THOUSANDS of women are switching from four-wheels to two to beat the credit crunch, a survey revealed.
According to the Post Office’s insurance department more than 10,500 women took their bike tests last year with many more expected to do so in 2008.
Almost a third of the women surveyed, who had not ridden in the past, said they had bought a bike because it was cheaper than running a car.
Smaller capacity bikes can be up to three times more fuel-efficient than their four-wheeled equivalents and further savings can be made on insurance, road tax and depreciation.
The survey also showed that women in the north of England, the Midlands and Wales are the most likely to swap the furry dice for a full-face helmet.
Post Office director of insurance, Phil Ashkuri, said: "It's clear that squeezes on our finances are making motorcycles an increasingly attractive alternative to cars. We also anticipate that concerns about CO2 emissions on the environment will coax people out of their cars."
