Transport secretary, Ruth Kelly, has appointed Bristol as the UK’s first official cycling city, and announced a further 11 cycling demonstration towns across England.
Bristol and the 11 towns have succeeded in winning a share of the record £100M investment package to pioneer innovative ways to increase cycling in their areas.
The city wants to double the number of people cycling over the next three years, by delivering a number of schemes such as creating the UK’s first on-street bike rental network, modelled on the successful Paris scheme.
Other initiatives include:
- establishing a 're-cycling' scheme, providing free bikes to those in deprived communities;
- building a state-of-the-art facility for cyclists in the city centre providing showers, bike parking and lockers so commuters can have a wash and brush up before starting work;
- creating a dedicated cycleway to link the suburbs with the city centre opening up new, safer options for commuters who currently rely on their cars;
- more than doubling the number of children receiving cycling training.
The further 11 new cycling towns will build on the work of the existing six towns appointed in 2005.
They are Blackpool, Cambridge, Chester, Colchester, Leighton/Linslade, Shrewsbury, Southend on Sea, Southport with Ainsdale, Stoke, Woking and York.
Mrs Kelly said: 'The UK's first ever Cycling City and 11 new Cycling Demonstration Towns will pioneer new ways of encouraging people to get on their bikes.
'A quarter of journeys made every day by car are less than two miles. Cycling is an alternative that could bring real health benefits to millions of adults and children, as well as helping them save money and beat congestion. '
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