Cycling and Disability: Cycles used as mobility aids

Organiser and chair: Kevin Hickman, Trustee, Wheels for Wellbeing, UK Participating individuals: John Parkin, Professor of Transport Engineering,

(Word count 493 words)

The topic

University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

The panel will consider issues of inclusion and exclusion in policy, design and research. Disabled people are at increased risk of developing health conditions, often linked to obesity, as a consequence of a more sedentary life. Cycling has the potential to offer health benefits to disabled people by improving fitness, and mental wellbeing as well as mitigating secondary conditions. These benefits mean that it is important that people with mobility impairments are not excluded from cycling.

Disability remains an under-researched area within cycling studies, and in the UK there are low rates of cycling amongst disabled people. There is little funding for promotion in this area, and this is despite a good level of third sector activity. This lack of focus may be a consequence of a perception that cycling is not an activity accessible to disabled people. However, this assumption may not be true, particularly considering the availability of adapted cycles, which importantly are much cheaper than adapted cars.

Previous research has included work on the impressions created by the use of imagery of disabled cyclists in policy and design and interviews with disabled cycle users, analysed in the context of the current UK system for cycle users. Current research involves language used in cycling, with us seemingly having forgotten the importance of the change of name, for inclusivity reasons, of the ‘Bicycle Touring Club’ to the ‘Cyclists’ Touring Club’ in 1883. The World Cycling Alliance seemingly turned the clock back in 2016 by calling for the creation of a UN designated ‘World Bicycle Day’ hence excluding tricycles, quadricycles and hand-cycles. Proposed future research is proposed to understand demand for, and obstacles to cycling amongst disabled people; to understand the current framing of disability amongst transport system providers; and to understand the social, health and physical safety impacts of provision of all ability cycling.

Organisation of the panel

Kevin Hickman will chair the panel and present his research findings. John Parking will present his research findings and proposals for future work. This will take place in the first twenty minutes and will provide a robust basis for informed further discussion. Kevin and John will then lead a question and answer session by throwing out questions to the audience and hence engaging in moving on the field of thinking in this area of inquiry.

What will be known and realised?

Our aim is twofold. Firstly, we will have raised the consciousness of all researchers present to the issue of disability and cycling and how central it is to all research on cycling. Secondly, we will have helped air a number of issues that are worthy of further research with the hope that those present will be energised to take forward the agenda themselves in their own situation.