Go to work on a (chocolate) egg!

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Spring is here and along with the warmer weather, longer daylight and the Easter Holidays coming up – the Love Your Bike campaigners are encouraging people in Manchester to resurrect their bikes and join one of the Bike Friday cycle rides on Friday 26th March. [1]

Bike Friday combines a range of cycle rides into the City Centre from various locations as well as working with companies and local authorities in Greater Manchester to promote cycling, improve cycle facilities and to encourage more people to continue cycling to school, work and for leisure all year round. Bike Friday is part of the Love Your Bike campaign.

According to figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) around 32% of adults in the North West own a bicycle, but only 1% regularly cycle. [2] In 2006, the DfT reported that over 73% of people used their bicycles less than once per year. [3]

Catherine Thomson from Love Your Bike said:

“There are lots of people with bicycles languishing in basements, cupboards or garden sheds. With the warmer weather and the Easter Holiday nearly upon us – now is the time to resurrect your bicycle and try cycling to work!”

Everyone taking part in one of the Bike Friday rides will have the chance to win a ‘Divine’ Easter Egg and bike vouchers from the F.W Evans cycle shop.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

[1] The Bike Friday cycle rides start at 8am from Chorlton Library, Levenshulme Station, Prestwich Pizza Express, Stretford Mall and Withington Library and finish at approx 8.30am at the Triangle, Corporation Street, City Centre. The Bike Friday cycle rides take place on the morning of the last
Friday of every month (except December). The rides go a moderate pace, have experienced ride leaders, are entirely law-abiding and can help people develop more confidence in their cycling abilities.

For details of the routes see: www.bikefriday.org or join the Bike Friday Facebook group.

[2] Table 1.16 : Bicycle ownership by region of residence – GOR and country: 2006-2007
www.dft.gov.uk/excel/173025/221412/221541/231675/439954/
personaltravel08.xls

[3] Chart 3.8 Proportion of individuals who have ridden a bicycle in the last 12 months by age and sex: 2007, National Travel Survey 2006 Data Tables
www.dft.gov.uk/excel/173025/221412/221531/223963/404979/
NTS2007excel1to310.xls

[4] Bike Friday is part of the Love Your Bike Campaign. www.loveyourbike.org