On your bike
5 September 2011
With prices soaring at the pumps, traffic set to increase with the return of the school run and even the odd glimmer of sunshine - what better time has there been to leave the car at home and get on your bike?
In a bid to encourage staff to take-up or rediscover the joys of two wheeled transport, the University has joined organisations across the city to compete in the Cardiff Cycle Challenge which aims to remind people of the benefits of riding a bike.
The Challenge sees us competing against the likes of Cardiff Council and Legal & General to see who can get the most members of staff to ride a bike for at least 10 minutes from Monday 12 September to Sunday 2 October.
Whether you’re looking to save money, get fit and lose weight or just love competing, the Challenge has benefits for all. By logging your trips on the Cardiff Cycle Challenge website you can monitor how many miles you’ve travelled, whether it be to get to work or for pleasure, how many calories you’ve burnt off and even how many kilograms of carbon emissions you’ve saved. You can also track how you’re fairing against colleagues within your own team or department and how the University is doing as a whole.
Valerie Greer of the University’s Bicycle User Group urged as many staff as possible to sign up, she said: “This initiative is a great opportunity for individuals of all ages to get involved, whether it’s by getting on a bike for the first time, dusting off the bike that’s been sitting in your garden shed for years or just a way of recording the journey you already make every day.
For many years now the University has been taking active steps to encourage staff to cycle to work. Valerie added “Larger and more visible bike racks, better signing of routes and a map of bike user’s facilities around campus, have all been established and the positiveBenefits scheme, 'positiveCycling', allows members of staff to purchase a bicycle via a salary sacrifice scheme.”
“The great thing about this Challenge is that it isn’t just for those who cycle to work. If you live too far away you can still cycle locally for leisure and record your miles on the website”
To find out more about the challenge or to sign up visit the Cardiff Cycle Challenge website at www.cardiffcyclechallenge.org.uk
