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A two-day conference and exhibition aiming to change city culture and increase levels of cycling to Dutch levels has opened in Leeds. Organised by Landor Links, CycleCity Expo is being staged in Leeds Town Hall. Last year the event was held in Birmingham.
Landor MD Rod Fletcher told BikeBiz: "We’ve got all of the big hitters from Leeds city council attending the event. With 600 delegates from around the country the event will show the Leeds representatives that cycling is part of a much bigger picture. Staging an event like this can help kickstart more cycling-friendly policies in the years ahead."
Up to 600 delegates including experts from the cycling industry, government officials, the Minister of Roads, and organisations promoting urban cycling are being hosted by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
James Lewis, Chairman of West Yorkshire Combined Authority said: “West Yorkshire Combined Authority are delighted to be hosting such an important event for Cycling in Leeds and look forward to welcoming delegates to our city.”
Delegates will be taking part in a busy programme of talks, discussions and workshops with the aim of getting more people cycling in Leeds and the rest of the UK.
The expo comes two months before The Grand Depart of Le Tour de France in Leeds on 5th July which will see an estimated 5 million people line the streets of Yorkshire and over 3 billion watching Le Tour on television.
Philip Darnton, CEO of the Bicycle Association said:
“This is the last major cycling conference before the 2015 elections. It offers a unique opportunity to ensure all those committed to a successful cycling future are working together to lobby at every level for the Get Britain Cycling report to be adopted by all parties in the next parliament.”
The indoor conference and exhibition is open to ticket holders and the outdoor events open to the general public. At 3.30pm on Friday the final sessions are available to the public and there’s a question time session between 5pm and 7pm.
The outdoor exhibition will take place in Victoria Gardens in front of the Leeds Art Gallery with 20 exhibitors and activities including cycling lessons, roller bikes, try-out-zones, repair shops, campaigners and an 18-tonne truck showing off the latest HGV safety features.
The event follows the successful Expo in Birmingham last year as part of the city’s bid to become one of the leading cycling cities in the UK. Birmingham City Council went on to win £17 million Cycle City Ambition funding in August 2013.
David Davies, a delegate at the Birmingham event in 2013 said:
“Twenty five years ago cycling was considered largely irrelevant by the [Birmingham] council. Now it is clearly part of their transport, health and leisure strategies.”
