Cycling for Health a Hit in Waltham Forest

There’s never been a better time to start cycling in Waltham Forest, thanks to a new series of guided bike rides taking place in east London.

The rides – which range from six to nine miles long – are led by trained British Cycling Ride Leaders, and show off the best places to ride around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The series was planned as part of the Cycling for Health programme – a legacy project for the 2016 Track World Championships which took place at Lee Valley Velo Park in March 2016.

The programme aims to get more people cycling in Waltham Forest, Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets by providing a range of services, including guided rides, adaptive bike sessions, one-to-one and group cycle training.

The Waltham Forest rides have been taking place from the Allum Medical Centre in Leytonstone, with the next one taking place on Sunday 11 September. To sign up visit.

In 2014 Waltham Forest Council was awarded £27million by Transport for London to deliver a range of improvements to make the borough a better place to live, travel around and work in. Since then, a number of schemes have been introduced to make the borough more cycling and walking friendly, including improving roads to make it safer and easier to travel around the borough, creating new public spaces and introducing new initiatives to support people who want to start cycling.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment said: “These rides are a great way to explore Waltham Forest, meet new people and become a more confident cyclist. We are keen to do everything we can to encourage people who want to take up cycling, and the rides are a great way to experience riding with the assistance of some experienced ride leaders.”

Rob McLean, British Cycling’s Recreation Manager for London said: “We’re absolutely delighted that to be running these guided rides in Waltham Forest and across Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets. There are still plenty more opportunities to get involved before the end of the summer, so register now to secure your place!”

Matt Ewing, Cycling Development Officer for Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said: “Cycling is a great way to get fit and we have seen many people ride at Lee Valley VeloPark, the venue that hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, as well as throughout the 26 mile long Lee Valley Regional Park with traffic-free paths.
“The Cycling for Health initiative makes cycling more accessible to people who would not normally consider the activity and having a social element helps to support those who lack the confidence to get on two wheels.
“We’re pleased to be working with British Cycling and other partners to get more people active on two wheels.”