CYCLING SCOTLAND NEWS

ISSUE 09 SPRING 2009

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A new campaign to make cycling to school an easier and more pleasant experience for children has launched. Cycling Scotland has created Cycle Friendly

Zones around schools in 5 local authority areas in

Scotland to make sure kids have enough space on

the roads to cycle. The project, which takes place

in Fife, Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire

and East Ayrshire, aims to encourage more children

to cycle to school by removing some of the barriers

that currently exist.

Research shows that cycling to school has

grown hugely in popularity in recent years. The

Scottish Household Survey showed levels of

cycling to school at 1%, but a new study by Sustrans,

which directly surveyed huge numbers of Scottish

school children shows the proportion of kids cycling to

school regularly at a much higher 3%. However over

30% of children say they want to cycle to school, so

there is still room for significant growth in this

ISSUE 09 SPRING 2009

New Cycle to School Campaign Launches

area. Parents often discourage cycling

to school because they are concerned

that the roads are too busy. The Cycle

Friendly Zones campaign aims to address

this by directly communicating a message to

drivers to give kids cycle space and encourages

cycle friendly driving.

The campaign will consist of a large scale outdoor

media campaign using billboards, posters, lamp post

banners and radio to spread the message, and will be

supported by a cycle to school day during Bike Week

in June to encourage kids to cycle in to school in the

Cycle Friendly Zones. Cycling Scotland’s team of

stunt bikers, The Riderz, will also be making visits to

schools in each of the local authority areas, to get kids

enthused about cycling to school. The Riderz stunt

team features Scottish YouTube stunt bike sensation

Danny McAskill, whose film Inspired Bicycles

recently took the internet by storm, clocking up

over 1.5 million hits. Check out the film at www.

youtube.com and search for ‘Inspired Bicycles’.

The campaign will take place from late April

until mid-June.

11 schools have now achieved Cycle Friendly

School status, and many more are currently

going through the assessment process.

The first school to receive the award was

Rosewell Primary School in Midlothian

in October 2008. Cycling Scotland Chief

Executive Erl Wilkie presented the award

amidst a specially organised day of cycling

activities and fun.

Hot on Rosewell Primary’s heels came

Towerbank Primary in Edinburgh, Hill of

Banchory in Aberdeenshire, Carnbroe in

North Lanarkshire, Seaview Primary in

Angus, Lasswade in Midlothian and Kirkton

of Largo in Fife.

Pupils at two schools in Dumfries and

Galloway received visits from special guests

to receive their awards. Lord Sebastien Coe

dropped in to Lochside Primary in Dumfries

to present the school with their award.

Lord Coe was visiting to promote physical

activity and healthy eating as part of a drive

to inspire future Olympic champions. Lord

Coe commented: “Scotland has a double

opportunity to secure a social, economic

and sporting legacy from the London 2012

Games and the Glasgow 2014 Games.

Both events will deliver inspiring sporting

performances but the legacy starts now.

Projects like the cycling and walking

initiatives at Lochside Primary School

will enable more people to make positive

changes in their lives.”

At Locharbriggs Primary, the award was

presented by School Travel Coordinator

Fiona Lessels, ably aided by canine

assistant ‘Dougie the Doonhammer’, the

team mascot of local football team Queen

of the South.

Over 100 people have now been trained

to be Cycle Friendly Schools assessors,

meaning that a huge network of staff across

the country can now audit schools to see if

they qualify.

The scheme has been a clear success at

inspiring kids to get out on their bikes, but

thanks to a recent competition, it has also

been inspiring their more artistic sides. The

Cycle Friendly Schools Poster Competition

was launched in February to promote the

scheme, and invited pupils across the

country to design a poster showing what

a cycle friendly school should look like. 3

prizes are up for grabs – a visit from cycling

stunt team The Riderz, a Wii Fit and a set of

bike for the whole family. The prizes have

provided ample motivation, as hundreds

and hundreds of entries have swamped

the Cycling Scotland mailbag in the last

few weeks. The winner will be announced

in April, and we’ll feature the winning entry

in the next edition of the newsletter. In the

meantime, check out the gallery on the right

for a few examples.

Cycle Friendly SchoolsA whirlwind of activity has taken place around the Cycle Friendly Schools award since launching in April last year.

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Lord Sebastien Coe presents Lochside Primary with their Cycle Friendly School Award, accompanied by (L-R) chair of Sport Scotland Louise Martin, Erl Wilkie, Cycling Scotland, Harry Stewart and Fraser Coupland, pupils at Lochside Primary, Lindsay Brunton, Cycling Scotland and Shona Robison MSP.

Dougie the Doonhammer’ presents Lochabriggs Primary’s award to pupil Euan Murgatroyd and John McDowell, Deputy Head.

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Cycling Scotland Chief Executive Erl Wilkie presents the first ever award to Rosewell Primary

Cycle Friendly Schools Poster Competition Entries

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Bike Week 09The biggest cycling festival in the UK returns from 13 - 21 June, as over 1500 bike events are set to take place as part of Bike Week. Over 43,000 Scots took part in over 230 events last year, and there looks to be no shortage of activities to get involved with in 2009.

Thinking about planning your own event?

If you are thinking about organising a

Bike Week event, there is a dedicated

section of the Bike Week website just for

you. Head to www.bikeweek.org.uk

to download the organiser’s guide and

get ideas for events you could put on

and find out details of the free publicity,

giveaways and liability insurance that

Bike Week HQ can provide you with.

For any support and advice you

might need, call Andrew Pankhurst

at Cycling Scotland on 0141 229

5354.

Two Capitals Ride

This 22 mile cycle ride runs between the old and

current Scottish capitals cities of Dunfermline

and Edinburgh and raises money for good

causes. Highlights include great scenery and

a cycle across the Forth Road Bridge. Go to

www.prenticeevents.com to register.

Heaven or Hell

This fundraiser for Chest, Heart and

Stroke Scotland gives riders the option of

a 25 or 50 mile cycle along the Forth and

Union Canals from Glasgow to Edinburgh,

Edinburgh to Glasgow, or halfway from

either city to the Falkirk Wheel. For those

who fancy an even bigger challenge,

there’s the CHSS Ultimate Duathlon – the

longest Duathlon in Scotland. Go to www.

heavenorhell.org.uk to find out more.

Lockerbie Loop

Raise money for Children 1st with this 50 or

10 mile family bike ride through the beautiful

Annan Valley in Dumfries and Galloway.

Email lockerbieloop@msn.com for more

details.

There’s loads more happening across the

country, with new events being added all

the time in the run up to Bike Week, so to

find out what’s going on ,keep checking the

website www.bikeweek.org.uk/event_

search.php. For full listings of all Bike

Week events, look out for the Bike Week

pull-out supplement in the Scotland on

Sunday, published on Sunday 7th June.

Events include:

Round the World Cyclist Mark Beaumont kicking off Bike Week last year

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His retirement will mark the end of a long

and varied career that led Erl to become

a passionate advocate of sustainable and

integrated transport. With a background

in civil engineering, Erl started his career

working for the private sector on ports and

harbours, in far flung locations like Bahrain,

South Africa, Canada and Ecuador. On

settling back in his home town of Glasgow,

Erl joined Strathclyde Regional Council

as part of the team dealing with ports

and harbours, looking after a stretch of

coastline bigger than that of France, with

over 2000 marine installations under their

remit. Erl moved into land transport when

he took on the job of raising the bridges

on the Glasgow to Ayrshire railway line to

allow for electrification.

Around this time Erl had given up playing

rugby and became overweight, prompting

him to take up marathon running to get

back into shape. It was on the training

runs for these events that he developed

a detailed knowledge of Glasgow’s path

networks, which inspired him to write a

book, Glasgow’s Pathways, that became

a bestseller. The book was a number 1

Scottish non fiction bestseller, and led to

Erl writing a series of books for walking

and cycling routes across Scotland. This

prompted Strathclyde Regional Council

to offer Erl the position of Team Leader

for Walking and Cycling in 1992, where he

began his career in active travel. Through

this new role, Erl became a director for

the international cycling conference Velo-

City, and was instrumental in bringing the

conference to Glasgow and Edinburgh in

2001. Erl organised the Scottish Velocity

Conference, putting him in the unique

position of being the only person ever to be

employed by both Edinburgh and Glasgow

City Councils simultaneously.

Erl’s role in the Walking and Cycling

section also meant he was responsible

for line managing the Scottish Cycling

Development Project – a small scale

forerunner of Cycling Scotland. Through

the foundation of a national Cycling Forum

set up by the then-Scottish Executive, Erl

was able to submit a business plan for

the creation of a national cycle promotion

agency that would build upon the work of

the SCDP. The bid was successful, and

Erl was appointed as Chief Executive of

the newly formed Cycling Scotland in

September 2003. Of his time at Cycling

Scotland, Erl commented: “I have been

very happy to lead this organization the

past 6 years, and under my governance it

has gone from strength to strength. I have

every confidence Ian Aitken will build upon

that success to develop the organisation

further in the future.”

ProFiLe: erl WilkieErl Wilkie retires as Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland on 31 May this year, after managing the organisation since its inception.

New Chief executive at Cycling Scotland

Ian has been at Cycling Scotland since early

2004, having joined the team as Company

Secretary. His previous background had

been in IT and accounting. Ian took on

the role of Marketing Manager in 2005

and has since led all of the organisation’s

communications campaigns. Ian has been

responsible for growing the annual Pedal

for Scotland event from attracting around

1000 riders to almost 6000 over a period of

4 years, alongside successful campaigns to

promote Cycling to School and Bike Week,

which attracted over 42,000 participants

in Scotland last year. Ian will now take

charge of leading Cycling Scotland’s

overall activities and will focus on building

upon successful partnerships with key

stakeholders and local authorities.

Speaking about his new appointment, Ian

commented: “I’m delighted to be taking over

from Erl Wilkie as Chief Executive of Cycling

Scotland. I’ve been fortunate to have seen

the organisation develop over the past 5

years and I am looking forward to working

to deliver an environment in Scotland where

cycling is an attractive and practical option.

I look forward to working with the staff,

the board, stakeholders and the Scottish

Government to make sure that happens.”

Cycling Scotland is pleased to announce its new Chief Executive. Cycling Scotland Marketing Manager Ian Aitken will take on the role when current CEO Erl Wilkie retires in May 09.

Erl Wilkie has been chief executive of Cycling Scotland since its inception in 2003

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2008 saw Pedal for Scotland scale new

heights as over 5700 riders took on the 55 mile

challenge from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Blessed

with great weather, record numbers and

kicked off by round-the-world cycling legend

Mark Beaumont, 2008 was undoubtedly the

greatest Pedal for Scotland yet. 2009 boasts

plenty of changes that will help to make the

event bigger and better. The ride returns

this year as the freshnlo Pedal for Scotland,

as we welcome Robert Wiseman Dairies,

who produce freshnlo on board as headline

sponsor, so expect a nice cold glass of the

white stuff as you cross the finish line. As

the UK’s first semi-skimmed milk, freshnlo

has a proud history of supporting mass

participation events, and is the perfect

partner for the country’s biggest bike ride.

The ride will also be supported by Sustrans,

whose excellent off-road cycle path network

sees riders make their way along the last

stretch into Edinburgh on picturesque and

traffic-free surroundings.

The freshnlo Pedal for Scotland is delighted

to announce Maggie’s Cancer Caring

Centres on board as our new official charity

partner. Still Game Star Ford Kiernan

(pictured) is a supporter of Maggie’s and

got on his bike on 16 April to encourage

riders to raise funds for the charity. Maggie’s

centres offer anyone whose life has been

touched by cancer a welcoming place to get

help and support. You can help support this

great charity by raising sponsorship money

for completing the ride, so you can get fit,

have fun, and help others all at the same

time. You can register for the event now

at www.pedalforscotland.org

Members of Cycling Scotland staff and

board were invited to a ceremony at

Glasgow City Chambers in November to

celebrate the £400,000 the event raised

during its three year charity partnership

with Leukaemia Research from 2006 to

2008. Charity Patron, former Downing

Street communications manager,

novelist, broadcaster and blogger

Alastair Campbell hosted the ceremony

and paid tribute to the event and the

sum of money raised. The event’s

fundraising has contributed significantly

to the building of a new research facility

at a hospital in Glasgow.Organised by Supported by Official Charity Partner

freshnlo Pedal for Scotland

Andrew Pankhurst and Ian Aitken accept a certificate from Alastair Campbell on behalf of riders who raised money for Leukaemia Research.

Chewin’ The Fat and Still Game star Ford Kiernan got on his bike to encourage people across Scotland to sign up for this year’s freshnlo Pedal for Scotland

Scotland’s biggest and best bike ride returns after a triumphant 10th anniversary on 13 September this year, so sign up today. Registration is now open for the healthiest and best day out of the summer.

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Lifecycles across Whitecrook and

Clydebank

A series of cycle maintenance, training

and organised rides to improve the health

and motivation of young and long term

unemployed people run by Clydebank

Housing Association.

Pedal 4th

A series of graded led cycle rides to

provide patients at Clackmannan County

Hospital with physical exercise to help

overcome mental health problems.

ReCycke-a-Bike

The funding allowed this Falkirk based

bike recycling social enterprise to give

out 250 sets of bike safety accessories to

customers buying a bike for commuting,

to further incentivise cycling to work.

Independence Options Clydebank

This charity supports adults with learning

difficulties to be more integrated and

active within their local community.

The funding from Cycling Scotland has

enabled them to buy an essential storage

facility so they can continue to provide

on and off road cycle training and bike

maintenance classes to their service

users.

Bridges Project

The Bridges Project works with young

people aged 14-21 from East and Mid

Lothian who are in transition or at risk of

exclusion. The funding has allowed them

to continue their programme of cycle

training, which supports young people’s

personal development.

South City Families on Wheels

This organisation promotes good physical

and mental health in South Edinburgh,

and received funding to provide led rides,

cycle training and maintenance classes to

encourage more families to cycle.

Get On Your Electric Bike

This project encourages older, less able

and partially disabled people in East

Dunbartonshire to enjoy bike rides along

cycle and canal paths, by using a small

fleet of light-weight electric bikes that offer

pedal assistance on longer journeys.

Greenlink Mountain Bike Club

Cycling Scotland provided funding to

set up a mountain biking club in North

Lanarkshire in an area where community

facilities and resources are sparse.

Shetland on Wheels

Shetland Islands Council received funding

to provide a cycling programme for young

people, including training, maintenance,

equipment and risk-assessing graded

cycle routes.

Community Cycling in North Glasgow

This project encourages young people

from deprived areas in North Glasgow to

take up in cycling to improve their health

and fitness. The money will be used to

recruit and train 4 cycle ride leaders.

Maps, Mechanics and Minds

This initiative to promote cycling in Haddington

will provide maps showing local cycle routes

and provide maintenance sessions to get

local residents out using their bikes.

East Glasgow Community and

School Cycling Partnership

This community partnership used funding

to buy bikes for cycle training courses as

part of its programme to improve health

and well being and community cohesion

in this deprived part of Glasgow.

Community Cycling Fund12 innovative community cycling projects are being launched across the country thanks to funding from Cycling Scotland’s Community Cycling Fund. The fund was launched last year to help small scale community projects get off the ground. Projects were graded on levels of innovation, support for the community, how well they would promote cycling, how they supported individual development and promoted health gain and the level of ongoing sustainability of the project.

The successful projects are:

Details for the 2009 Community

Cycling Fund will be announced in

mid 2009.

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Why 1981? Because that is the year when,

it is claimed by running enthusiasts, a

multitude of popular trends converged,

the planets aligned, a critical mass was

achieved, a tipping point reached – and

jogging became (officially) mainstream.

Now, many will claim that cycling as

recreation or mode of transport has already

reached that point. Others – those still

reluctant to cycle, especially in cities –

might disagree. But as we approach 2012,

with one of the intended legacies of the

London Olympics being to increase the

number of people who lead active lives, it

seems a good time to take stock, and to

wonder when, or if, cycling’s own tipping

point might be reached…

The parallel with running is revealing. Anyone

under the age of thirty might not appreciate

this, but before the 1970s, running as a

participation activity – that is, running for

fun, rather than for the bus – was about as

popular as skinny-dipping in the North Sea.

That line borrows from Billy Connolly, but

it is another of the comedian’s jokes that

is more relevant. Connolly pointed out that

his home city of Glasgow doesn’t produce

many world-class race walkers. “Where

would they practice?” he asked – the

implication being that the strange gait of

the race walker would leave them open to

mockery or even abuse.

In the 1960s, recreational runners would have

felt similarly exposed. More recently, many

cyclists could perhaps identify with that, too,

feeling at least a little self-conscious, not to

mention vulnerable on our busy streets. And

let’s face it, it’s probable that some still do,

and are thus put off venturing out on a bike.

Most will agree, however, that the perception

of running has changed completely, and that

those who jog for fun are no longer regarded

as “the lunatic fringe,” as the editor of a

running magazine recently claimed he was

in the 1960s, a decade before “the dynamic

formation of a new culture of running.”

To consider how much attitudes to jogging

have changed, imagine referring to the

30,000 who run the London Marathon – not

forgetting the thousands whose entries

are returned – as a “lunatic fringe.” As an

illustration of how running as a participation

activity has moved from the margins to the

mainstream, the London Marathon, first

held in 1981, is the perfect example; and it

is not just a symbol of change – it has surely

helped drive it.

But originally one of the key drivers in the

running revolution was a public health

crisis, with publications and campaigns

in the 1970s warning slovenly Americans

that they should exercise more. In the

days before gyms became so popular,

running was presented as a cheap, easy

option – and the message seemed to get

through. A consequence was that running

Has Cycling reached a Tipping Point? Richard Moore

Pedal for Scotland has grown hugely in

popularity in recent years

Could 2009 be cycling’s 1981? Or could it be next year, or maybe 2012?

8 99

events proliferated, meaning that the

participation base grew exponentially,

first in America, then worldwide. A new

philosophy also formed around many of

these events that emphasised personal

achievement over competition with

others. Whereas ‘competitive’ running had

previously been the preserve of a small

elite, running in these new events became

a participation, rather than competitive,

activity – and that has remained the case

to this day.

Until recently, the idea of a London

Marathon-type cycling event was

impossible. You simply couldn’t organise

something that catered for so many different

tastes and abilities, from Paula Radcliffe to

the fun-runner, or cyclist, in the Winnie the

Pooh outfit. But that has changed thanks

to the emergence of ‘sportive’ events –

non-competitive, mass-participation rides.

According to the British umbrella body

Cyclosportive.org, Britain’s first sportive

event was held around a decade ago, with

200 riders. Now, they say, there are over

100 such events in the UK, many of them

attracting thousands of entrants, with

2008 the peak year so far, and 2009 set to

surpass it.

One event, Etape Caledonia, sold out in a

matter of days. Thus in May, 3,500 riders

will attempt an 81-mile course on closed

roads in rural, picturesque Perthshire. And

later in the year, the freshnlo Pedal for

Scotland, the Cycling Scotland-organised

ride, and one of the longest-established

mass participation rides in the UK, will see

around 7,500 riders attempt the fifty miles

between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Etape Caledonia has sold out it’s 3500 capacity well in advance of the event

One of the things these events have done

is to connect cycling as a fun, healthy

participation activity with cycling as a sport.

Like the London Marathon, they can be seen

as drivers, as well as symbols, of cycling’s

apparent surge in popularity, and the

increase in the number of ‘serious’ cyclists.

But as with ‘fun’ running events, there are

reasons to see the popularity of sportives

as part of a wider trend whereby cycling is

inching towards mass appeal, in much the

same way that running did in the 1970s.

For many sportive riders, the events do not

represent a first step to competitive cycling.

They are, instead, a natural progression

from riding for fun, which in itself might be

a progression from riding to work. In fact,

it seems that most sportive riders have no

desire to take part in organised races – it is

the challenge of completing the ride, rather

than competing against others, that appeals.

As with running in the 1970s and ’80s, the

participation base of cycling is growing

significantly, yet it is possible that organised

events such as sportives represent merely

the tip of the pyramid. The statistics support

this theory – in Britain’s largest city, London,

the number of journeys by bikes has grown

by a whopping 91% since 2000 – and in

virtually every other city in the UK sales of

bikes are up and there is a visible increase

in the number of cyclists on the roads.

A tipping point is defined as happening

when “the levels at which the momentum for

change becomes unstoppable,” when a host

of factors and variables combine to exact real

change. In cycling’s case, could it be starting

with what we are seeing now – more people on

bikes and taking part in events, which could

contribute to a shift in perception, from cycling

as fringe activity to mainstream option, which

in turn might lead to improved facilities, safer

routes, and more cycling-friendly attitudes

from other road-users? And another context

is familiar - a new public health crisis, with

rising rates of obesity one of the reasons for

that intended legacy of the London Olympics,

to get more people more active. Running saw

the “dynamic formation of a new culture.”

Twenty-eight years later, perhaps cycling

could now witness something similar.

Scotland’s top sportive ride, The Macmillan Cancer Support Etape Caledonia, has enjoyed a boom in entries this year, selling out its entire 3500 entrant capacity.The ride, which takes place in Rural

Perthshire, has filled all of its available

places months in advance of the event

itself. The Etape Caledonia is a unique

event, as it has a full road closure for its

entire 81 mile route. The freedom this

allows riders on the route, in addition to

the amazing scenery that takes in Loch

Rannoch, Loch Tummel and great views

of Schiehallion, are key to the event’s

success. Jo Dytch, of organizers IMG

commented: “IMG, are thrilled with the

sell out of places in the Macmillan Cancer

Support Etape Caledonia. With over 3,500

cyclists registered to take part on the

closed roads of Highland Perthshire, we

are looking forward to enjoying another

wonderful event. Within only 3 years the

event has quadrupled in size and this

growth looks set to continue in the future.

We have been supported by a fantastic

group of sponsors, competitors and the

local community. Over 1,000 cyclists

are taking part to raise much needed

funds for Macmillan Cancer Support”.

The ride will take place on 17 May.

Go to www.etapecaledonia.co.uk for

more details.

etape Caledonia

Rider making his way along the scenic 81 mile route of the Etape Caledonia

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It puts forward the measures needed

to double cycle use, and explains how

this would deliver substantial health and

economic benefits, as well as saving 0.6

million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year –

almost as much as switching all Scotland

to London air travel to rail. We will shortly

follow this up with a ‘Safety in Numbers’

campaign, based on evidence that cycling

gets safer the more cyclists there are – in

other words, “more” and “safer” cycling

really can go hand in hand! Together with

our “New Vision”, this will inform CTC

Scotland’s response to the Cycle Action

Plan for Scotland (CAPS). As a member

of the stakeholder panel, CTC Scotland

welcomes the ministerial commitment to

set targets to increase cycle use to 10%

of all trips in Scotland by 2020. During the

forthcoming public consultation, we look

forward to ensuring that there are joined-up

policies and funding commitments to deliver

this ambitious target. The final version is

due to be published in September 2009.

CTC Scotland has also been heavily involved

in encouraging more mountain biking by

working alongside IMBA-UK to support

the Scottish Mountain Bike Strategy and

develop off-road riding across Scotland. In

February, CTC Scotland awarded Honorary

Membership of CTC to record-breaking

cyclist Mark Beaumont, following a packed

talk he gave in Edinburgh about his

momentous round-the-world journey. CTC

members in Fife, where Mark grew up, were

among the many people who nominated

him for Honorary Membership. Mark has

been working hard to promote cycling and

cycle-touring in particular. With his sense of

adventure, he is a great role model and an

inspiration to cyclists throughout the UK.

Victoria Hazael, CTC

CTC Launches ‘New Vision for Cycling’Cycling has never been more relevant than it is today. Faced with the twin crises of climate change and obesity, CTC has just published a ‘New Vision for Cycling’.

Recent consultation meetings with

stakeholders in identified that closer working

on award schemes would be beneficial to

the development of cycling in Scotland,

and so Cycling Scotland agreed to lead on

developing this resource with input from all

stakeholder groups.

The new award scheme was developed by

a small team of experts with a long history

of mountain biking experience. Brian

Salvona, a Cycling Scotland cycle trainer,

Scottish Mountain Bike Leaders Association

(SMBLA) tutor and committee member with

years of experience in delivering training to

youth groups, wrote the

bulk of the document,

with additional writing,

editing and technical

guidance by Jim Riach,

Cycling Scotland

Education and

Training Manager,

founder member and current secretary

of the SMBLA and former cross country

racer, and Chris Bell, a well known rider

on the MTB World Cup circuit, current

National Coach to the Scottish Mountain

Bike Team and director of Dirtschool (www.

dirtschool.co.uk). This small team brings

vast experience and knowledge to the project,

and also received invaluable input from their

extensive contacts from stakeholder groups

and beyond.

The Go Mountain Bike scheme is designed

to compliment other cycle training packages

such as Ready Steady Bike, Scottish Cycle

Training Scheme and Go By Cycle and is

aimed at developing individuals to have the

competence and skills to make independent

journeys by bike into the outdoors. It consists

of 4 main areas of proficiency – Riding Skills,

Rider Responsibility in the Outdoors, First Aid

and Being Independent and Self Supporting.

There are 5 levels of proficiency in each

area, providing a

comprehens ive

training package. It is

anticipated that the scheme will be delivered

by instructors with recognised mountain

biking qualifications in leadership coaching

and instruction. Cycling Scotland are planning

several orientation events for instructors

and mountain biking centres from May

onwards. Anyone interested in attending

these can register their interest at

www.cyclingscotland.msol.org.uk/

local/training/Go Mountain Bike

Riders’ Guide& Log Book

MOUNTAIN BIKING PROFICIENCY AWARD

Go Mountain Bike: New Proficiency Scheme to LaunchCycling Scotland is supporting the development of a new Mountain Bike Proficiency Award called Go Mountain Bike.

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The City of Edinburgh Council received

their award in November 2008 for their

offices at Waverley Court. Cycling Scotland

chair Bill Wright presented the certificate

to Councillor Phil Wheeler, who is the

council’s spokesperson for Transport. East

Dunbartonshire Council received their award

in November 2008, with Erl Wilkie presenting

the award. Sustrans Scotland also achieved

Cycle Friendly Employer Status in October

last year, with chief executive John Lauder

accepting the award.

Workplace Grants Scheme

Many more prospective Cycle Friendly

Employers are a step closer to completing

the award criteria thanks to Cycling

Scotland’s Workplace Grant Scheme.

The scheme was set up to give a helping

hand to workplaces to meet the criteria

to become a Cycle Friendly Employer.

The scheme helped pay for new cycle

parking at Edinburgh Napier University and

South Ayrshire Council, cycle parking and

promotion to staff at Alzheimer Scotland

and pool bikes and promotional activities

at Dumfries and Galloway College. The

Forensic Science Laboratory in Edinburgh

received funding for cycle training and new

bike parking, and Stirling Council used their

grant to provide a lockable cycle storage

unit for staff.

New Commuter Instructor course

To support staff who would like to cycle to

work Cycling Scotland have developed a

Commuter Cycle Training course. This one

day course is aimed at those who want to

commute by bike but lack confidence and

need practical support to get started. It covers

the basics of what to wear right through to

how to plan and ride your route to work.

Register your interest for this course,

and all other Cycling Scotland training

courses, at http://cyclingscotland.

msol.org.uk/local/training/

Cycling Action Plan for ScotlandThe Cycling Action Plan for Scotland is in the final stages of drafting and will be released for consultation in May.

The action plan has been developed

by the CAPS Board, which features

representatives from Scottish

Government, Cycling Scotland,

Sustrans, Scottish Cycling, Paths

for All, CTC, Transport Scotland,

Scottish Natural Heritage, ADES,

SCOTS, NHS Health Scotland

and COSLA. The Scottish

Government will be hosting the

consultation online and the

document will also be available

on the CAPS website www.

cyclingactionplanforscotland.org

More workplaces have joined the growing ranks of Cycle Friendly Employers, with two councils gaining the award in recent months.

Bill Wright presents Sustrans’ award to Director John Lauder

Cycling Scotland Chair Bill Wright presents the award for Edinburgh Council to Councillor Phil Wheeler.

Cycle Friendly employers

Velo-City 09Delegates from all fields of cycling and sustainable transport will come from across the world to convene in Brussels from the 12th to the 15th of May for the Velo-City Conference.

The international cycling conference

will focus this year on the theme

of ‘Re-Cycling Cities’, which will

look at how to encourage more

cycling in urban areas that suffer

from traffic congestion. Find out

more or register to attend at

www.velo-city2009.com

12

Ruaridh and Ben will be among more than

400 international biking stars competing in

the World Cup’s ‘Global Gravity Gathering’, a

showcase of world-class Downhill and 4Cross

biking competition. UK contenders include

Gee Atherton from Shrewsbury (Downhill

World Champion) and Steve Peat from

Sheffield (Downhill World Championships

Silver Medallist). Rachel Atherton, Shrewsbury

(Downhill World Champion) and Tracy Moseley,

Malvern (3rd Overall World Cup Ranking) are

set to fly the flag for the women.

Young hopefuls include Josh Bryceland

from Manchester (Junior Downhill World

Champions) and rising Scottish stars Ben

Cathro from Oban and former Junior World

Champion Ruaridh Cunningham from Stow,

in the Scottish Borders. Ruaridh, who has

been racing for seven years, said: “I can’t

wait for the Fort William World Cup – the

best thing about it is the atmosphere. It’s

a massive event and you can always count

on it having the biggest crowds and the

best pits on the circuit.” 18-year-old Ben

from Oban, who is known for the distinctive

biking style his 6’7’’ frame affords him,

added: “There’s always such a buzz at Fort

William. We’ll be up against the world’s

best riders and we really want to make sure

Britain’s well represented. The more home

support the better!”

This year’s event features two brand new

elements set to wow the crowds and give

them a taste of the action. The Cross

Country Sprint is a new, crowd-pleasing

race set on a fast and exciting short course

that will showcase the cream of British

biking talent to spectators. Also new for

2009 is the World Cup Bike Test, where

fans and enthusiasts can put the latest

bikes through their paces on the World

Championship XC course in the Leanachan

Forest. With up to 20,000 fans expected

to flock to this year’s event, spectators

are urged to buy tickets early via

www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk or by

calling 01397 705 825, 9am - 5pm.

Cycling Scotland24 Blythswood SquareGlasgow G2 4BG

Visit our website at

www.cyclingscotland.org

Newsletter written by Andrew Pankhurst and Ian Aitken

Contact

Fort William MTB World Cup 09 Ruaridh Cunningham and Ben Cathro descended on Edinburgh’s rugged Calton Hill on 23rd March to mark the launch of ticket sales for the British leg of the Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2009, which returns to the scenic slopes and gruelling terrain around Fort William for an eighth year on the 6th and 7th June 2009.

Ruaridh Cunningham and Ben Cathro gear up for the Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup