I want to ride my bicycle…Pedal power! Could you be persuaded to ditch your car in favour of your bike, to travel to your workplace in or on the outskirts of Stone?
Think about it – it saves you money, the only pounds you will lose are in weight, plus it helps keep the environment free from all that nasty pollution. Commuters in Staffordshire are being encouraged to leave the car at home and get in the saddle as part of national ‘Cycle to Work Day.’
The annual push on Wednesday 14th September is the national campaign that aims to promote the benefits of cycling to and from work.
Staffordshire County Council’s mobile bike workshop is supporting the campaign and will be visiting businesses in Stafford and Rugeley with advice on bike maintenance and safer cycling. Staff will also be giving out maps of local cycleways linking into the National Cycle Network.
Bike shops across the county are also joining in the campaign with free bike checks and advice. Cyclists can find a participating shop by entering their postcode at https://www.cycletoworkday.org/retailer-finder.
Mark Deaville, Transport Chief at Staffordshire County Council said:
There’s huge passion for cycling here in Staffordshire and as a county we are committed to developing our cycling network.
We have invested around £5 million in cycling infrastructure improvements over the last two years, making us a much more connected county than ever before.
We want to see more people on their bikes, not only for leisure but for getting to and from work and ‘Cycle to Work Day’ gives us a great opportunity to remind people of the many benefits of cycling. Keeping fit and healthy, getting fresh air and saving money by not using the car are all great reasons to get on your bike.”
Jeff Stevens, 51, is a regular cyclist to work and works for Staffordshire County Council’s Highways Department. He said:
I’ve been cycling in to work for the past five years and I can’t recommend it enough. It helps me stay fit, I get outside more, it saves me money on travel costs and it’s a hugely enjoyable part of my day. When you find a good route in that’s less busy it makes you that much more confident commuting by bike. Cycle to Work Day is a great opportunity to discover cycling and I’d encourage people to have a go.”
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]More than 80km of the National Cycle Network runs through Staffordshire as well as 240km of local rural cycle lanes.
Cyclists can also plan quicker, safer bike routes across the county with the cycle route planner. The service can plot routes between any two county postcodes and help avoid busy roads. Visit https://cyclemap.staffordshire.gov.uk/ for more information.
Staffordshire County Council’s Bikeability Cycle Training also continues to deliver training to around 10,000 pupils each year, getting them into cycling at a much younger age. [/box]
