Shoppers stopped to cheer and wave as 135 MK residents, including MK’s Deputy-Mayor and senior councillors, cycled through the city centre in Santa suits.

At 10.30am on Saturday 16th December, the Cycling Santas rallied at Station Square for a short ride to Campbell Park. Following last year’s pilot ride, this was a rehearsal for a formal world record attempt next year, which will encourage 500 people to participate. The event was reported by BBC News (online story) and ITV Anglia News (TV report).

Father Christmas (aka actor Dave Lovesy) led the proceedings with some hilarity.

As well as creating fun, the event brought together leaders from different business, education and community organisations who are members or supporters of a new broad-based alliance to get more people cycling in MK, especially children.

It was an opportunity to hear from civic and political leaders about their visions for cycling in MK and secure important pledges.

• Dame Ann Limb, High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, said: “I am totally behind MK Council’s ambition to find ways to get more children cycling to school. Walking and cycling are good for people, places, and the planet which is at the heart of my sustainability focus as High Sheriff.”
• Cllr Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing & Healthy Communities, said: “Research shows active travel leads to longer, healthier lives.  I pledge to do all I can to help MK City Council make walking and cycling easier and more attractive to MK residents.”
• Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children & Families said: “We know cycling to school makes a big difference to children’s health and wellbeing. We want more children and young people to cycle to school. Last year MK Council delivered Bikeability Training to 35% of all 9-11-year-olds and we’re doing all we can to increase it to 60% this year. I pledged to work with our schools to find ways we can work together with the Cycling Citizens alliance to achieve this goal, and get to 80% by 2025.”

Mayor’s Cycling Awards were presented by Deputy-Mayor Cllr Marie Bradburn:

• Organisation with most registered riders – MK Breeze Women’s Cycling Group (16 riders)
• School with most registered riders – Two Mile Ash (20 riders)
• Best Blinged Bike – prizes donated by John Lewis for 1st place (https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-christmas-advert-2023-snapper-character-plush-soft-toy/p110743615) 2nd place (£30 voucher) and 3rd place (£20 voucher).

Then it was time for the Santas to cycle! MK’s Panacea Samba band provided the drum beat as they left the Square for Midsummer Boulevard.

With the help of 16 Guide Riders in hi-viz pink, the route was easy ride, attracting participants aged from 5 to 75 and a passenger dog!

The Cycling Santas pedalled up Midsummer Boulevard,

then dismounted at the ‘Cyclists Dismount’ sign to walk between thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place,

then circled MK Rose in Campbell Park

before stopping for mince pies and fruit.

Some pedalled on to the Light Pyramid and back.

before finally heading back to Station Square.

Thanks to MK Community Foundation for providing staging, Cycle Saviours (MK Christian Foundation) for providing transport and bike repairs, The Parks Trust for providing sound, Fully Charged for pedal haulage, and JAR Photography for the professional images above.

On Thursday 23rd November, Madison Cycles’ CEO Dom Langan welcomed 34 people from 19 MK’s businesses and education organisations to celebrate the results of this term’s MK Business Cycling Challenge and MK Schools Cycling Challenge.

“It was a pleasure to host the Cycling Citizens MK awards at Madison and to be joined by the Mayor and Lady Mayoress,” said Dom afterwards. “There were some emotional speeches about how cycling has changed their lives and some inspirational speeches about how teaching children to cycle is changing their lives for the better. Milton Keynes is very lucky to have such a motivated group of people promoting cycling for our community.”

After an update on Cycling CitizensMK’s strategy from Malcolm Davies of Trek Bikes and Michael Pattinson of PWC, Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Action on Climate Change, gave her reflections on the importance of cycling to MK. She pledged to attend a meeting with the Cycling CitizensMK strategy group in the next three months.

Awards were then presented by Mayor & Mayoress Mick & Mandy Legg:

• Top Cycling Secondary School (most students in Year 7 travel survey and most cycles on site per 100 students) – Watling Academy (220 Year 7 students, 12.4 bikes per 100) – collected by Assistant Headteacher Cameron Parks (first picture below).
• Top Cycling Company (biggest increase in cycles on site compared with May23) – The Open University (9%) – collected by the OU’s Jodi Houghton (third picture below)
• Top Cycling Company (most cycles on site per 100 employees) – Gemini Rail Services (7 bicycles)
• Best new cycle parking provision – Unity Place – collected by Nathan Kennard (pictured above)
• Services to Cycling – Ringway Infrastructure Services, for maintaining roads and redways through winter.

Then John Wilkinson of Volkswagen Financial Services spoke about ‘What we have done to increase cycling among our staff’ (pictured below)

and Sarah James from MK City Council spoke about ‘How cycling helps achieve Healthy Workplace Standards’.

Teachers Rich Hill of Bushfield Primary School and Jake Saville of Two Mile Ash School (pictured afterwards below) talked about ‘What we have done to increase cycling among our pupils’,

Simon Rudiger, CEO of MK Christian Foundation/Cycle Saviours, talked about ‘How we help MK access and fix bicycles’ and Mary King gave her personal testimony of e-bike benefit.

Richard Allman & Paul Hammond of MK Council Bikeability talked about routine Bikeability training in primary schools and the upcoming Bikeability Olympics 2024 competition. And Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation, encouraged people to sign up for Cycling Santas 2023. As well as fun, this will be an opportunity to get pro-cycling pledges from Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children & Families: Cllr Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing & Healthy Communities; Cllr Marie Bradburn, MK’s Deputy-Mayor; and Dr. Ann Limb, High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire.

Finally Jane Whild of Voices of Women in MK and Ann Shrimpton of Broughton Cycling Group, talked about the importance of including women when planning for cycle promotion in MK.

Then more refreshments were served, courtesy of Madison Cycles.

Photos by Jos Dyer, Madison Cycles.

Following last year’s inaugural city status celebration ride (photo story & video), 90 cyclists from across the city rallied at The Old Bus Station to thank MK City Council for its leadership and ambition in recent efforts to promote cycling to school and work.

Business and school leaders were welcomed by the High Sheriff of Buckingham and Mayor’s Cycling Awards were presented.

Before the presentations, Cycle Saviours provided Dr. Bike services, Panacea Samba band played music and cyclists met a cycling dinosaur and automota created from bicycle parts by Festive Road.

There was also a break-dancing display from Kev Kallon and free hot food from Namji’s Restaurant.

While the awards are being presented, free hot snacks will be provided by Namji Restaurant.

After a welcome from Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation (pictured below left), there was a speech from Dame Ann Limb, High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire (pictured below centre), who later joined the cycle ride. “Cycling plays an important role in tackling inequality and reducing inclusion,” she said. “MK’s cycling infrastructure is for everyone, not just cycling fanatics.” She pledged to join a Mayor’s Cycling Breakfast next year and promote cycling at other events across the county.

Victoria Miles MBE, CEO of The Parks Trust (pictured above right), spoke about how MK’s parks provide excellent opportunities for leisure cycling as well as routes to school and work.

Then the Mayor’s Cycling Awards were presented by Deputy-Mayor Marie Bradburn.

• Top Cycling Companies (based on results here) were introduced by Grant Wildman of Schwalbe Tyres, pledging a prize set of new Green Marathon tyres to the winner:
  • Top Company Cycling Promotion Initiatives (per 100 employees) – 1st place, Gemini Rail Services (2.36) – collected by David Smith
  • Top Company Cycling Promotion Initiatives (per 100 employees)– 2nd place, ICAEW (0.80) – collected by Liz Tribe
  • Top Company Cycling Promotion Initiatives (per 100 employees) – 3rd place, Volkswagen Financial Services (0.43) – collected by Mel Welburn.

• Bikeability Olympics 2022-23 awards for primary schools, introduced by Nicky Newlands, Bikeability Instructor, who announced that MK City Council has provided Bikeability cycle training to 20,000 local people in the past 10 years, including 2,187 in 2022-23:
  • Gold Award – Bushfield – collected by pupils
  • Silver Award – Giles Brook – collected by pupil Thomas Winepress
  • Bronze Award – Two Mile Ash – collected by teacher Jake Saville.

Then Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children & Families (pictured below), talked about why and how MK City Council wants to increase cycling among Year 7 school students.

And Murray Woodburn, the Council’s new Head of Traffic & Transportation (pictured below), talked about why and how MK City Council wants to improve its national Active Travel rating.

Then Eliza Ahad, Year 8 student from Stantonbury Campus (pictured below), spoke about why she likes cycling.

“Cycling gives me freedom to explore my neighbourhood and makes me feel independent,” she said.  “I like cycling around my area, but would like it even better if more other people of my age did it too.”

Then Councillor Nolan accepted a gift for Council leader Pete Marland, to say thank you for including in the Council’s new Delivery Plan a goal to increase MK’s Active Travel rating from 1 to 2 in the next one year and also a goal to support a pilot project to get more Year 7 pupils cycling to school. Both Cllr Nolan and Officer Woodburn pledged to continue their support for these initiatives.

After a safety briefing from Dave Lewis of MK Parks Trust (route map & risk assessment), the cyclists set off up Midsummer Boulevard for a ride to the Light Pyramid in Campbell Park.

Free bikes for the event

People were invited to take up the Nextbike of free Santander bicycle use for three hours. “We want to be part of the MK community,” said nextbike’s Leigh Richards, “really want to be engaged with it.”

BetterPoints

Cyclists using the Better Points app were given an extra 250 Better Points on their account for recording a cycle ride of more than half a mile to Campbell Park between 5 and 6.30pm.

Thanks to Ringway Infrastructure Services for providing cones.

Flyer: download event flyer here.

Photos: by Sagar Kharecha.

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

Other rides. Cycling enthusiasts meet for a short ride through CMK every Thursday 5.30pm. Just show up at Station Square.

On Friday 7th July, 36 Year 5-6 pupils from 9 primary schools competed in the final of Bikeability Olympics 2023 at Sports Central in Central Milton Keynes. This followed heats in March, May and June.

Events included an obstacle course (pictured above), relay race, slow race, bike detectives (organised by Cycle Saviours) and road ride.  Each event tested different cycling skills taught to 2,000 pupils in Bikeability training sessions run by MK City Council over the past school year.

In a close contest, Bushfield School took team Gold (pictured above), with Giles Brook running second to take Silver (pictured below left) and Two Mile Ash taking Bronze (pictured below right).

Presenting the awards, Emily Cherry, CEO of Bikeability Trust UK, commended the pupils’ skills and attitude.  She thanked the organisers and instructors for creating Bikeability Olympics. “It’s the only one of its kind in the country,” she said.  “You should all be proud of what you’ve achieved.”

MK Mayor Cllr Mick Legg (pictured left below), told the children, teachers and parents: “Our Council is proud of what you’ve done. We want more children to cycle to school.”

The action

The winners (full results here):

• Bike Detectives
  • Gold: Thusani Suseelan, Water Hall School
  • Silver: Patrik Konya, New Bradwell School
  • Bronze: Ivy Thota, Loughton School
• Obstacle Course
  • Gold: Rae Langston, Giles Brook School
  • Silver: Jake, Bushfield School
  • Bronze: Sophie Christie, Barleyhurst School
• Relay Race
  • Gold: Ted, Bushfield School
  • Silver: Thomas Jolly, Giles Brook School
  • Bronze: Dylan G, Two Miles Ash School
• Slow Race
  • Gold: Ito P, Two Mile Ash School
  • Silver: George Jackson, Giles Brook School
  • Bronze: Ted, Bushfield School
• Road Ride
  • Gold: Edie, Bushfield School
  • Silver: Ara S, Two Mile Ash School
  • Bronze: Natalia Hearn-Kasimi, Loughton School
• Overall school winners
  • Gold: Bushfield School
  • Silver: Giles Brook School
  • Bronze: Two Mile Ash School

The presentations

Thanks to all teachers and parents who enabled their children to participate in Bikeability Olympics 2022-23.

Photos by Erin and Zdenka Mgbolu

Final presentations

Engraved trophies were presented to each of the winning schools by Deputy-Mayor Marie Bradburn at the CMK Carnival Cycle Ride on 13th July.

Supported by

in partnership with

and

with thanks too for support from Martin Swift of Cycle Saviours and Chris Barltrop of Avanti Cycling.

The inaugural Bikeability Olympics was held in MK on 7th July 2022 (see photo story). Plans are underway for Bikeability Olympics 2023-24.

On Friday 30th June at Sports Central in CMK, Loughton School progressed to the Final of Bikeability Olympics 2023 on 7th July. There they will join Bushfield and Two Mile Ash, whose second teams also progressed to the final.

In drizzly weather, 26 pupils from 7 schools competed in each of five contests, including a road ride around Loughton.

“Thanks to all (Bikeability) instructors for another amazing event today,” said Jake Saville, Head of PE & Enrichment Coordinator at Two Mile Ash.

The final results were as follows (3 points for a contest win, 2 for 2nd place, 1 for 3rd place):

Schools

• Two Mile Ash – 14 points
• Loughton – 6 points
• Bushfield – 4 points
• New Bradwell – 3 points
• Water Hall – 3 points

Individuals

• Marshall B, Two Mile Ash – 6 points
• Darragh B-A,  Two Mile Ash – 4 points
• Ito P, Two Mile Ash – 3 points
• Natalia Hearn-Kasimi, Loughton – 3 points
• Patrik Konya, New Bradwell – 3 points
• Thushani Suseelan, Water Hall – 3 points

Lauren Townsend, MK City Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Realm, presented the certificates and encouraged them to continue cycling.

Supported by

in partnership with

and

On Thursday 6th July, 20 leaders from 13 business and education institutions attended the third Mayor’s Cycle Breakfast & Awards of the year, which was hosted by The Open University (photo story of last one on 16th March). The meeting was organised by Cycling CitizensMK, a project funded by grants from MK City Council’s Economic Recovery Fund and Capability Fund, using monies from Active Travel England and the Department for Transport.

Following a welcome from event Chair Deborah Cooper, of MK Cycle Forum, Professor Nick Braithwaite, VCE Sponsor for Sustainability and Executive Dean at The OU gave an opening address: “We aim to be carbon neutral by 2030.  I see it as my job, stimulated by this morning, to increase the number of people cycling to The Open University. You can rely on us doing our bit as a relatively large employer in the region.”

Then Adam Sciberras, Special Projects Director of MK Development Partnership, shared some of the ideas driving MK planning for 2050. “For too long the city has been steered by a small group of people who have lived here a long while. We’re trying to listen to those people who are moving here and will be here in the future. We’re trying to introduce cycling as a more sustainable way of getting around the city.”

Cllr Jenny Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for Climate Action & Sustainability, said: “As a city we need to not just take our cycling infrastructure for granted and think, well obviously we’re going to be an active travel city, and think more about what that network needs to look like so people can use it efficiently.

“The way I am trying to work in my role and to promote active travel and public transport is to bring it into the round, so it’s about making the conversation not just about cycling, but about the health benefits of active travel, and frame it around poverty.”

Murray Woodburn, the Council’s new Head of Traffic & Transport, will say: “There are some things we can do which are quick wins.  Lighting, surfacing, priorities and removing obstructions, are relatively cheap and can be done relatively quickly.”

Then the Top Cycling Company awards were presented by MK Mayor Mick Legg and Mayoress Mandy Legg based on bike counts and the number of cycling promotion initiatives undertaken (full results here). The winners were: The Open University, Network Rail, Niftylift, MK Council and Volkswagen Financial Services. Walton High won the Top Cycling School award.

The OU’s Neville the Newt also visited.

The meeting also enjoyed presentations from Dave Lewis of The Parks Trust, Chris Brittain of Walton High and Clive Faine of Abbeygate and MK Cycle Forum, and finally heard from Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation, about the upcoming CMK Carnival Cycle Ride on Thursday 13th July.

On 6th April, 35 cyclists rallied for Mayor’s Cycling Awards at The Old Bus Station and an Egg Hunt ride through CMK.

Following free Dr Bike services from Cycle Saviours and a Bunny Hop contest for a £25 prize won by teenager Dominic H,

MK’s Deputy Mayor & Mayoress presented awards for cycling achievements in the MK Business Cycling Challenge and the MK Schools Cycling Challenge and to Adam Sciberras of MK Development Partnership for his participation in the Better Points reward scheme.

While the awards were being presented, free hot snacks were provided by Namji’s Restaurant in Xscape.

MC Richard Allman of MK Bikeability introduced Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, City Council Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Sustainability, who gave a short speech about why cycling is important to the Council’s plans to promote active travel.

She talked about the health and sustainability benefits of cycling. “We must get people out of their cars,” she said. “We must make it easier for people to use cycle routes or any new infrastructure we build to allow them to get to places they need to go” (see video from Paul Lane).

Julie Dawes & Lutin Smuts of The Parks Trust talked about the launch of its new 30 Mile Cycle Challenge.

Richard Allman briefed riders on the Cycling Egg Hunt challenge through CMK to Campbell Park Light Pyramid. This involved cycling to collect mystery numbers along Midsummer Boulevard.

Six teams contested the challenge.

The challege was won by a four-person team including the winner of last year’s Cycle Egg Hunt, Miles Gray (pictured second from left below, with Elaine Wales second from right).

A large chocolate Easter egg prize was presented by Elaine Wales of John Lewis,

with additional chocolate eggs donated by Liz Tribe of ICAEW.

Finally three contestants took part in the Pyramid Leap challenge, a timed competition to cycle down the pyramid hill, around the nearest tree and back to the top.

This contest was won by Tam Sheikh of Trek Bikes, who received a £25 prize.

Free bike vouchers for the Cycle Egg Hunt were made available by nextbike “We want to be part of the MK community,” said nextbike’s Leigh Richards, “really want to be engaged with it.”

The next big ride through CMK will be on Thursday 13th July (see calendar for details). All welcome.

Leaders from MK business, Council and voluntary organisations reacted positively to the findings of a large-scale survey of students’ travel behaviours and attitudes.

The survey of 2500 secondary school students showed 12% of Year 7 students cycle to school while 50% are driven. And of those living within a 15-minute cycle ride, nearly 40% are driven.

The report recommends action from schools and MK City Council to promote cycling to school in order to achieve personal health & wellbeing and net-zero carbon goals.

Cllr Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing and Healthy Communities, said: “If we could get more people cycling for leisure, exercise and transport, we could transform the mental health of people in this city.”

Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children & Families, said: “Imagine the difference we could make if we could get 1000 more Year 7 students cycling to school rather than being driven. Promoting cycling from the earliest age is so important. Talking to parents about how their children can cycle safely to school is vital. I am certain we can increase the 12% who are currently cycling.”

The event also celebrated the achievements of participants in the 2022-23 Business Cycling Challenge and the Schools Cycling Challenge. Mayor Amanda Marlow presented the following awards:

• Top Cycling Company (most cycles on site one day) – Niftylift
• Top Cycling Company (biggest increase in cycles on site since December) – Volkswagen Financial Services
• Top Cycling School (most students in travel survey) – Walton High
• Top Cycling School (most bicycles at school one day), 3rd Place – Lord Grey Academy

Ian Revell, CEO of MK Community Foundation, talked to the video of Cycling Santas 22.12.22 and outlined plans for the CMK Egg Hunt ride 6.4.23, inviting all join.

Bikeability Instructor Dave Lewis outlined plans for the launch of Bikeability Olympics 2023 (to video of Bikeability Olympics 2022).

Jacqueline Fairclough of MK City Council’s Transport Planning team announced the launch of Better Points 2023, the app which enables MK residents to accumulate points for goods and services or charity donations simply by walking, cycling or using public transport.

Finally Clive Faine of MK Cycle Forum and Malcolm Davies of Trek Bikes talked about the need to follow up the report, and the MK Cycle City Vision meeting at Trek Bikes on 2.2.23, and plan next steps towards building a sustainable alliance of business and voluntary organisations to help the Council increase cycling.

Michael Pattinson, Director of Mobility at PWC, explained there would be a follow-on meeting for potential alliance members across the road at PWC. At this meeting, it was agreed that a prospectus would be drawn up for potential members to consider and respond to within the next month.