Around twice as many boys as girls are cycling in the UK, a report has found.

The charity Sustrans asked children aged six to 15 whether they “often cycled”. In response, nearly two in ten boys said yes – but fewer than one in ten girls said the same.

One girl – a secondary school pupil from Swansea – told researchers that she used to cycle, but now she’s stopped. “It’s not really seen as cool, and we can be quite self-conscious about that,” she said, adding that she felt like most cycling gear was designed for men.

However, half of the children in the study said that they’d like to cycle more. Many supported ideas like cycle lanes, quiet paths and slower speed limits for cars, to make cycling easier and safer.

Rachel Toms, from Sustrans, said: “Children want to cycle and expect our leaders to tackle the barriers stopping them.” She said it’s important for children to “feel safe to get on their bike and get all the lifestyle and health benefits cycling offers.”