York Cycle Campaign and related dates for your diary

Cycle security marking

Free bike marking at York railway station between platforms 1 and 3, from 4-6 pm (with British Transport Police):

• Thursday 18 Sept, 4-6pm
• Wednesday 15 October
• Tuesday 11 November
• Thursday 18 December

Friday evening social ride

26 September at 6:30pm, York Minster – On the last Friday of the month cyclists meet up for a short ride around the city before ending up at a cafe or pub. All welcome.

Q&A with City of York Council

8 October at 7.30pm, Cycle Heaven on Hospital Fields Road. Members’ meeting with Cllr Kate Ravilious and Council officers to answer questions about active travel plans and highway design policy. 

Glow ride

22 October at 6:30pm, York Barbican. The Campaign is organising a  ‘Ride to Light Up the Night’ which will cross Walmgate Stray and Hob Moor, both areas that are not well-lit at night. It will end with a social gathering at the Carlton Tavern in Acomb. All ages are welcomed but under 16s should be supervised. There will be music, prizes for best-lit bikes, some free lights for riders to share with their friends, and a party atmosphere. Participation is free but please sign up so we have an idea of numbers for insurance purposes. 

York Environment Festival

Saturday 27 September – Sunday 2 November 2025 Various events, including on 2 October at 5pm an online presentation about BikeBus rides to/from school to help anyone thinking of starting up a BikeBus in York. 

Cycle to school week

13-17 October 2025 – we encourage members who have connections with local schools to ask if they want to participate in Cycle to School Week.

Recent events

Operation Tornado

Operation Tornado, a police initiative which focuses on certain areas of North Yorkshire on a rotating basis, was centred on York on 3 September. As part of this, there was a large BikeRegister event outside the Minster. Three groups of police (North Yorkshire, British Transport, and Minster police) were in attendance, along with the Cycle Campaign, street rangers, Road Safety Team, Evans etc. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chief Constable, and at least 20 police including two inspectors were present. Elsewhere in the city, the police arrested a prolific bike thief and there was also an attempt to steal a cycle at the event itself. 

Bank holiday fun

YCC had a stall at Fulford show on Monday 25 August. The weather was sunny and there was lots of interest in the Cycle Campaign. We talked to local MPs and had a lot of useful conversations.

August social ride

The last Friday of the month ride in August welcomed two new members to the 8 riders who took a leisurely ride past the station, along Blossom Street across Hob Moor and through Acomb to the Fox Inn. On the way we encountered the usual potholes, one dislodged cycle lane ‘wand’ on Tadcaster Road and a bizarre layout for new blue badge parking which fails to provide a proper conclusion to an adjacent bike route!

News

Secure cycle parking in central York

York Cycle Campaign has been approached by the manager of the new Evans store on Coney Street to say that he plans to offer free bike parking in the store in space he has available upstairs (staff would help with heavy e-bikes if needed) Details of opening still being finalised. This would be in addition to the YCC pop up bike parking that we will be running at Minster Refectory on the first two weekends of the Christmas Market starting on 14 Nov. 

Remember remember the 3^rd of July

As the nights lengthen you may want to re-live the Millennium Bridge 25^th anniversary mass ride on a sunny July evening with this engaging member-made video.

Opening up Bootham Stray

Barrier removal continues – the photo shows (from different perspectives) the exit/entrance to the Bootham Stray cycle track on Alder Way before and after alteration.

Fast action after alert

Early August saw Storm Floris batter the UK and as a result, foliage blocked the cycle track in Tower Gardens.  One of the YCC reps reported it to the council later in the month and it was fixed within a couple of days. 

Op Snap: what is it?

Op Snap is an online portal that enables anyone, including cyclists, to submit video footage of dangerous driving or near misses using a dashcam, CCTV, or a mobile phone to the North Yorkshire Police. A trained member of staff will review the footage, and if an offence is identified, the driver can be prosecuted or told to take a driver improvement course. There is a dedicated group of members who are working together on the feedback from submissions, better data, and collaboration with the North Yorkshire Police so we can improve the safety of cycling in York and North Yorkshire. Email Leah if you want to join this group. Information on how to submit footage is available online.

Online membership system

We’re aware that there are problems with signing up to the Campaign and renewing your membership, for which we apologise – some of us know how frustrating it can be through personal experience! We’re discussing alternatives and expect everything will be sorted soon with a better system in place. Watch this space!

Opportunities and actions

Volunteers needed: Freshers Fair

Caption: Credit: YCC memberWe’re having a YCC stall on Monday 15 September at the University of York Freshers Fair. We need volunteers to chat to people about the Cycle Campaign and to publicise the Glow Ride. Also, the University of York, a member of SecureCycle York, has purchased the BikeRegister marking system and a gazebo, and we will be helping them mark bikes during the Fair. If you can help and for more details, please contact us. 

Volunteers needed: Glow ride

We need marshals for the light-themed Glow ride on the evening of 22 October. No experience necessary, instructions will be given. Please get in touch if you can help. 

Opportunity for Active Travel Consultant

Could you, or someone you know, fill this role? York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is looking to engage an Independent Active Travel Consultant, initially for up to 2 days a week for one year. The aim is to raise the region’s performance on active travel, and the person appointed will be expected to help attract funding funding and encourage greater commitment to active travel initiatives. More details are available and the application deadline is 17 September. 

And in other news…

Bedford opens its centre to cyclists

Bedford has re-thought its ban on cycling in pedestrianised areas. It now only prohibits dangerous or aggressive riding. As a result, disabled and other cyclists are no longer kept out of the town centre. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

Barriers to cargo bikes

Sustrans has published research conducted last year looking at the obstacles and possible solutions to the use of cargo bikes, with a focus on the experience in Scotland. Hurdles include cost and infrastructure with upgraded cycle paths and improved storage featuring among the solutions.

Designing with cycles in mind: report from the Netherlands 

A Dutch reader (hallo Maria!) contacted us after our item about how the Dutch deal with narrow roads. She says a road near her in Groningen was re-designed a few years ago, in just the way described. Our item inspired Maria to make a short video about this type of Dutch road which she posted on her YouTube channel about cycling in Groningen. Maria hopes they are implemented in York as well. 

Come across anything you think other members would like to share? Contact us via social media or email.