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It's National Cycle to Work Day Today - have you made your pledge?

Events in Manchester, Bristol and elsewhere as workers encouraged to switch to two wheels for commute

Cyclists across the UK – whether seasoned commuters, or those travelling to work on two wheels for the first time –  are gearing up for today’s national Cycle to Work Day, with thousands pledging to do their bit.

There’s a host of activities taking place across the country to coincide with it, and some of those who have previously switched to commuting on two wheels have been sharing their stories. Meanwhile, electric bikes are being touted as a way into cycling for some who are perhaps worried about their fitness.

In Manchester, besides encouraging people to ditch other modes of transport in favour of bicycles tomorrow, a cycling challenge lasting until the end of September has been launched with prizes on offer for workplaces logging the most journeys during the month.

Councillor Chris Paul, City of Manchester Council’s cycling champion and a committee member of Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Cycling is a healthy, affordable and sustainable travel choice for everyone, so whether it’s taking your bike to work for a day, or taking part in the month-long Better By Cycle Challenge, we want people to give it a go.

“We’re aiming to change Greater Manchester’s travel culture and increase cycling from two per cent to 10 per cent of all journeys made over the next ten years. Initiatives like these are a great way to help us move closer to that target and get people on their bikes in a healthier, greener region.”

In Bristol, employers including Nokia, the NHS and law firm Osborne Clarke will be providing free breakfasts for staff who arrive at work by bike.

Among those getting in the saddle tomorrow will be the city’s mayor, George Ferguson, who said: "Commuting to work by bike is a great way to keep fit. It naturally incorporates exercise into daily life and certainly helps me feel more alert.

"I will be cycling to City Hall on September 4 for Cycle to Work Day," he added.

So far almost 16,000 cyclists have pledged to ride to work tomorrow via the Cycling to Work website, and together they will be riding an aggregate of almost a quarter of a million miles.

Training provider Cycle Experience, which works alongside local councils to help get job seekers mobile, has highlighted the stories of some people whose lives have changed after they started commuting by bike,.

They include storeman Craig Burns of Maltby, who shed two stones and saves £560 a year on travel after taking up his local council’s offer of a free electric bike, under a Try Cycling and Job Assist scheme run by the company. He said: “I've saved money, lost weight and done my bit for the environment.”

Another person to benefit from the company’s work is Rebecca Ardern from Rotherham, who enquired about getting a bike through her local Job Centre and now rides it to her job as a teaching assistant.

She said:  "I saw the bike advert in the Job Centre when I was signing on looking for work and used it to ride to my new job. It's a brilliant scheme and got me back into cycling, something I haven't done since I was a teenager."

Bitten by the cycling bug, she now attends cycling festivals with her husband, also a convert to two wheels, with their toddler coming along in a child seat.

Paul Gibson from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council said using electric bikes was "almost as convenient" as owning a car.

He added:  "Job Assist is completely free and open to Rotherham residents or people who commute into the Borough. Full support is given and we offer one to one cycle training for riders who want to brush up their riding skills."

Nick Moon from Cycle Experience, which has now helped around 500 people in the area to get cycling and which also provides Bikeability training, said: "Many have gone on to buy their own bike and are continuing to commute to work by bicycle."

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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29 comments

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PonteD | 9 years ago
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And even though I have been commuting every day for the last few months, I made my pledge just so I could get my name in the prize draw for a new bike!

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PonteD | 9 years ago
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Cycled in from Pontefract to Leeds, other than the usual 4 or 5 that I pass every day, I didn't see any extra cyclists. Maybe they all took the canal. But coming from the South of the city, nothing! Wakefield was even worse, I had to go through the centre on the way home, wall to wall cars and I was the only cyclist on the road from the edge of Leeds all the way to Crofton via the centre of Wakefield (I'm starting to think wakefield is the most cycle unfriendly city (or should that be council?) in the country, despite having some cycle event next week).

Now the schools are back there's even more reason to cycle, it's great passing several hundred cars in stood traffic every morning from the M1 junction all the way into Leeds.

Not sure how many of them sit fuming because a cyclist had overtaken them vs. How many might just consider getting a bike themselves.

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Poptart242 | 9 years ago
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Pledge met, but then it was the same as every other day (17 or so miles)

I cycle from the countryside in to Edinburgh - the city centre was fairly normal, but out my way I did see a fair few more unlikely looking commuters, which was nice. Lots of friendly nods and waves, more of that please!

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brooksby | 9 years ago
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Did 10 miles into work today. So, 20, by the time I get home tonight, which will bring me up to 80 for the week so far.

(Mind you, I cheat a bit - I now take the longer but flatter route, rather than the shorter but hillier one. Takes the same time to do).

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mzungu | 9 years ago
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I didn't even know about it  2 I took the car but did cycle yesterday

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arfa | 9 years ago
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22 miles round trip for me and my average speed is notably faster than London traffic so it isn't me holding up all those precious car drivers  3

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Simmo72 | 9 years ago
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Just in time to coincide with a massive increase in traffic due to the kids back at school, angrier commuters who haven't adjusted back to the queues, darker evenings and a load of over running road works. topped with some of us not being able to commute because of extra school run commitments. Dopey twats.

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Beatnik69 | 9 years ago
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17 miles round trip.

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arfa | 9 years ago
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There were a few more on the roads today (noticeable by their new kit and riding gingerly).
They should do what happened during the tube strikes in London and ask for experienced commuters to guide newbies in. However as they haven't, I suspect the initiative will only have a tiny long term effect.

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Sevenfold | 9 years ago
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I noticed a few more today than I usually see. My commute is from Sutton Coldfield to Coventry (37 mile round trip) & I aim to do this 3 days a week (I only work 4) with the remaining day by car. This enables me to bring in clean clothes/take home the dirty ones & avoids having to carry a rucksack & getting a severe case of 'sweaty back syndrome'...

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chrismayoh | 9 years ago
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I rode in from Otley to Leeds and we've had large matrix signs advertising the Cycle to Work Day all week. Today the same signs are warning drivers there may be more cyclists on the road and to watch out for them. I like that!

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bigshape | 9 years ago
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i noticed a few more people riding on my daily roll into leicester this morning.
events like this can only help to raise awareness for those of us who travel on two wheels - hopefully some of those commuting in for the first time today will realise how good it is and stick with it!

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Airzound | 9 years ago
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News to me. No one's asked me. The only reason I can see this is being promoted now is schools are back and many unfit fat slobs are back at work so the roads are busy and dangerous again. Their thoughts are turning back to summer as the days are cooling and evenings are now drawing in. I've seen very few cyclists on my commute the last 10-14 days. All I know as I've had many more dangerous close passes and mental drivers this week so much so after this weekend I am giving up come monday as it is too fucking dangerous riding so far on the roads 30 miles. Sooner or later I am going to be knocked down again and killed. It is not worth dying for. All these initiatives are bollox AFAIAC. Just trying to promote the C2W scheme.

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StantheVoice | 9 years ago
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Out of interest what sort of distance do you all ride? I do a mixed car/bike, which is either 2 miles each way or 9 miles each way, dependent on, er, many factors!!

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bendertherobot replied to StantheVoice | 9 years ago
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fatsimonstan wrote:

Out of interest what sort of distance do you all ride? I do a mixed car/bike, which is either 2 miles each way or 9 miles each way, dependent on, er, many factors!!

20 each way.  4

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mrmo replied to bendertherobot | 9 years ago
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fatsimonstan wrote:

Out of interest what sort of distance do you all ride? I do a mixed car/bike, which is either 2 miles each way or 9 miles each way, dependent on, er, many factors!!

16-17 each way depending on how much of the A46(T) i can face.

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bigshape replied to StantheVoice | 9 years ago
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fatsimonstan wrote:

Out of interest what sort of distance do you all ride? I do a mixed car/bike, which is either 2 miles each way or 9 miles each way, dependent on, er, many factors!!

depends on my route, but shortest is around 12 miles each way - loughborough to leicester. longer if i have the time / inclination!

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BigAl68 replied to StantheVoice | 9 years ago
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fatsimonstan wrote:

Out of interest what sort of distance do you all ride? I do a mixed car/bike, which is either 2 miles each way or 9 miles each way, dependent on, er, many factors!!

17 miles each way.

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jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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Got the tube today. I have done 4 out of 6 commutes this week by bike though, so no guilt.

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TheColster | 9 years ago
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I cycle to work most days, and I did again today (in Manchester). I saw no more cyclists this morning than on any other day (although I did see more cars, due to some schools starting up again I suppose).

I have mentioned 'cycle to work day' to a number of friends and colleagues and no-one I spoke to had heard of it. I have only seen it publicised on cycle forums which obviously is not going to catch people who aren't regular cyclists. I wonder how many of the 250,000 miles mentioned would have been cycled anyway? Putting lots of signs up on the popular commuter routes to highlight this to drivers, advertising on local radios during rush hour, having a powerful social media campaign etc seem to be good ways to reach the non-cycling audience to me. I don't know if these methods were used; whatever they did doesn't seem to have worked.

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farrell replied to TheColster | 9 years ago
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TheColster wrote:

I cycle to work most days, and I did again today (in Manchester). I saw no more cyclists this morning than on any other day (although I did see more cars, due to some schools starting up again I suppose).

Roughly what route? I rode A34/A6/NQ and I noticed a decent number more cyclists.

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TheColster replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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From the south too, but mostly on smaller side roads/paths alongside the A34.

It could just have been timing/my experience, although it's interesting that based on this (admittedly small and unscientific!) sample, the main roads were getting more cyclists but not the smaller roads which might be better for inexperienced riders.

Maybe people giving it a go today just instinctively cycled along the same route that they usually drive on.

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bendertherobot | 9 years ago
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Meanwhile, in Cardiff, cycling to work is absolute heaven. Thousands of coppers to protect you from motorists. Mind, there are no motorists. The roads are free of cars and it's bliss.

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pubcyclist | 9 years ago
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I did the very short cycle to work today, I normally ride my bike when I get home or weekends, so respect to all the cycle commuters, getting your bag sorted, getting up that little bit earlier, getting out the house, dodging the traffic, dealing with the grotty works shower, you are all epic !

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Leodis | 9 years ago
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I would have cycled today but since the landlord at work decided to polish the paint work in the car park with a street cleaner van, I am injured after an off on it...

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jonathing | 9 years ago
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Call me counterproductive but I've refused to get involved with my work place's efforts. I don't want to be a patsy to their self congratulation, letting them think they're doing a good job with cycling provision, which they're not.

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Simon E replied to jonathing | 9 years ago
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Jonathing wrote:

Call me counterproductive but I've refused to get involved with my work place's efforts. I don't want to be a patsy to their self congratulation, letting them think they're doing a good job with cycling provision, which they're not.

It does seem to be a bit negative, though I understand your reasoning. Why not suggest some further or alternative measures they could easily put in place and highlight the potential benefits? It can't hurt to try...

@fatsimstan - distance depends on route. 7 miles each way through the centre of Shrewsbury, 11 miles round the country lanes (15 miles when I want a longer ride).

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arfa | 9 years ago
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I commute all year round and fully support initiatives to get people on their bikes. However, why do it in late summer when day light is getter shorter and the weather is likely to fade ? Surely late spring is the time to do it and newbies might stick with it ?
In answer to the question, no I gave not pledged my miles as I think it would be a bit of a fraud in my case and more importantly the website is a pain in the rear to register on

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TheSpaniard replied to arfa | 9 years ago
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arfa wrote:

However, why do it in late summer when day light is getter shorter and the weather is likely to fade ? Surely late spring is the time to do it and newbies might stick with it ?

I was having the exact same conversation last night with a riding buddy. The only potential reason we could think of was that it was to carry on off the back of the success of le Tour and coincide with the ToB starting this weekend.

Either that or it's a token effort to pretend like people in high places give a toss.

Another one in April/May would be a good idea though.

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