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Bike Week organisers hope to get half a million people cycling in June

Bike Week 2015, the UK's biggest cycling event, focuses on commuting by bike...

The biggest cycling event in the UK, Bike Week, is happening 13-21 June, and this year organisers hope to get half a million people out on their bikes.

The annual event, started by the CTC in 1923, will see a concerted effort to get people on two wheels across the country with a focus on cycling to work. Along with the usual Dr Bike maintenance events there will be a cycling buddies scheme to help encourage people to start commuting by bike.

According to the National Travel Survey more than 4.6m people cycle three or more times a week, but although the cause is a worthy one, detractors would argue it doesn't tackle the fact most people don't feel safe cycling on Britain's roads.

National cycling charity, CTC’s Bike Week Coordinator, Jonathan Sharpe said “We know that many people ride to work already, but if they don’t, Bike Week is the perfect opportunity to start.”

“With ambitious plans for cycling to become a regular fixture for millions more people, it’s clear that Bike Week has a really important role to play in making us a truly cycling nation”.

As part of Bike Week the Love to Ride National Cycle Challenge is taking place, where people can log trips, set goals and compete for prizes. Events will continue into September, from group rides to a cycle safari supper in Bristol. The events page is a good place to find bike related activities across the country from Edinburgh Festival of Cycling to naked bike rides in Southampton and Cardiff.

Sam Robinson, General Manager, Love to Ride, said: "The National Cycle Challenge is the main event for Bike Week 2015. Anyone, anywhere in the UK can take part. It's a fun, free, and friendly competition between businesses to see who can encourage the most work mates to jump on a bike for just 10 minutes. The aim is to show more people just how easy and enjoyable riding a bike can be. There are great prizes people can win, including new bikes and a trip to New Zealand."

Bike Week 2015 was also launched in Ireland by transport minister Paschal Donohoe last week, when a new cycle training standard, Cycle Right, was announced.

The Bike Week project is also funded through Bike Hub, Cycling Scotland, and Travelwise Northern Ireland, and is supported by British Cycling, London Cycling Campaign, Sustrans, the Association of Cycle Traders and Cyclenation.

For more information visit www.bikeweek.org.uk

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6 comments

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PonteD | 8 years ago
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So I cycle to work all year, in wind, rain, snow and hail. The minute I'm forced to take a couple of weeks off the bike they decide its Bike week and Chris Evans says theres a 2 week heatwave on its way! Life's just not fair (and my head hurts!)  20

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brooksby | 8 years ago
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My local paper (well, the commenters on its website) got themselves really workes up last year after the paper reported that one of the city's larger employers was offering its employees breakfasts if they came in by bike during Bike Week. Apparently this was absolutely disgusting and discriminatory - why weren't they offering free breakfasts to all of their employees, not just the b****y cyclists!?!

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Airzound | 8 years ago
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Noooo! I don't want to see lots of lard arses wobbling on bikes getting in my way. It's bad enough walking around town and having these slobs blocking the pavement, shop isles and the natural light. Can't they go swimming instead?

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skull-collector... | 8 years ago
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Bullshit event, ENABLE people to cycle and they will come. "ENCOURAGING" isn't enough.

Make the streets safer, give us proper infra.

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stenmeister replied to skull-collector-not-really | 8 years ago
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skull-collector-not-really wrote:

Bullshit event, ENABLE people to cycle and they will come. "ENCOURAGING" isn't enough.

Make the streets safer, give us proper infra.

I disagree entirely.

Last year there were a range of events in my locality for seasoned racers, commuters and families. Some, like the bike breakfasts brought together cyclists from all these disciplines and in doing so created a cycling community.

The infrastructure may not be there in full, but there are good routes in every town, city and area of the country if you take the time to seek them out. If you wait around for immaculate tarmac and segregated lanes then you will never cycle.

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justDave replied to skull-collector-not-really | 8 years ago
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skull-collector-not-really wrote:

Bullshit event, ENABLE people to cycle and they will come. "ENCOURAGING" isn't enough.

Make the streets safer, give us proper infra.

Getting large numbers of people out on their bikes gives a justification for the investment in infrastructure. It's a chicken-and-egg situtation for the cash-strapped planners. If we can't demonstrate the potential demand we will never win the argument about the value of the investment.

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