almost 9 out of 10 (88%) of women do not feel safe walking alone after dark, and 7 out of 10 changed their route to avoid walking in the dark during winter months.
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust is working across the UK to make changes that help more women and girls feel safer to walk, wheel or cycle.
Carole Patrick, our National Cycle Network Director said:
“We’re delighted to switch on the lights on this section of the Spen Valley Greenway, and we hope that with more funding we will be able to extend lighting to other areas too.
“We are working with communities across the country to find out what barriers women face when travelling actively, and how we can help to remove them.
This could include installing lights, changing the design of paths, opening up sightlines on routes, or re-routing them to busier areas.
“The important thing is to engage locally with women and girls to identify the factors that make a difference.
“We want to see a world where every woman and every girl can travel without worry, wherever they want, however they want, anytime of day. Because when we create safe journeys for women and girls, we make it safer for everyone.”
The Greenway between Cleckheaton and Liversedge now has lighting and is accessible for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and adapted cycles. PHOTO: West Yorkshire Combined Authority
As well as new lighting, improvements on the 2km improved stretch of the Spen Valley Greenway included laying a new surface, widening the path to three metres, and improving access ramps.
The project was funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, as part of the A638 Dewsbury – Cleckheaton Sustainable Travel Corridor.
The ride with West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Carole Patrick along Spen Valley Greenway was facilitated and led by local company, Streetbikes, who operate from Spenborough Athletics Track in Liversedge.
Find out more about our work to improve the National Cycle Network for everyone
