Women want cycle paths

An interesting story about a petition which was handed into the transport minister here in the UK signed by 9000 women.
The Motion for Women was launched in September in response to research from sustainable transport charity Sustrans that showed 79 percent of women in Britain never cycle.
'Not feeling safe' was the most common reason for not cycling cited in the Sustrans survey, with a majority believing that more segregated cycle lanes are needed.
Many womens organisations were consulted including  the charity Mind, the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, the Townswomen’s Guilds and Women in Rural Enterprise.

What is really concerning are the responses on the Bikemagic site, most I assume from experienced cyclists. They range from "Personally I don't think cycle lanes are the answer.

Cycle lanes do nothing to address the problem of wreckless, irresponsible drivers, or cyclists who don't concentrate or improve their bike skills. In fact once we are all shoved into a cycling lane they think that is problem solved ignoring the fact that - people park in them, they get full of rubbish, cars drive in them anyway, lull cyclists into a false sense of security etc etc. By the way I am a woman cyclist."
Through "It's not about the roads - personally I'd prefer they sort out potholes than provide cycle lanes - but about how to deal with riding in traffic"
To "cyclelanes in my experiance actually make things worse! "
What chance do we have to improve the facilities when cyclists themselves are so against them? You don't hear motorists saying they don't want roads!

Snow and more snow!

Happy New Yera - it has been a while since I posted as the festive season took over! we were spared the initial snow falls in leamington but had a lot of ice. then the snow came and it is still here.
for those of you who follow David Hembrow - http://hembrow.blogspot.com/ - you will know he has dealt extensively with how they deal with snow in the Netherlands, cleared cycle paths and carry on cycling.
well it is a different story here, the roads get cleared, at least the amin ones. but paths and cycle routes are not cleared at all.
Here are some photos taken yesterday of some tracks in leamington:

Yes there is a path under there somewhere, a tarmac shared use that is part of the National Cycle Network route 41.

this is the path that leads up to the previous photo via the swimming pool and Gym.

i must confess to not having ridden this week as it is just too hazardous, even if the roads are clear the gutters aren't so road width is much reduced and being sprayed with slush is no fun. the off road bits are generally so slippy that especially on small wheels - i ride a Moulton - they are also very difficult. So as I have no reason to go anywhere, I am retired, I have walked to shops and any other places i have needed to go.