Leamington rider's mass bicycle ride will aim to highlight need for better cycle routes

A Leamington cycling coach has organised a mass ride this coming Sunday (May 15) which he hopes will highlight the popularity of cycling as a form of transport and the need for better cycling infrastructure.

Simon Storey is encouraging riders of various ages and abilities to take part in the Kidical Mass event, which is one of more than 200 taking place across Europe over the weekend and one of 14 in the UK.

The ride will start at Washbourne fields in Whitnash from 3pm and last about an hour.

Simon said: “Kidical Mass rides are inclusive of all abilities and bike types and are intended to provide fun, safe environments for families and friends to cycle together - they highlight the need for safe, segregated routes that enable children to walk, wheel and cycle.

“With the recent changes to the highway code, myself and many others have received alot of anger from motorists who for whatever reason feel cyclists shouldn't have the rights and protections we do now, because it might delay them in their metal boxes a couple of minutes, unfortunately this is why we need safe, segregated routes.

“We need to inspire our children to want to use cycling for the everyday journeys to school, to the shops, to work because our reliance on the car has to stop."

Simon, a Level 2 British Cycling coach, has taken on numerous cycle challenges over the last ten years - raising more than £35,000 for various charities.

These challenges have included cycling from coast to coast at the thinnest, widest and longest points of Great Britain, cycling between five countries, five capital cities in five days, London to Paris and back in 48 hours and Wales in a day - 185 miles from top to bottom with 16,000ft of climbing.

He has also set up and runs a free community initiative called The Bicycle Bus, which is is aimed at getting families more active by cycling to school.

For more information about the Kidical Mass event visit https://bit.ly/3PiMEgi