Love to Ride Manchester helps make cycling the new normal.
Awareness has grown in recent years that cycling is a ‘silver bullet’ to solve several twenty-first century problems, such as air pollution, congestion, obesity and heart disease. Cycling is also a crucial part of plans for recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
There's currently a Government effort to double cycling trips by 2025 and to make the bicycle the default mode of transport for short journeys. The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said “What makes people cycle: it’s easy to grab the bike, and there’s space to cycle. The trick is to keep this going. That requires more than just the money that we’re putting into cycling. It also requires a change in culture”.
Protecting the NHS
Regular exercise is vital for good respiratory health and traveling actively is a good way for people to keep fit and healthy and protect our NHS by reducing the impact if there is a second wave. A British Cycling report shows that increased urban cycling could save the NHS £17 billion over 20 years. The report also found that moderate levels of cycling were associated with a 28% lower mortality risk in older adults and 20% lower stress levels amongst cycle commuters.As well as boosting public health, cycling frees up space on public transport and the roads for people who can’t ride a bike and for key workers who need to get to essential jobs.
Ride it Out organisers, Love to Ride, have been running Urban Cycling Skills webinars to boost new riders’ confidence and help them to ride on the road. An attendee from Devon said, “Me (and my 12 year old daughter!) found the webinar really useful… it was really helpful learning about the importance of communication with other road users and position on the road. Thanks for providing this webinar to NHS key workers”. Qualified instructors talk attendees through the basics of preparing to ride on the road and teach them two ‘Cycling Superpowers’ to help them communicate clearly with other road users and control the traffic around them. There will be regular webinars to support new riders up to, and through, Cycle September.
The Love to ride website also has lots of useful information and advice to help you get started riding and to help you ride more often for fun, fitness and transport.
