Bike Week events
Teddington Bike to Work Week 2010
This year we held two network events during the National Bike Week at the end of June.
The first event took place on Tuesday 22nd June at the NPL Sports Ground. Staff from nine of the network organisations were invited to attend this event between 11am and 3pm to take advantage of the many cycling activities available. These included Dr Bike checks, police cycle marking, a local bike store, gift packs, a prize draw and many different bikes to try including electric bikes, penny farthings and Christiania tricycles!
This event was followed by a cycle to work day at Haymarket, Teddington Studios on Thursday 24th June. This event also took place between 11am and 3pm and was open to all Haymarket and Pinewood Studios staff. Again there was a wide variety of activities available to staff, with the core aim being to encourage more cycling for the commute to work.
In addition to the great cycling activities, both events saw the official launch of the Teddington Car Share Network. Staff had the opportunity to sign up for free on the day, with SWELTRAC staff on hand to answer queries and offer advice. More information on the scheme is available here.
For more detailed information on both events and to see photos please refer to the final report.
Teddington Bike to Work Week 2009
In June 2009, workplaces in Teddington joined together for a series of fun events to celebrate Bike Week.
SWELTRAC and Richmond Council organised a total of three events for members of the Teddington Travel to Work Network. The events were held in the week commencing 1 June at members’ workplaces and attracted around 280 people.
The Teddington Travel to Work Network is a group of twelve Teddington-based employers who are working together to improve the range of travel options for their staff and to reduce the number of single occupancy car trips. They are all actively involved in promoting and facilitating alternative modes of travel, which was the main aim of the Bike Week events.
As well as a free breakfast, cyclists of all levels were treated to a range of activities such as Dr. Bike sessions, cycle training, and attendees got to try out both a penny farthing and a go kart. Attendees were encouraged to pledge their commitment to using their bicycle instead of their car for more of their journeys, with many of the also signing up to the London Workplace Cycle Challenge.
There were great prizes on offer and Local Police were on hand to provide security marking of bicycles. In total, 280 people attended the events, with 81 bicycles checked and 82 tagged by the Police.
Besides reducing congestion in the Teddington area, the events were aimed at encouraging healthier travel choices and rewarding staff for making them. ‘The events were a great way to re-engage with workplaces regarding their travel plans and measures;’ says SWELTRAC Travel Plan Co-ordinator Jakub Bojczuk; ‘holding Bike Week events is an effective way of engaging with a large number of people at the same time.’
The events were a success with the companies involved and their staff; ‘As far as Tearfund are concerned the event was very successful. Staff who attended all thought it was well worth while. The different cycles were great fun!’ Said Tearfund Facilities Manager Eddie Cole.
Besides being a bit of fun, the services available provided staff with a convenient way to get their bikes checked and tagged; ‘This was a really useful event for me - not only did I get my loose and very noisy mudguard fixed by the helpful Dr Bike but my bike was given an MOT and is on the police bike database!’ Said Debbie Gaskell from LGC.
Holding a Bike Week event also provided staff with a good opportunity for those newer to cycling to mingle with and learn from their more experience colleagues; ‘While queuing for the police marking system it was also nice to chat to other cyclists, including some cyclists who really do commute to work by bike,’ Debbie said.
