York beats Cambridge in Cycle Town Challenge

When two flagship cycling towns went head-to-head in a bid to see which one could attract the most new cyclists, it was York that beat Cambridge in a so-called Workplace Challenge.

Some might consider the numbers persuaded to take to pedal power were modest, with York attracting 134 new cyclists and Cambridge 111, but those figures were achieved in just three weeks.

The CTC-backed competition was designed to encourage the uptake of cycling among the workers at some of the towns’ major employers.

Teams from businesses, schools, colleges and other organisations competed in six different categories based on their size. The overall winners of each category were:

* 500+ staff – The industrial division at Shepherd Group
* 200-499 staff – The University of York’s biology department
* 50-199 staff – The Environment Agency
* 20-49 staff – The Stockholm Environment Institute at The University of York
* 7-19 staff – DFR, The Environment Agency
* 3-6 staff – The ILT department at York College

Graham Titchener, programme manager for Cycling City York, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that the York Cycle Challenge was so well received by the employers of York; it’s fantastic that so many large organisations chose to be a part of it.

“On behalf of the Cycling City York team, I’d like to say well done and thank you to everyone who logged their journeys on the challenge website, and congratulations to the many prizes winners. By cycling to and from work, people are helping to make York a cleaner, greener and safer city for everyone. It’s also really pleasing that York was victorious in the battle to see which of the cycling cities could attract the most new cyclists to take part.

“I think that the York Cycle Challenge was a fitting finale to the three-year Cycling City York programme. It has also helped to cement York’s reputation as one of the UK’s most cycle friendly cities, and confirms its status as a national leader when it comes to championing cycling and other forms of sustainable transport.”