Hills alive with sound of cyclists

HEAD for the hills and make pedal power a health priority.

A £1.25 million project will turn the Peak District National Park into a haven for leisure and commuting cyclists.

Cycling England, an independent group funded by the Department of Transport, will provide the cash injection to improve and build new trails around the national park, to encourage families to cycle regularly and educate the public on the health benefits of cycling.

The scheme will also give commuters a genuine alternative to travelling around the national park by car and help reduce traffic congestion and pollution.

The park was chosen because 32 per cent of the UK population lives within 60 miles of it; the area already has 58 miles of dedicated off-road cycle trails and more than 30,000 people already use the park’s cycle hire centres.

The project will be managed by the Peak District National Park Authority. Richard Campen, director of operations, said: “Cycling England believes the park can become a flagship project demonstrating a model that other rural areas can use to encourage more people to go cycling on a regular basis.

“The park is a huge asset and this project gives us a real opportunity to develop a generation of cyclists who cycle regularly, with all the health benefits that brings.

“There are lots of potential opportunities to extend the proposed scheme by working with public transport providers and local authorities in neighbouring urban areas.

“We would be interested in talking to anyone with serious ideas about projects that could be developed,” he declared.

The £1.25 million grant has to be spent by 2011. A detailed business case will be prepared outlining planned improvements to cycling routes and the proposed promotional work to encourage more people to take to their cycles.