BBC News - Viewpoint: 'Why I won't let my eight-year-old cycle on the road'

"BBC News - Viewpoint: 'Why I won't let my eight-year-old cycle on the road': That's because even though I know that she is statistically more likely to have an accident in our bathroom at home rather than on the road, cycling just doesn't feel safe. It's a purely emotional response rather than a logical one - and that's what most parents base their decisions on.



And it's not just me. Parents across the country think the same, which is why just 1% of kids ride to school. Earlier this year, Lord Coe said that today's children could be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents due to a lack of physical activity. This is not only bad for individuals, it is bad for the economy, costing the country £20bn a year."



"The case for cycling is supported by economists, the NHS and business specialists, yet despite the fact we are drowning in supporting evidence, we are still waiting for a major political party to make a concrete, long-term commitment to cycling, to pledge at least £10 per person to change the way we travel."