Column: Meet the Warwick District's first Bicycle Mayor

For those that don’t know, Warwick District has its very first Bicycle Mayor, me!

My name is Simon Storey and I run a free community initiative called The Bicycle Bus, encouraging and enabling families to ride to school in a safe and fun environment. I also run a not-for-profit organisation called Cycle Infinity CIC, teaching kids (and adults) to ride, improve cycle skills and build confidence as well as other services. I coach kids to race and I organise Warwickshires first Kidical mass rides.

If it isn’t already apparent, I’m really passionate about cycling and getting more people cycling. So when it was suggested to me to apply to become a Bicycle Mayor, I realised I was exactly the right the person for the job!

As Bicycle Mayor, which is independent and voluntary, my main focus areas are infrastructure, safety and inclusion and I will be working with key stakeholders on these areas, but I also want to help the residents of Warwick District who have issues that are cycling related.

I have already been contacted by a number of residents who have wanted help with issues like telegraph poles erected in cycle lanes, information on planned cycle infrastructure and the everlasting problem of pot holes, which I’m pleased to say I’ve been able to assist with.

One resident who contacted me is Rhiannon Pierce, who lives in a flat in Leamington town centre who has a bicycle parking issue, she can’t take her bike into her flat due to fire safety regulations, she can’t lock her bike to railings outside her flat due to conservation rules, so she ended up locking her bike at nearby St Peter's multi-storey car park where there are some cycle stands. It probably won’t surprise you that it didn’t take long for her bike to become the target of vandalism and theft.

So what is she meant to do? For someone who wants to be active, and would rather cycle to places like work, the shops or to see friends, Rhiannon feels like she has no other option but to drive.

I met with Rhiannon where she showed me the issues she has encountered and we discussed potential options, one of which was me raising the problem with the council as I am part of a working group looking at cycle parking within the town centre.

There is the possibility of installing secure bike hangers in town centre locations where residents can pay a small fee for a space, much like how motor vehicle parking permits work, but there is so much more capacity, for example in one car parking space you can fit seven or eight bicycles.

In light of the climate emergency Warwick District Council have a target of making 50 per cent of all journeys by walking or wheeling by 2030, and installing a number of these secure bicycle hangers will encourage many more people to ride a bike than drive a car.

I really want to hear from residents in town centre locations just like Rhiannon who don’t ride, but would like to, because they have nowhere safe to store their bicycles. Warwick District Council are looking at the feasibility of installing a number of these secure bicycle hangers but will want to see if the requirement is there.

So please get in touch with me at [email protected] if you feel you would benefit from this.

Also if you have any other cycling related issues you would like to raise with me please use the same email address.

Simon Storey

Bicycle Mayor Warwick District