Update from Cycling UK – Stay Alert, Keep Cycling

I hope you are still managing well during this time. We have moved from ‘stay at home’ to ‘stay alert’ messaging on COVID-19 – but what does this mean for cycling? Unfortunately the guidance still states that we must avoid group rides – however the changes in guidance means you can meet one other person from a different household outdoors and exercise outdoors as often as you wish – following social distancing guidelines.

With this in mind Cycling UK has produced a guidance document for people in your groups that may be considering (or are already doing) solo cycling and need a bit of help. It has lots of links to posts on our website, especially around maintenance and teaching children and adults safer cycling. Please see attached – I hope you find it useful.

We are also working on some activities suitable for families to do in their household – guides on blinging your bike, colouring pages and fun worksheets. We hope to send this through soon.

Cycling UK has been busy in other ways to keep people cycling during lockdown – you may have heard about our Big Bike Revival for Key Workers programme. A number of Southampton bike shops are participating, thanks also to generous support from Southampton City Council – go to https://www.cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival to find a participating centre. If you are engaging with key workers, this may be a great scheme for them, but the help available is limited! We are working on getting more funding to these centres though so they can help more key workers.

Finally, if you are interested in temporary infrastructure then please write to the council using our online tool to ask for space for social distancing: https://www.cyclinguk.org/covid-19-safe-space-social-distancing.

I can assure you that where possible, I will be working with the council to enable the changes we need to see to ensure people can get to work safely while not overwhelming our road system with cars. I will share details with you as and when permitted.

Any questions, please let me know,

Ruth Magennis

Cycling Development Officer Southampton

Cycling UK

Email: ruth.magennis@cyclinguk.org

Mobile: 07467336197

Web: www.cyclinguk.org