WOMEN in Worcestershire are being encouraged to leave their cars at home and take the healthy option by getting into the saddle when they go to work.

According to the latest research twice as many men cycle to work as women in the UK and 41 per cent of women said they had not ridden a bike for more than two years.

The research was commissioned by insurance company Aviva, which is sponsoring the Tour of Britain from September 6 to 13, the Aviva Tour Ride on October 4 and also sponsored the Aviva Women’s Tour from June 17 to 21.

The study reveals 18 per cent of men surveyed are using their bike to commute compared to just nine per cent of women.

The women who responded said the main reasons they were put off commuting by bike were worries about safety, their fitness levels, while needing to use the car later in the day and not having access to showers at work.

Both men and women had similar concerns about the distance they live from work and cycling in bad weather.

The figures are reflected in analysis of Aviva’s employee engagement with the Bike 2 Work scheme which reveals that almost three times as many male members of staff have taken advantage of it compared to female employees.

Further evidence that women are falling behind in the cycle race is shown as 41 per cent of those surveyed admitted they have not ridden a bike for over two years, compared to 28 per cent of men.

However, there is encouragement from the fact that nine per cent of women said they had been inspired to take up cycling regularly after watching events such as the Olympics and the Aviva Women’s Tour.

Lindsay Forster, Aviva’s UK & Ireland customer marketing director, said: “Bike to Work Schemes have really taken off across the UK, but now we need action to encourage more women to cycle to work.

“It’s great that British Cycling’s initiative to encourage one million more women to cycle regularly by 2020 is going so well and I hope the Aviva Women’s Tour earlier this year gave added support.

“It also helps that high profile female athletes such as Victoria Pendleton, Laura Trott and Dani King have really put women’s cycling on the map.

“Cycling has numerous benefits including improving people’s health and wellbeing, keeping commuting costs down alongside being better for the environment. I hope more women will be encouraged to give cycling a try.”

• More information about the Bike 2 Work Scheme can be found by visiting http://www.bike2workscheme.co.uk/?gclid=COyDgqeWuscCFevnwgodBqMExQ

• Newsquest in one of 13,788 companies in the UK which has signed up to the Bike 2 Work Scheme enabling employees to save money on cost of bikes and therefore encouraging a healthier workforce