Our board director Marina Kyriakou shares her thoughts on her reduced mobility with her bicycle since she is pregnant. In Cyprus we still have a long way to go to create sustainable environments for mobility and inclusivity.
I am a Bicycle Mayor. I am a woman Bicycle Mayor. I am a pregnant woman Bicycle Mayor. I am a pregnant woman Bicycle Mayor, without a bike (!?) My experience of moving through the city changed completely when I discovered I was pregnant a few months ago. My doctor recommended that I stop cycling for transportation due to the poor state of infrastructure, high risk of falling, low levels of road safety, and the bad behavior of car drivers. As a confident cyclist for many years, I initially thought I could "ignore" this advice until my bump grew bigger. However, one evening, I rode into a pothole on a poorly lit street, and it became clear that despite my confidence in cycling through traffic, the infrastructure does not ensure OUR safety in this condition. Before the end of the first trimester of my pregnancy, I lost the independence and freedom my red Brompton bicycle offered me. I had to replace my commute with unreliable and inefficient bus rides in Nicosia, walking, and being driven by my partner, family members, friends, and colleagues. Walking is my favourite alternative to cycling and theoretically a good way to stay active during pregnancy, but in Cyprus, spring brings frequent dust episodes from the arid regions and deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, prompting warnings for vulnerable groups to stay indoors due to increased air pollution. Additionally, the island suffered from extreme heat waves from the end of May, and we recorded the highest-ever June temperature. Concerned people in my life who initially said "You shouldn't be cycling in your condition!" now added walking as a dangerous way to move around. I wonder if pregnant women in other countries receive similar advice from their doctors and if they are considered irresponsible for choosing not to drive a car. I wonder if I am the only one who finds it very problematic that switching to driving a car "seems" to be a safer and more responsible way for a future mother to move. I wonder if we can expand the conversation on child-friendly and gender-inclusive urbanism and transport planning to include this transitional period of pregnancy in women’s lives. Despite the temporary nature of pregnancy, how are cities designed to support the changing circumstances and lifestyle needs of this group of commuters? How can we support women going through this unique and wonderful period of their lives to move safely and independently? I wonder if we can accelerate the measures national and local governments take to adapt to the impacts of climate change to protect vulnerable groups who use active modes of transport. I urge city planners and policymakers to prioritize safe, inclusive, and sustainable transportation options. Pregnant women shouldn’t have to sacrifice their mobility or health to navigate the city safely. Let's create urban environments where all individuals, regardless of their life stage, can move freely, reclaiming the joy and independence of active transportation.