Radio and TV presenter Simon O’Brien got together with fellow cyclist this week to help launch the TravelWise Summer Cycle campaign this week. From left to right: Karen Stevens, Liverpool City Council's cycling officer; Claudia Stuerk, Liverpool City Council; Jane Moore, TravelWise officer; City Talk’s Simon O'Brien and Victoria Naylor, events co-ordinator at Café Sports England; Gordon Ross, programme director of Music, Liverpool Culture Company
RADIO & TV presenter Simon O’Brien set the wheels in motion to help launch the TravelWise Summer Cycle campaign. The initiative is designed to encourage people in Sefton and across Merseyside to cycle, whether as a way to enjoy fresh air, fitness and fun or as a sensible commuting option.
Everyone is being encouraged to join in, from those who are keen to re-discover cycling to absolute beginners. The campaign includes:
1. a programme of free TravelWise Bike Time led rides.
2. the Liverpool Cycle Festival at Williamson Square on Saturday 21st June from 11am – 4pm, where people can find out everything they would ever like to know about pedal power.
3. free cycling maps to illustrate the best cycle routes in Sefton and across Merseyside.
The Sunday TravelWise Bike Time rides are set to take place in Sefton and the other Merseyside boroughs between now and September. These are led by experts at Cycling Solutions and are open to people of all ages and abilities - a great way to ‘discover’ Sefton while keeping fit. All rides start at 2pm and last between one and three hours. A tea stop is included and there is no need to book. The Bike Time rides are a wonderful way to enjoy the city and the countryside landscapes of Sefton and other areas of Merseyside.
The Bike Time rides have been designed to showcase the main attractions in each local area. For example, the Sefton bike rides will pass by the Anthony Gormley statues on Crosby beach. More than 500 people have taken part in TravelWise cycling events over the past three years and it is estimated that more than 1,000 people will join in the enhanced activities this summer alone.
Two Sunday Bike Time Rides are planned for the Sefton area – ‘Ainsdale Lanes’ on June 22 and and ‘Sefton Lanes’ on July 20. On June 22, cyclists will set out from Ainsdale Station at 2pm and will follow the Transpennine Trail, the Leeds Liverpool Canal and the Cheshire Lines Path. The ride will last approximately two hours, and there will be a tea stop at the Scarisbrick Arms.
On July 20, cyclists will meet at Blundellsands and Crosby Station – again at 2pm – and take a three-hour journey through Little Crosby and Ince Blundell Park, stopping for tea at the Garden Centre Café on Back O’ the Town Lane.
Another highlight of the Summer Cycle campaign will be the Liverpool Cycle Festival - a must for people who would like to try out some of the more weird and wonderful bikes around. Visitors to the free event can try out a whole host of unusual bikes, from trikes to tandems and there will even be an obstacle course and slalom for those who really want to put their skills to the test. For those ‘back-seat’ cyclists, there will also be an opportunity to take a virtual bike ride – an amazing training experience that gives the same physical challenges as out on the road.
History buffs can go back in time and take a close look at cycles through the ages at a vintage bike display. And ‘smoothie’ lovers can mix a healthy drink using fresh fruit and static pedal power! You’ll also be able to pick up one of the new cycle maps covering all areas of Merseyside for free.
Neil Scales, Chair of the Local Transport Plan Partnership and Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, said: “Cycling is a great way for both children and adults to enjoy fresh air, fitness and fun, whether cycling is a leisure activity or simply an easy, practical and environmentally-friendly way to commute to work.
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"I’m sure there are lots of people who have bikes hidden away in the shed at home. The aim of the Summer Cycle campaign is to encourage those people to dust off the cobwebs and get back on their bikes.
“The TravelWise Bike Time events are great, sociable fun for everyone and are free to join, offering the motivation and encouragement of cycling as a group. Our Bike Time events also provide an easy solution for families looking for an inexpensive way to entertain the kids during the summer holidays.�
Visit www.LetsTravelWise.org/cycling to download a copy of the programme of Bike Time events, to find out more about cycle training and to order free cycle maps. Alternatively, call 0151 330 1253 for further information.
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