Pedal power: my hobby that boosts the economy

Andy Atkins

23 August 2011

It's great to hear that the recent boom in cycling is worth around £3bn to the UK economy.

I've cycled all my life - to school, university, and now work. I take my fold-up Brompton on the train to Waterloo each morning and cycle through the City to the office. There are many more cyclists on the roads than three years ago, and hordes of Boris Bikes. The drivers are getting used to us.

On Saturday I biked up Box Hill in Surrey which has fantastic views of the countryside. It's where the Olympic riders will go in 2012. The top of the hill was a bike fest - dozens of cyclists with models that would set you back thousands of pounds. I was the only person I could see in t-shirt and shorts - everyone else was in lycra!

Cycling is a great lifestyle choice. It's excellent for your health, the environment, and reducing traffic on the roads. With petrol prices as high as they are its little wonder cycling got a boost last year. But it's all incidental. Local councils aren't doing enough to promote cycling - or other green forms of transport. This is where transport funding should be prioritised.

Why not join me next year on our Big Green Bike Ride from London to Edinburgh. It's a wonderful opportunity to promote cycling and raise money for Friends of the Earth.

Just don't forget your wrap-around shades if you want to look the part - unless you're like me, in which case prescription varifocal sunglasses will do fine.

Andy Atkins, Executive Director

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