The wind, wet weather and power outages couldn’t stop the UK from getting in the saddle. Cycle to Work Day 2017 was another record-breaking year!
Over 40,000 people across the UK pledged to ride in excess of one million miles. This is a 90%+ increase on the number of miles pledged for Cycle to Work Day 2016. The 2017 event was supported by over 800 employers and more than 2,300 retailers nationwide.
The 5th annual celebration of everyday cycling took place on Wednesday 13th September 2017. Due to Storm Aileen, however, Cyclescheme took the unprecedented decision to extend the event by 24 hours. This ensured that new and existing cycle commuters across the UK could safely take to two wheels and celebrate Cycle to Work Day.
We were honoured that Chris Boardman, MBE returned as Cycle to Work Day ambassador for a second year. Boardman, with his recent appointment as Cycling and Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester and his long standing partnership with Halfords, was the ideal figurehead to encourage the UK to get in the saddle. Boardman was joined by Adrian Warren, Director of Cyclescheme and together the pair took to the UK airwaves to shout about Cycle to Work Day.
They conducted over 20 radio interviews; this included BBC Radio Scotland with an audience reach of 929,000! Cycle to Work Day also secured an interview feature on ITV, which was broadcast in 6 regions across the lunchtime news segment on the day itself. In total news of Cycle to Work Day featured in over 300 newspapers, websites, and blogs across the week of the event. What's more - on Wednesday 13th September #cycletoworkday was trending in second position on Twitter in the UK.
Cycle to Work Day was founded in 2013 by Cyclescheme to celebrate everyday cycling. Each year the event encourages thousands of new, returning and existing cyclists to experience the benefits of cycle commuting and kick-start a habit of a lifetime. In 2016, Halfords joined Cyclescheme as an official partner of Cycle to Work Day. The event is also supported by numerous cycling organisations and charities across the UK including British Cycling, Love to Ride UK and Cycling UK.
The Cycle to Work Day 2017 infographic below demonstrates just have far reaching and successful this year's campaign was.
Download Infographic
Here’s a quick look at the numbers, and some of the activities that took place on the day. This year’s Cycle to Work day took place on Wednesday 13th September.
- Over 40,000 riders pledged to ride on the day.
- Over 1,000,000 miles were pledged.
- £500,000 was saved from people taking to their bicycles over other forms of transport.
- 238,000 KG og C02 emissions were saved.
Cycle to Work Day was a hot topic this year! As there was so much coverage we thought we’d document it all in one place;
Online media
- BBC Sport - Cycle to Work Day - 'It's faster than the bus'
- BBC News - Workers drop exercise to meet job demands
- BBC Countryfile Magazine - Get on your bike for Cycle to Work Day
- Metro - How to start cycling to work
- The Telegraph - Can you beat Wiggins's 5,322-mile cycle commute?
- Bath Echo - Council encourages locals to get on their bikes for this year’s Cycle to Work Day
- The Independent - Seven things no-one tells you when you start commuting on a bicycle
- BikeBiz - It's Cycle To Work Day
- Coach Mag - Pro Tips to Help You Nail Cycle To Work Day
- Road.cc - Fifth annual Cycle to Work Day takes place on Wednesday 13 September
- Ledbury Reporter - Cycle to work day: Will you use pedal power to get to work?
- Yahoo - 11 best cycling bags for commuters
- Cyclist - Make every day Cycle to Work Day
- The National - Greener, fairer travel? We still have a mountain to climb
- Banbury Guardian - On our bikes - on Cycle to Work Day
- Daily Gazette - Cycle to Work Day? I cycle to work everyday, says Colchester General Hospital's Steven Chan
- Saffron Walden Reporter - Saffron Walden County High staff rewarded with tasty bacon rolls after Cycle to Work Day 2017
- Bristol Business News - Law firm boss goes flat out for Cycle To Work Day
- Xpose.ie - 21 things you only know if you cycle to work
- Oxford Mail - County council leader supports Cycle to Work Day
- Hartlepool Mail - Hop on your bike for Cycle to Work Day
- Your coffee break - Five Simple Steps To Get Ready For Cycle To Work Day
- Worcester News - Cycle to work day: Will you use pedal power to get to work?
- Twin FM - Cycling to work day
- The Courier - VIDEO: Why a little dedication — and a hanging rail — means every day can be Cycle to Work Day
- Cycle Crime Survey
- Falkirk Herald - On our bikes - on Cycle to Work Day
- Minster FM - York gears up for Cycle to Work Day
- Sunderland Echo - Hop on your bike for Cycle to Work Day
- The Mail - Councillor gets on his bike after 40 years out of the saddle
- Shropshire Live - It’s Cycle to Work Day this Wednesday
- Hertfordshire Mercury - Hire a bicycle from Bike & Go in Bishop's Stortford for free as part of Cycle to Work day
- Wilts and Gloss Standard - Thousands expected to take part in Cycle to Work Day next week
- Cambridge News - It's #cycletoworkday and Cambridgeshire is loving it
- Cambridge News - How Cambridge celebrated Cycle to Work Day
- Gloucestershire Live - After the Tour of Britain, Cycle to Work in Cheltenham on Wednesday
- Oxford Mail - Employees are encouraged to join Cycle to Work Day
- The Courier - Pedal your way to fitness on Cycle to Work Day
- Gloucestershire Live - Tour of Cheltenham? Why another big group of cyclists were riding through the town this morning
- Isle of Wight County Press - Isle of Wight cyclist named UK super commuter
- On the Wight - Isle of Wight cyclist, Tim Wiggins, is the UK’s ‘super commuter’
- On-rec - Cycle to Work Day returns to celebrate its 5th anniversary
- HR news - Cycle to Work Day returns to celebrate its 5th anniversary
- The Scottish Sun - Scots workers so desperate for more free time we’d choose extra week’s holiday over more pay
- T3 - The best gear for cycling: electric bikes, apps, clothing and more
- City AM - On your bike - the best cycling apps
- The Guardian - Temple Classic Lightweight preview: ‘Created to last a lifetime’
- BikeBiz - Top seven stories of the last seven days
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