Dates for your diary

Festival of Cycling 

This cycling extravanganza takes place on the Knavesmire across the weekend 21-23 June. There will be all sorts of activities, from skills training for children to led rides to treasure hunts and more, with a bit of live music thrown in. Security marking will be available throughout the festival.

YCC will host a stall. We need volunteers to help on Sat June 22nd at 9.30am and 3.30pm to set up and take down the gazebo, as well as to staff the stall. At 1pm on Saturday, our own Leah Bennett will be talking on ‘Imagine Better Cycling in York’. This 45-minute interactive talk will provide insights into how other cities in the UK have improved cycling for their residents. It will cover what tactics various stakeholders have used to influence key decision-makers and how they have seen improvements happen with limited funding. We hope you will take away some tips to help you influence better cycling in our great City of York.   

YCC will be leading 2 marshalled family rides to the festival: starting at midday from Bootham Park on Bootham (contact Andy on 07941 392667) and West Bank Park on Acomb Road (contact Joseph on 07900 380533). The Bootham ride will also pick up cyclists at 12:15 from Millennium Bridge. The rides will arrive in time for Leah’s talk.

Volunteers needed

Saturday 22 June: marshalls for family rides to the York cycle rally (see above). Likely commitment: 11:30am – 1pm, riding from Bootham Park (contact Andy on 07941 392667) or West Bank Park (contact Joseph on 07900 380533) to the rally on Knavesmire.

As soon as possible: contact us if you would like to join the planning team for September’s Kidical Mass Ride

Do you want your children to be able to cycle or walk to school safely?

York Cycle Campaign and Walk York believe that all York’s children should be able to walk, wheel or cycle to school on safe routes (with their parents or – from late primary – on their own).

We are planning a brainstorming session in a convivial pub on a weekday evening to talk about this issue and (i) identify what we want from the Council to make this a reality, and (ii) how we might achieve this. 

If you are interested please contact us and we’ll set a date.

Get rewards for active travel!

BetterPoints is partnering with YCC to promote active travel. Since 2010, BetterPoints have been working with businesses, public bodies and universities to change the way people think about how they move – for better health, cleaner air, and reaching Net Zero. The new initiative means you can earn rewards every time you cycle, walk or catch the bus in York. The BetterPoints you earn can be spent on York Gift Cards, online, or donated to charity.  They have partnered with York City Council, and want to work with us to promote active travel. 

What you need to do:

1. Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play
2. Register an account with your York postcode. If you commute into York for work or study, enter the code yorkooa when you sign up.
3. Take the Baseline Survey to unlock rewards for walking, cycling or catching the bus.

For more information, visit: york.betterpoints.app

Rufforth – Moor Lane bridleway closure

The through route for walkers and cyclists between Rufforth and Moor Lane via Harewood Whin is closed until November 2024 because a footbridge needs replacing. The path is open from either end up to the bridge over Foss Dike, next to the pine wood at the border of Harewood Whin. 

The Council has said they are working on an alternative route, but nothing more has been heard since they made the announcement on 17 May. 

YCC cycles out to Acaster Malbis Festival

On a sunny day in mid-May, about 20 cyclists rode from York to the spring festival at Acaster Malbis. The organisers kindly provided bespoke bike parking using scaffolding tubes. We held a successful stall, giving out information and attracting new members. Thanks to Andy Farndale for arranging this on behalf of the YCC.

Cycling UK general election manifesto launch

I’m afraid any hope that the newsletter would be an election-free zone was doomed. Cycling UK has published its own ‘Freedom to Move’ manifesto, urging the next government to do more to make it easy and enjoyable for most people to get around by walking, wheeling or cycling. It sets out the policies they’re asking all candidates to endorse. Backed up by independent research by IPPR, one of our key asks is for at least 10% of the total transport budget to be used for active travel within five years.

Friends of the Earth have used currently available information to assess how four of the main parties perform on environmental challenges. The fourth policy area in this top ten list is “Reduce carbon emissions from transport”.

Could you go car-free?

A report on going car-free in Oxford describes a small-scale (12-person) trial of doing without the car for three weeks. Ten of the twelve said they would try to cut down on car use long-term after participating in the research.

Refer a friend!

There’s strength in numbers: the more members we have, the louder our voice. Our membership is rising but every extra person counts: more members and more cyclists lead to less traffic, and a cleaner, greener, safer York.  Please refer a friend or relative to YCC. Remember, we are the only campaign dedicated to improving York for cyclists and would-be cyclists.