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Over three weeks in May and June, 2,000 employees in Greater Manchester cycled over 170,000 miles – the equivalent of cycling nearly seven times around the world.
It was all in aid of the Transport for Greater Manchester Cycle Challenge, which pitted workplaces and teams against each other in a bid to see who could ride the most and win prizes in the process.
Frosties cereal manufacturer Kelloggs put in a gr-r-reat performance and were among the winning teams. Other winners included Zen Internet, St Edwards Primary School, Triangle Architects and Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Prizes included a hot air balloon ride, a tour of the Manchester Velodrome, bike shop vouchers and an ice-cream delivery at their workplace, among others.
2,199 people from 137 organisations recorded trips. 16,418 journeys were recorded totalling 170,446 miles cycled.
358 people took to a bike for the first time in over a year.
Kelloggs staffer Jane Kynnersley said: “It’s been a great Cycle Challenge and the website has been so informative and interactive. I know that people have been inspired to ride again, it’s been great fun and I topped it off with the Great Manchester Cycle on Bank Holiday Monday which was superb. Thanks to Ross and Seamus for the encouragement and initiative.”
Challenge coordinator Ross Adams added: “The results from Manchester show the challenge created by CTC and Challenge for Change really works. It encouraged thousands of people to take to their bikes to discover the joys and benefits of cycling. Everyone is a winner: employers get a healthier workforce and a decrease in demand for parking spaces; employees save money and get fit; and everyone else experiences less congestion and pollution.”
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, commented: “Cycling is fun, free and a fast, easy way of getting around Greater Manchester – whether it’s cycling to work, starting or finishing your public transport commute by bike, or purely for recreation.
“The TfGM Cycle Challenge has been a great success and has led to lots of people trying cycling again for the first time in years and discovering that it is a useful and enjoyable form of transport.
“We’re keen to encourage more people in Greater Manchester to get out and about by bike, and that’s why we’ve been delighted to support this initiative along with CTC. We hope the TfGM Cycle Challenge has inspired many to give cycling a go.”
The winning teams:
500+ employees – Kelloggs Company of Great Britain Ltd: 6.9 per cent of staff cycled
200 – 499 employees– Zen Internet: 23.5 per cent of staff cycled
50 – 199 employees – St. Edwards Primary School: 77 per cent of staff cycled
20 – 49 employees – Environment, Parsons Brinckerhoff: 75 per cent of staff cycled
7 – 19 employees – Triangle Architects: 100 per cent of staff cycled
3 – 6 employees – Human Resources, Zen Internet: 100 per cent of staff cycled
