Cycle September events at Cranbrook
Free guided cycle rides and bike hire will be offered in Cranbrook as part of Devon County Council’s Cycle September campaign.
Throughout September, the County Council will be promoting cycling and encouraging more people to cycle more often.
Free Dr Bike maintenance sessions will kick-off events in Cranbrook at the Younghayes Centre on Saturday 2 September and Sunday 3 September.
From Monday 11 September to Friday 15 September, guided rides to work will be available starting from the Younghayes Centre and heading to the Met Office, Sowton Industrial Estate and Pynes Hill. Meeting at 7am, croissants and coffee will be provided before the rides depart at 7:30am. They are due to arrive in Exeter between 8am-8:30am.
Those who don’t have a bike, but would still like to join in, can take advantage of one week of free bike hire which is available exclusively to Cranbrook during September. For information on how to book, visit: devon.cc/cranbrook
The events are in addition to Devon County Council’s annual Cycle September challenge which is a fun, free competition to see which workplace can get the most staff riding during the month. Last year, more than 1,600 people from across Devon took part, collectively cycling more than 182,000 miles, or the equivalent of cycling around the world over seven times. You can register to take part at http://www.lovetoride.net/devon
Cranbrook residents will also be encouraged to take part in “Move More Week”, which encourages people to leave their cars at home and walk, cycle or scoot to any local club or activity they may attend. Those taking part can join in with an adventure walk en route, or games and activities to make the walk, scoot or bike ride to the club even more fun. See devon.cc/cranbrook for more details
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for cycling, said: “The guided rides are a great opportunity for people of all abilities to cycle to work. We’re hoping that Cycle September will encourage people to take to two wheels and see how it can benefit their health and local environment while saving money.”
Councillor Sara Randall Johnson, Devon County Councillor for Cranbrook, said: “For those who haven’t cycled for a while, Dr Bike is a chance to get your bike running smoothly and the guided rides could give you a confidence boost to get back in the habit of cycling.”
Councillor Ray Bloxham, Devon County Councillor for Cranbrook, said: “Cycling, whether recreational or commuting to work, is a fantastic way to help develop a healthy lifestyle and prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and reduce the risk of having a stroke.”
Cycle September is 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. For more information and to register go to devon.cc/cranbrook
