Bike Week de-brief

1220 local cycling events and rides throughout the UK were promoted for this year’s national Bike Week. Between 14th and 22nd June, 22 percent more than targeted events appealed to an estimated 116,385 participants.

The biggest registered Bike Week event was the York Cycle Show on 21st-22nd June that attracted more than 10,000 visitors.

Bike Week has been developed by Harvey over the past three years to appeal to all cycle owners not just cycling enthusiasts.

"Two-thirds of Bike Week participants are not members of any cycling organisation, club, campaigning group or Sustrans," said Harvey.

"Once again Bike Week has successfully encouraged more people to cycle more often."

For the first time in the history of Bike Week – which was started by the Cyclists’ Touring Club in 1923 – local authorities were the biggest single category of event organiser. Cycle clubs and campaigners also organised hundreds of events for novices . More than 90 employers and workplace bicycle user groups promoted Bike2Work, the most popular Bike Week theme this year, said Harvey.

Other promotional themes included learning to ride, family fun and fitness and getting a bike ‘back on the road’.

94 percent of events were promoted to ‘new or occasional’ cyclists, in response to a request from the week’s main funder, the Department for Transport. Additional funding was provided by the devolved governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, plus some members of the Bike Week Steering Group.

Bike Week is now seeking £75,000 government funding for a bigger Bike Week in 2004, to run from 12th to 20th June and promoting Bike2Work for the whole week. This is in addition to the £25 000 promised by BA president Phillip Darnton, who announced Bike Week would be one of the recipients of ‘levy’ cash from the new Cycle Industry Fund.