Cycling England

The smallest of all the Cycling Towns, Leighton-Linslade includes the two neighbouring towns Leighton Buzzard and Linslade, as well as the nearby village of Heath and Reach. The largest town, Leighton Buzzard, is an historic market town with a small shopping area in the centre. As such, the town faces issues with local traffic and town centre congestion, leading to a potential loss of retail diversity and vitality. It is hoped that the success of Leighton-Linslade as a Cycling Town will show that other market towns can help reinvigorate themselves and sustain their town centres by increasing cycling levels.

Leighton-Linslade’s radial road pattern concentrates journeys into the town centre and across the one bridge over the canal and river, acting as a natural traffic restraint. The geography is compact, making it ideally suited for cycling, with many local journeys serving the town centre and railway station, which is also used by almost 1.5 million commuters a year.

In the first year of the programme there was a focus on infrastructure and establishing Leighton-Linslade as a Cycling Town. Significant progress has already been made in these areas, for example cycle parking has been installed in all 18 schools, footpaths across parks have also been upgraded, and popular cycle play facilities provided in several parks, including Danes Field and Vandyke Playing Field.

Level 1 and 2 Bikeability has been offered to every school alongside Dr Bike clinics. Evening bike maintenance courses have been established at a local Youth Club, and Wheelie Wednesday cycle rides were initiated – these lunchtime rides are now happening every month.

Activity in the second year of the programme focussed on further promoting cycling initiatives and routes. This included events and marketing to raise awareness of ‘GoCycle’ (the Leighton-Linslade Cycle Town brand), using a range of media. This includes an email update the team sends to a database of would-be cyclists. This monthly update is sent to over 3,000 people, which accounts for around 15% of households in the area, and provides residents with details of upcoming activities, events and promotions.

In 2010 the team will launch a workplace cycling programme, engaging with local employers such as Tesco and MontBlanc. Initiatives include free cycle training, a bike buddy scheme, route planning assistance, a free bike check and security marking. Individual businesses will be offered a package of led cycle rides, support for a cycle champion, subsidised cycle parking and help to introduce a cycle to work scheme.

GoCycle are also keen to continue to encourage commuters to cycle to the train station and there are plans for a cycle ‘hub’ at Leighton Buzzard station, which would offer secure cycle parking for around 100 bikes. In February 2010 the team won an award for the work they have already done in this area, with Leighton Buzzard winning the Best Local Government Contribution at the National Cycle Rail Awards. The team impressed judges with their multi-partnership approach with local councils, rail operators and local bike and community groups, which has led to a doubling of capacity at the station.

Achievements that led to the award include the creation of 75 new cycle parking spaces at the station over the last two years, a scheme to recycle abandoned bikes (which are loaned to commuters) and a same-day repair service. There has been an increase of more than 30 per cent in the number of cycles parked at the station since the new parking was installed. Efforts to promote cycling at the busy station were also commended. This includes bikers breakfasts and a cycle security event that offered free bike engraving and free immobilising tags and stickers that significantly reduce the risk of theft.

A range of additions and enhancements to the town’s cycle network will be designed and implemented during 2010. These will include new cycle path links, improvements to existing links, the design of cycle contraflows on Hockliffe Street, Church Road and Hartwell Grove as well as various footpath upgrades to cycleway standard. There are plans to add new cycle sport/play facilities, giving the town an innovative sports ‘circuit’ similar to a trim trail (a community exercise circuit).

GoCycle also plan to hold a Sports and Cycling Festival in July 2010, with the aim of attracting people that may be involved in other sporting activities but could be inspired to cycle. The Schools Sports Partnership and local community clubs will be involved in the event.

The GoCycle team will also be working with schools to establish their own cycling clubs. Each new club will offer children the opportunity to have fun while developing their cycling skills and confidence. Alongside this the team will promote ‘GoCycle to School days’, a number of days each term when children will be actively encouraged to cycle to school. This will coincide with the launch of the ‘GoCycle Bank of Free Wheeling’ - a cheque book which children can get stamped each time they cycle to school or other designated destinations. Each time they collect three stamps they receive a cycling related prize.

Visit www.gocycleleightonlinslade.org for more information.