Shetland Islands Council is partnering with the ‘Love to Ride’ initiative to help more people enjoy cycling in Shetland.
In a year-long project, the partnership aims to encourage more people in Shetland to make more daily journeys by cycling. The ‘Love to Ride’ online platform is free and simple to join, with tips, articles and courses to learn skills and increase cyclists’ confidence. Registering with the online community allows individuals to also join with friends, family or work colleagues.
Love to Ride’s year-round platform is supplemented by four annual cycling challenges, beginning soon with Cycle September – a global bike riding event, bringing together cyclists of every level. This fun challenge aims to help individuals and workplace teams to work towards their health, wellness and sustainability goals.
Prizes will be on offer from Shetland businesses, along with national prizes, and anyone who logs a ten-minute ride during September will be in with a chance of winning them. Cycle September is a great opportunity to learn to ride, try a cycle commute for the first time, or switch cars for handlebars more often. Last year 32,563 riders and 1,564 businesses took part in the UK and it’s hoped that this year will involve even more cyclists.
Sustainability, cost-savings, and health and wellbeing are all seen as increasingly important for individuals and businesses. A range of bikes is now available for all abilities, including adapted bikes, e-cargo bikes and tandems.
Moraig Lyall, Chair of the Council’s Environment and Transport Committee said “Love to Ride is all about giving folk the support they need to get on a bike and to help them change their habits so that the bike becomes the first option for getting places regularly. Cycling is great for your physical and mental health, it reduces your carbon footprint, saves you money and helps create a more pleasant environment - not many things benefit you in so many ways.”
Shona Park, Community Engagement Manager at Love to Ride, said “We’re inviting everyone to join us this Cycle September. We’ll be sharing the many benefits of cycling - for physical and mental health, for the environment - and the fun and freedom that is so easily accessible when riding a bike. It doesn’t matter if it’s for fun, fitness or transport - all rides count and you don’t have to go far or fast. We want everyone to experience the joy of cycling.”
The Love to Ride partnership in Shetland is supported by the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund from Scottish charity Paths for All, which aims to encourage more people to walk or cycle as part of their everyday short journeys.
Help is available for people who don’t currently have access to a bike, with options to borrow locally from cycling charity Cycling UK, or to purchase a bike through a workplace scheme. Cycle hire is also available locally from the Shetland Community Bike Project, Eric Brown’s Cycles/JRJ Shetland, The Cornerstone Café, Hillswick Shop, and Unst Leisure Centre.
The Love to Ride website can be found at: www.lovetoride.net/shetland or for more information please contact Shona Park, Community Engagement Manager on 07747843350 or shona@lovetoride.net
The Lerwick Summer Cycle is a fun, safe cycle event for all the family on closed roads in the heart of Lerwick and takes place this Sunday (28th Aug) from 2-4pm
Increasing the number of people walking and cycling in Shetland is an objective of the Shetland Active Travel Strategy 2021-2026.