York’s Cycle City bid

2:56pm Friday 9th May 2008

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YORK has cleared the first hurdle in its bid to become a Cycle City.

City of York Council has expressed its delight after its recent bid for funding from Cycling England to help promote cycling in the city was passed.

Representatives from the city council have been invited for interview by Cycling England in Birmingham later this month as part of the next stage in its funding bid.

If successful, the authority could receive between £5 and £10 per resident to develop cycling infrastructure, increase training and promote cycling as a means of transport. This could mean around £1 million additional money per year for a minimum of three years to provide improvements for cyclists and create initiatives to encourage people to cycle.

Cycling England received 74 applications for funding, and City of York Council's bid has now been put on the shortlist for interview.

The interview, which will be conducted by representatives of both Cycling England and the Department for Transport.

The aim of the interview will be to explain to the panel the key issues of the bid and to convince them that they will be able to deliver the overall programme in the council's area.

The Transport Minister will make the final announcement of successful towns and cities next month.

Bill Woolley, City of York Council's director of city strategy, said: "I am delighted that we have been invited for interview.

"The council is optimistic that we will be presenting a high-quality bid which deserves serious consideration to receive Government funding."

The news comes the day after calls were made to allow cyclists to be allowed to pedal along some of York city centre's pedestrianised streets.

Paul Hepworth, of the North Yorkshire branch of the Cyclists' Touring Club, has suggested an experimental period of 24/7 cycling along Fossgate and other streets.

"We would also like options to be examined for 24/7 cycling on selected cross city routes, where this helps avoid significant detours along busier peripheral roads," he said.