Boris Johnson visited Trafalgar Square this morning to unveil the a package of summer cycling events in the capital, as Transport for London continues to work to increase the level of bike usage.
Joined by Olympic Gold medallist James Cracknell, and children from local schools, the Mayor said the Freewheel event would be “made bigger and better” for its third year and announced plans to take the concept to outer London with an event in Hounslow.
Key cycling events include:
1 – 30 June, The London Workplace Cycle Challenge, workplaces compete to see who can get the most people cycling during June.
15 – 30 June, Secondary School London Cycle Challenge, students aged between 11-14 will compete against other schools to see who can get the most people cycling, and will also compete against other year groups within their own school.
Sunday 19 August, Freewheel-style event in Hounslow
Saturday 19 September, Tour of Britain cycle race final
Sunday 20 September, Freewheel returns with a route taking in St Paul’s and the City area.
David Brown, TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, said “Londoners of all ages can get access to free, TfL-funded cycle safety training through their local council, and can order free cycle maps from TfL to help them plan their journeys. There is a whole network of quiet and traffic-free cycle routes that make cycling in the Capital a pleasure, as well as a quick and convenient way to travel.”
Commenting on the line-up of events, London Assembly Member Jenny Jones said: “Whilst one-off events are great at raising the profile of cycling and getting more people to give it a go, the only way to keep them on two wheels is to make sure it is always easier to go by bike.”
“On top of delivering his new, eye-catching schemes, the Mayor has to provide a proper permanent infrastructure for cycling by completing the London Cycle Network. I’m very disappointed that funding for the LCN is only £12m in 2009/10, more than £20m less than the previous year, meaning that 383 sections of the network are now unfunded.”
it would be easy to get the whole of London cycling – simply close the main arterial routes into London once a week throughout the summer for cycling and walking only.
The car drivers would soon change their minds about driving in.
However in order for that to happen the Mayor needs to have some principles – and from the campaign Boris did (which was solely around the popularist concept of removing the congestion charge zone) – this isn’t likely to happen soon.
….of course it’s alos not helped by Boris being swayed by his ‘big business friends’ who are always associated with the conservatives as that’s where the majority of their party funding comes from.
Our mayor has a conflict of interests – which is why, despite being a cyclist himself – cyclists will always come second to the desire to ‘make money’.
Editor – this is incorrect:
“Sunday 20 September, Freewheel returns with a route taking in St Paul’s and the City area.”
I found out yesterday the the aptly named ‘freewheel’ has now been renamed……..
………….wait for it……
“The Mayor of London’s skyride”
Eurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhh – has anyone experienced anything so cheesy? I’ve survived Steven Segal films and not felt this much cheddar in the belly.
This blatant self-promotion must be stopped – the name freewheel is non-specific and has been used up and down the country in different towns and cities – and across the world (I understand).
Why does Boris have to stick his name on everything – this really shows that this event is no longer a cycling event for the people but yet another bandwaggon for Boris to attach himself to.
Even if it had just been called ‘skyride’ – I could have handled the fromage – but to stick ‘the mayor of london’s’ at the front is just so desperate.
I’ve got to go, I’m having a ‘mayor’s breakfast’ in MacDonalds in 5 minutes and I’ll also be drinking some ‘GLA London Pride’ at lunch to drown my sorrows before being sick in a “Boris bin” and taking crap in a ‘London Loo’.
Are there no limits?