Council promotes cyclists commuting together

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A huge pat on the back for Kingston Council (which is in the South East England) who are organising a bike bus for commuters who work in Kingston in a bid to encourage cycling take-up.

It’s not really a bus of course, more of an organised ride on a set route with stops on the way to pick up cyclists and for others to leave. A bike bus allows biking commuters to cycle in safety with numbers. In this case, Kingston Council will marshal the rides with cycling instructors on hand.

Trial route

At the moment, Kingston Council aims to run one route, every Monday in March, on a trial basis - from Sutton train station to Kingston. There will be stops on the way at Cheam, Stoneleigh and Worcester Park train stations to pick up cyclists.

The council claims that its bike bus will be able to get between Sutton and Kingston quicker than by car, bus or train. The total distance between Sutton and Kingston is about 7.5 miles. The ride is expected to take under an hour with the council promising that the cycling will be at a gentle pace.

Encourage cycling take-up

The council said it hoped the bike bus would appeal to young people and adults who have some experience of cycling on road and would like to start commuting by bike.