Research Findings: Experiences of mothers in Bayswater

The initial Snapshot Survey showed that most trips being undertaken by women in Bayswater are short and overwhelmingly by motor car. Pedestrian and cycling counts on a local shared path also confirmed that few women walk and cycle. High use of cars suggests that there are limited opportunities for incidental physical activity and social interaction at a local level.

Barriers to Mothers using active transport
Safety, time and difficulties with children were the three most commonly cited factors mothers gave as reasons for not using active transport in Bayswater. An analysis of comments across all survey/interview questions, suggested that safety was a particularly predominant theme and carries several different concerns including fear of unknown people, lack of people (isolation), state of physical environment suggesting crime, concerns about traffic speed and volume, and lack of supportive infrastructure. Interestingly, though not able to be statistically proven it seemed that women who actually walked or cycled regularly were less inclined to cite safety as a key concern.

Bayswater Mothers sense of belonging
The initial Snapshot Survey results suggest most mothers feel some degree (though not the highest) of belonging in Bayswater.This is demonstrated by most women (89%) agreeing with the statement, “I feel a sense o Belonging in Bayswater.” In the survey and interviews many women spoke about the importance of the social connections they had through particular settings: many related to their children, such as schools, playgroups etc. Mothers also noted the importance of neighbourhoods and raised a number of issues that could make it difficult to get to know others locally.

“Back in mum and dad’s day they were
friends with their neighbours. But society has
changed. The old lady who used to live next
door she understood (about their child having
disability), we helped her and she helped us.
But then she moved.…(today) people are shut
off, people go to work, they and people with
disabilities don’t mix anymore.”
“…that’s one of the reasons we wanted to
send him to a local school so that when he
goes out into the community, then people will
recognise him rather than when he goes on a
bus to a special school.”
“I feel isolated because now my kids are all
older you don’t have the contact like you did
when they were at school.”
“What I like about walking because you get to
talk to people when you are walking…so they
can get to know people.
”

The qualitative data analysis further showed a complex interplay of individual,
environmental, socio-cultural and policy factors underpinning these results. Some of
the factors that emerged from the research are listed below. A detailed analysis is
provided in the Mothers Living Well Research report.