Colchester: we're proud to be a Cycling Town!

Cycling England has confirmed that Colchester will be one of its ten Cycling Towns for the next three years.

The announcement was made by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly on June 19, and was followed by a visit to the town by transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

See the film on Mr Fitzpatrick's visit on the home page.

Cycling Town status will mean Government funding of £2.1 million for Colchester, which will be matched by Essex County Council, taking the total to £4.2 million.

The Bid group - made up of Essex County Council, Colchester Borough Council and Colchester cycling groups, plus supporters - plans to meet soon to look at details of how to spend the money.

Essex University is especially pleased that Southend was also chosen as a Cycling Town - it has campuses in btoh communities.

Colchester Cycling Campaign began groundwork for the bid last autumn, with a briefing for movers and shakers at Firstsite.

In January, Essex County Council announced it would give Colchester its support.

Days later, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly issued the formal invitation, and the hard work began!

A team made up of Chris Stevenson, Vicky Presland, Paul Anstey, Ben Richards, Bev Gould, Emily Harrup, Paul Wilkinson and Jane Thompson (of Essex and Colchester councils), joined up with Steffen Bohm, Will Bramhill, Pam Nelson, Peter Lynn and Alan Morgan (CCC and Sustrans) to put the bid together.

Invitations to local organisations to support the bid were sent out by Tony Phillips of Colchester 2020, the Local Strategic Partnership - and we have 30 project partners.

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Colchester Cycling Town bid Project Partners

More details on Cycling Demonstration towns

Bikeability cycle training for adults and children

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CCC is happy to talk more about the benefits of being a cycling town. If your group would like a talk on the bid, contact CCC on 01206 854045.

The current demonstration towns are Aylesbury, Brighton, Darlington, Derby, Exeter and Lancaster with Morecambe, and cycling has increased by an average of 20 per cent, with large decreases in motor traffic.

The Government sees cycling as a way of creating more opportunities for exercise as well as helping to tackle traffic jams and improving air quality.

The £140 millionbeing given is a six-fold increase in national funding. £20 million will be given in 2008/09, and £60 million in each of the following two years.

On top of ten new demonstration towns and the first large demonstration city, the money will fund bikeability training for an extra 500,000 10 year-olds and the building of another 250 Safe Links to Schools.