Celebrate cycling in Devon during Bike Week
A month-long cycle challenge will be held throughout June to support Bike Week.
Devon County Council is working with Love to Ride Devon to support Bike Week and the cycle challenge throughout next month.
Bike Week, which runs from Saturday 8 June to Sunday 16 June, aims to inspire people to cycle while celebrating the environmental and health benefits of cycling.
Everyone is invited to take part and Love to Ride Devon will be offering daily giveaways during Bike Week, including a voucher for a £750 local bike shop and a voucher for a European city break. There will also be prizes on Clean Air Day on Thursday 20 June.
The theme of this year’s Bike Week is #7DaysofCycling and everyone who signs up to take part is being encouraged to ride seven times during Bike Week. Cyclists are being urged to share a photo, video or story about their experience on social media using the #7DaysofCycling hashtag, or use the new stories feature on the Love to Ride Devon website.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for cycling, said: “Cycling offers huge benefits for the environment and it’s a great way to get around while improving your health and wellbeing. Bike Week, and the challenge during June, is a great opportunity to help friends, family and colleagues get out on their bikes or get back into cycling. We’re keen for as many people as possible to sign up for the challenge and enjoy the ride.”
Staff and students at the University of Exeter will be among those taking part in the challenge.
Joel Smith, The University of Exeter’s Sustainability officer, said: “We’re continually developing initiatives to encourage and enable our staff and students to cycle to our campuses in line with the University’s Sustainable Travel Plan. The cycle challenges in Devon help encourage our staff to get back into cycling in a fun way. We will be using Bike Week to grow our workplace team and hope to repeat our success in the workplace cycle challenge during September.”
To take part, log in or register on www.lovetoride.net/devon
Any time you cycle in June it can either be logged on the site manually or by using a cycling app such as Strava.
Free adult cycle confidence sessions are available through Devon County Council to help people brush up on their cycle skills and gain confidence for cycling on roads. These can be booked through the Travel Devon website.
Cycle challenges in Devon are part of a package of measures being delivered by Devon County Council using Access Funding from the Department for Transport to encourage more people to travel by bike. The challenges are open to all people over the age of sixteen who live or work in Devon.
Workplaces can also register early on www.lovetoride.net/devon to take part in Cycle to Work Day on Thursday 8 August, which is the perfect time to get colleagues together as a team to warm-up for the Cycle September workplace challenge.
