CTC plans to adopt charitable status in 2010

Cyclists’ organisation CTC plans to make 2010 a landmark year in its 131-year history by adopting the status of a membership-based charity. The news comes as the organisation, which counts 63,000 cyclists throughout the UK among its membership, reflects on what it calls “the most successful year” in its history.

CTC Chief Executive Kevin Mayne said: “CTC remains the largest cycling organisation in the UK. We’ve just wrapped up our financial year and, despite the credit crunch, we are looking stronger than ever. More people than ever have decided to join CTC and support the work we do. The more members we have, the more we can do to improve cycling across the UK.”

Among highlights of the year singled out by CTC was its success in getting the government to focus future road safety targets around an assessment of risk rather than the number of cyclists injured, a position that has been adopted in the draft Road Safety Strategy, in line with suggestions included in CTC’s New Vision for Cycling document.

The organisation also flagged up its work in opposing those opposed to cycling – a hot topic this year given extensive media coverage of so-called “anti-social cycling” such as jumping red lights and riding on pavements – as well as its Stop SMIDSY campaign, which encourages cyclists to report instances of bad driving.

CTC also praised the success of local initiatives, such as ones in Portsmouth that have opened up cycle routes along the sea front, a subject of much contention there and elsewhere this summer.

During 2009, CTC expanded its Workplace Challenges programme, which aims to get non-cyclists to switch to two wheels for their commute to work, and it added that its education department had seen record numbers of people attend its courses, which have played a part in getting 50,000 new cyclists onto the roads each year.

CTC Council, whose members are elected by the entire CTC membership, now plans to transform the entire organisation into a charity. Currently, it is split between the CTC Charitable Trust and the Cyclists’ Touring Club.

Chair of CTC Council David Robinson said: “Under changes in the Charities Act 2006, many of our founding and historic activities can now be deemed as charitable. We are calling on our members to give a resounding vote in favour at our AGM, so we can go forward as a cyclists’ charity and achieve even more. We’ll also qualify for Gift Aid so members will be able to donate even more money to our campaigning and development work, without having to pay any extra.”

Voting on the proposal will take place at CTC’s AGM in May 2010. To find out more about the CTC visit www.ctc.org.uk