MK new kid on block for cycling

120 people from across Milton Keynes gathered for a short cycle ride through the city centre to celebrate MK’s new city status and recent increases in cycling to school and work in MK delivered by Cycling CitizensMK. See:

“I always thought Cambridge was the cycling capital of our region,” said ITV News reporter Matt Hudson, “but there’s a new kid on the block. The city of Milton Keynes wants to be the place which has the most people using pedal power.”

The ride was organised by Cycling CitizensMK, a project funded by MK Council. The riders included MK Councillors, business and school leaders, primary school pupils, teenagers and vintage bicyclists in their 70s. See film produced by Real Solid Media.

10-year-old Luca Galeanu, who recently helped Bradwell Village School win MK’s (and UK’s) first Bikeability Olympics competition between primary schools, said: “Cycling is important because I learn new things and make new friends, plus it keeps you healthy.”

Teenager Charlotte of MK Youth Cabinet said: “I really enjoy cycling with my friends, I just find it’s an easy way to get around.”

“Cycling is a Council priority,” said Cllr Mick Legg, Deputy Mayor of Milton Keynes (below), who presented the Mayor’s Cycling Awards. “It goes to our cycling strategy and our target to halve our carbon emissions by 2030. We’ve long been a supporter of cycling. We’ve got over 300 miles of redway network.”

“For us it’s a real win-win,” said Richard Scott of Volkswagen Financial Services (above), winner of the award for large company with the highest number of cycle trips per employee. “Cycling is good for our colleagues’ health, not only physical but also mental health. Our group cycle rides in the evenings help camaraderie, bring colleagues together.”

“Cycling Citizens MK has given us motivation to get out and about in MK,” said Liz Tribe, Senior Employer Training and CPD Support Executive at the Institute of Chartered Accountants, winner of the Top Large Companies (average trips per employee) award.

The Mayor’s Cycling Awards presentation took place on Thursday 14th July at The Old Bus Station (schedule), following a Vintage Bicycle Competition (see bikes) and Bunny Hop and Wheelie stunt contests (see trailer) – award winners listed below. MC for the presentation was Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation.

MK Council’s Highways department received a Special Thanks award, presented by Dylan Murray, Deputy Member of Youth Parliament MK South, and collected by Andy Dickinson, Client Services Manager of MK Highways. “Without your hard work maintaining our roads and redways,” said Ian Revell, “none of us would be able to cycle in MK.”

Andy Dickinson receives Special Thanks award and garland designed by local artist Philippa Tipper.

The awards were preceded by a short performance from MK champion break dancer Kevin Kallon and hot snacks from Namji’s Restaurant were served during the awards presentation.

Breakdancer Kevin Kallon

Former Mayor Cllr Mohammed Khan told the riders how proud he had been to see city status achieved during his time as MK Mayor and how important cycling was to MK’s vision of itself as a city.

The riders set off for the short ride to Campbell Park shortly after 6pm.

The ride proceeded up Midsummer Boulevard.

And arrived at the Light Pyramid in Campbell Park for a final celebration.

The award winners (photos below)

  • Category 1: MK’s Top Large Companies (average trips per employee):
    • ICAEW (0.89) – Liz Tribe, Senior Employer Training and CPD Support Executive
    • Volkswagen Financial Services (0.76) – Richard Scott, Chair of Employee Forum
    • The Open University (0.48) – Nick Braithwaite, Head of Sustainability
    • Gemini Rail Services UK (0.45) – David Smith, Change Control Manager
    • Red Bull Technology (0.35) – Phill Elvidge, Production Control
  • Category 2: MK’s Top Secondary Schools (average trips per student & staff member):
    • The Radcliffe School (1.29) – Paula Lawson, Headteacher
    • Watling Academy (0.51) – Ian Bacon, Headteacher
    • Ousedale School (0.26) – Tim Coffey, Teacher
  • Category 3: MK Bikeability Olympics Awards for primary schools:
    • Gold Award: Giles Brook School
    • Silver Award: Bradwell Village School
    • Bronze Award: Oxley Park School
  • Category 4: Contest Awards organised by Cycle Saviours and Iain Talbot
    • Stunt Contest Gold Award (£100 cash prize): Brandon
    • Stunt Contest Silver Award (£50 cash prize): Tim
    • Stunt Contest Bronze Award (£50 Madison voucher): Alex
    • Vintage Bicycle Gold Award (£50 Madison voucher): Allan
    • Vintage Bicycle Silver Award (£10 John Lewis voucher): Barry
    • Vintage Bicycle Competition Bronze Award (£10 John Lewis voucher): Steve
  • Category 4: Special Award
    • MK Council Head of Highways – Thank you for providing our roads and redways. Collected by Andy Dickinson, Client Services Manager.

The contests

Bunny Hop

Vintage Bicycles

Iain Talbot (front) and Chris Bridgman

Award winners

Business winners

Secondary schools winner

Paula Lawson, Headteacher of The Radcliffe School

Primary Schools (Bikeability Olympics)

Vintage Bicycle contest winners

Stunt contest winners

All winners

Special thanks to MK Development Partnership for permitting use of the area outside The Old Bus Station and Ringway Infrastructure Services for providing cones and tape to mark the area off for safety.

See how MKFM Radio trailed the event.

For more information, contact:

Note: Category 1 and 2 awards were based on business and schools’ performances over four cycling competitions 2021-22 (Bike Month June 2021Cycle September 2021Winter Wheelers 2021Ride Anywhere March 2022)

Photos by Jane Russell Photography.

Film: click here to see Thomas Gray’s fantastic new film about cycling in MK, Grid Spinners.

Future rides. Cycling enthusiasts meet for a short ride through CMK every Thursday 5.30pm. Just show up at The Old Bus Station.

Fishermead Community Walk part 2

Five leaders from four Fishermead institutions visited four others on another sunny day in Fishermead. Those giving short talks at their institution’s doors were: Mike Kelly, Director of MK Samaritans; Jo Orbell, Headteacher of Willows First School; Clare Doughty, Assistant Support Worker at the Salvation Army Life House; Don Mahon, Treasurer of Fishermead Trinity Church; and Gonzalez, Deputy Manager of The Coop Convenience Store.

After the walk, Clare (pictured outside the entrance to Life House above), wrote, “How great it was to get to know you all and hear your interesting talks about each institution”, and reached out to offer marketing support to Mike and metal fabrication support to Don.

Listening to Jo Orbell (second from left) outisde Willows First School
Listening to Don Mahon (second from right) outside Trinity Church and Centre

A Community Walk part 3 is being planned for September.

Primary pupils compete in MK’s first Bikeability Olympics

To celebrate MK as a cycling city, children from nine MK primary schools showed off their cycling skills in MK’s first ever Bikeability Olympics competition.  Events included an Obstacle Course, Relay Race, Slow Race and Road Ride testing Bikeability skills. See:

Obstacle Course

This was the culmination of a year in which 3,000 pupils have been trained to achieve Bikeability levels 1 and 2 in 40 primary schools.  The event was the first of its kind – with branding permission from The Bikeability Trust – and a celebration of MK’s promotion of cycling as clean, low-cost and healthy way to get to travel around the city.

The winning school was Giles Brook Primary School, whose team of five contestants achieved two Golds and one Bronze medal.  Bradwell Village took second place, with pupil Luca Galeanu achieving the highest individual medal tally of all contestants, and Oxley Park came third (individual medalists listed below).

Winners Giles Brook School with Jo Lewington of Network Rail

Jo Lewington, Chief Environment and Sustainability Officer of Network Rail, who presented the medals, said: “We are always looking for new ways to promote sustainability.  We’re delighted to have Network Rail staff playing their part as volunteer marshals at this Bikeability Olympics event.”

Volunteer marshals from Network Rail with Thank You trophy

Councillor Lauren Townsend, Cabinet Member for Public Realm who attended Bikeability Olympics, said: “This is a great way to encourage children to cycle more.  We know it’s good for health and can save money as well as saving the environment.  It’s impressive that we have so many young people cycling safely to school.  MK Council is proud to have the ambitious goal of becoming the UK’s leading city for cycling infrastructure”.

Teacher Luke Bartishel from Orchard Academy primary school said: “Our school has purchased enough bicycles for all our pupils to do Bikeability training.  The Bikeability Olympics was an amazing event, a great idea, and the kids loved it.”

Slow Race

Bikeability Instructor Nicky Newlands, who has trained many children this year, said: “It’s wonderful to see how much the cyclists have improved and now competing together.  I hope to see many more next year, please talk to your school.”

Pump Relay Race

Dave Lewis, the Bikeability Instructor who led the ‘Quadrathon’ Road Ride through Loughton, said: “What an amazing afternoon. The students on the road ride were all fantastic, and as an instructor it’s such a proud moment to reconnect with former students.” 

Daniel Mullins, Operations Director of Ringway Infrastructure Services, said: “This is a fantastic event and we’re delighted to be supporting the event by lending some traffic management equipment to help mark out the various contest areas and help the children to cycle safely while competing.”

Martin Swift of Cycle Saviours, who created the unique Bikeability Olympics trophies, said: “Cycle Saviours is proud to have supported this event, helping younger children enjoy the fresh air and exercise.”

Luca Galeanu of Bradwell Village School, Victor Ludorum

Jonathan Stone, Manager of Trek Bikes’ new store at Campbell Wharf, which lent bicycles for the Bike Detectives contest, said:  “We want more people in MK to cycle.  It is great to be involved in the local community and we are always on the lookout for opportunities to help with local cycling events and initiatives to get more bums on bikes!”

MK Deputy-Mayor Mick Legg presented certificates to the school winners of Bikeability Olympics at the Mayor’s Cycling Awards and City Status Cycle Ride the following week.

Click here to see how MKFM promoted it.

In post-event feedback, parents and teachers scored 4.8/5.0 ‘the likelihood I would recommend the event to someone else’ and 4.7/5.0 ‘my feeling that the event would encourage the young people involved to cycle more often’.

The medalists

Photo galleries. All photos by Jane Russell Photography

The contests

The winners