Set new goals, win prizes and help keep the county rolling forward this Bike Month.
This June, everyone in the UK is invited to join Bike Month, a national campaign to get more people on bikes.
This follows the UK Government putting cycling at the centre of plans to get the country moving again. As well as great daily exercise, cycling and walking are being encouraged as alternatives to public transport. This is to help avoid congestion for any journey and allows for social distancing.
As part of Bike Month, Durham County Council has teamed up County Durham with Love to Ride, to encourage more people to get out on their bikes and cycle for essential travel and leisure journeys.
A special Durham page on the Love to Ride website is up and running so that members can set themselves goals, track their mileage, earn badges, share photos and encourage others to ride, as well as allowing workplaces to set shared goals, incentivise their staff to ride and monitor cycling participation.
Prizes are also up for grabs, with daily prize draws during the whole of Bike Month. Each week one rider will receive £500 to donate to their local Bikes for Key Workers initiative or Coronavirus Community Support group of their choice. There will also be two brand new bike giveaways and daily spot prizes throughout June.
Residents in County Durham are invited to join in and sign up at https://www.lovetoride.net/durham Entry is free and open to all.
Cllr Charlie Kay, Durham County Council’s cycling champion, said: “Cycling is going to play a crucial role as we start to adjust to the circumstances presented by coronavirus. The aim of Bike Month is to help people enjoy the fun and freedom of riding bikes and to help them to access the support they need to ride confidently for transport as we emerge from lockdown.
“Bike Month is also about sharing the joys and benefits of riding bikes and emphasising how cycling can help us to make the ‘new normal’ cleaner, greener and healthier than ever.”
Victoria Lloyd-Gent, sustainable travel officer for Durham County Council, said: “It doesn’t matter if you ride every day or if you haven’t been on a bike in years. You only have to ride for ten minutes to take part and indoor rides count too. Even if we can’t ride together, we can stay connected.”
Find out cycle routes around County Durham by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/article/11672/Where-to-cycle-
Read about riding during the pandemic, including tips and advice on the benefits of cycling at www.lovetoride.net/uk/pages/info?page=2_covid
