St Albans Cycle Campaign

Listen Up!
Chris Boardman was the castaway on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, you might have heard the programme was broadcast on Sunday 25th October and repeated on Friday 30th October.  More information and the chance to 'listen again' are here. (You need to register with the BBC if you haven't already).  Of his current work as Cycling and Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester he says "This has got nothing to do with cyclists... this is for people in cars, because it's not people who already ride a bike that need convincing.  You need to be able to look out the car window and think 'I fancy that'".

That is how we need to approach cycle campaigning - it's for the people  who 'want to cycle, but...' 

So, when we are cycling around, we can be ambassadors, be the loveliest and most attractive people we can be, so that the people seeing us or encountering us think 'You know what, I want to do that'.

St Albans City Hospital nurse Jane O’Connor is the first delighted winner of a bicycle restored and donated by a partnership between rail operator Thameslink, St Albans City & District Council and St Albans Cycle Campaign. Jane received her bike at a presentation at the City station attended by St Albans MP Daisy Cooper.

Thameslink has donated six bikes abandoned and unclaimed at railway stations across its network. With advice from STACC, the Council commissioned cycle-repair specialists Cycle Tech Hertfordshire to restore the bikes to a safe, roadworthy condition. All the renovation work has been funded by STACC.

SADC arranged with West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to organise a prize draw for the bikes among its staff. Jane is the first winner, and further draws will pick five colleagues.

Jane said: “I’m looking forward to cycling to work. Cycling has so many benefits, including mental, physical health and well-being. It also has environmental benefits, plus there is the pleasure of riding a bike.”

From left: Rona Wightman (STACC secretary), Jacqui Taylor (SADC Councillor for St Peters ward), Jane O’Connor, Daisy Cooper MP and Thameslink MD Tom Moran