We reproduce this press release without comment!

MANCHESTER CYCLING FESTIVAL BEGINS WITH NUDE BIKE RIDE

Hundreds of people are set to take to the streets of Manchester for a fortnight of free cycling events including the now infamous World Naked Bike Ride.

On Friday 9th June more than 200 brave cycling enthusiasts are expected to gather in Manchester for the incredible ‘bare as you dare’ ride. Ride organiser Andrew Fisher says “It’s all about getting cyclists to be more visible on roads. Drivers say they don’t see you, we’re saying cyclists need to be seen to get their fair share of the road.” Similar events take place in cities across the world and aim to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists.

The nude ride marks the beginning of North West Velo Fest 2017. This popular, free festival is now in its 6th year and despite appearances isn’t only for the naked or lycra-clad crowd. Festival organiser Joe Hulme says “There’s something for everyone, obviously the naked bike ride is the one everyone notices, who couldn’t? But it’s not all about getting your kit off. There are lots of other less scary opportunities to feel the wind through your hair in new places.”

The festival runs for two weeks from Friday 9th to Saturday 24th June. Events include a free bike tour of Manchester’s musical history, a street party, led countryside rides and races with cash prizes. The full lineup is available at http://www.nwvelofest.com.

Cycling UK BUG membership

The University has renewed it’s Bicycle User Group membership with Cycling UK. The group affiliation means that individuals can affiliate too and enjoy all the benefits available at a discounted price of £24 per person for annual membership.

If you are interested, contact umbug@manchester.ac.uk for the club code and enter it in the box at the bottom of the page when you join via https://shop.cyclinguk.org/membership/affiliate-membership-myself.

Saddle up for European Cycling Challenge in May

We are supporting the 2017 European Cycle Challenge and need your help to get on the leader boards.

The European Cycling Challenge is an urban cycling competition taking place between 1 May and 31 May 2017. In 2016, 52 cities from 17 countries joined the challenge, and 46,000 people cycled 4,000,000km during the event. The city that cycles the longest total distance wins.
This year Greater Manchester is taking part for the first time, and the entry will be led and promoted by Transport for Greater Manchester.

Anyone can join in, it’s easy to take part and you don’t have to be a cycling enthusiast. Any cycling you do counts towards the challenge, only competitive sporting events and static bike miles aren’t included.

How to join in:

Download Naviki in the app store on your smartphone or follow these instructions to participate without a smartphone
Register and sign in.
Go to ‘Settings’ on the home page
Go to ‘Contests’ and then ‘ECC2017’
Select ‘Greater Manchester’ as your team
Select ‘The University of Manchester‘ as your sub team

That’s it – you’re all ready to go on 1 May.

Prizes
There will be spot prizes to be won throughout the challenge direct from the ECC, including shopping vouchers of £150, £75 and £50 every week. To qualify for the weekly raffle you just have to have registered and logged a minimum of 10km to be entered.

We will have a small prize for the University member who tops our leaderboard too!

LGBT History Month

We helped kick off LGBT History Month in collaboration with All-Out, the LGBT staff network group, by wearing go-faster rainbow shoelaces and ribbons to the cyclist breakfast on 1st Feb. Thanks everyone who took part!

UMBUG Priorities for 2017

UMBUG Priorities for 2017

On Thursday 17 January 2017, the UMBUG projects team hosted a brainstorming session to define UMBUG’s priority activities for 2017. Lots of ideas were suggested to promote and improve cycling for staff and postgrads at the University of Manchester. A wide range of ideas were discussed – big and small! These were then prioritised and the team are working on next steps and an action plan. The top issues discussed include:

removal of abandoned bikes
University incentives for cycling
celebrating UMBUG’s 10th anniversary
facilities for cyclists (showers, storage and drying facilities)
prohibiting smoking near cycle shelters
more cycle shelters / increased capacity
engaging with the Sporticipate programme (Sports Office)
lobbying for cleaner (greener) buses / Oxford Road agreements
making contact with TfGM and exemplar universities (Sheffield & Nottingham)
promoting UMBUG events to a wider audience
UMBUG promotional stands at major buildings some mornings / lunchtimes
improving the corridor travel website
continuing the cycle routes video project
maintenance sessions at the monthly breakfast events
tool stands to be covered by the shelter guardians system
reporting long-term issues with cycle shelters (leaking gutters).

If you are interested in getting involved, please email umbug@manchester.ac.uk.

Merry Christmas!

snow and cycle UMBUG would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – we’ll be canvassing your opinions and ideas in January to direct our focus in 2017. Have a great break!

Cycle to Work Day 2016

Get in the saddle for Cycle to Work Day and encourage your colleagues, friends and family to give cycling a go too.

Cycle to Work Day is a national event held this year on Wednesday 14 September 2016. It aims to encourage everyone to take to two wheels and cycle to work for at least one day. By pledging to cycle on the Cycle to Work Day website you are entered into a competition to win prizes including bikes and cycling accessories. Bike shops across the UK are offering Cycle to Work Day participants a free bike health check from the 1st to the 14th of September.

Transport for Greater Manchester’s #JustRide cycling campaign is in full flow with events organised across Greater Manchester. TfGM offer a variety of services to support cycling including free cycle training, free bike maintenance courses and cycle route maps. The TfGM cycling team will be in Piccadilly Gardens between 11am and 3pm on Cycle to Work Day handing out goodies and offering advice on all things cycling. Dr Bike will be on hand between 12-2pm to repair any bikes that need some TLC.

Throughout the Summer, bike recycling centres across the country will be taking part in the Big Bike Revival Summer of Cycling, organised by Cycling UK. There are loads of local events and activities taking place, including maintenance training, bike rides and equipment trials.

Electric cargo bike loan scheme

Through the EU funded Triangulum project, electric cargo bikes are now available to hire free of charge to staff from The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and businesses based on the Oxford Road Corridor.

The Triangulum project partners in Manchester are working together to create a smart city district within Corridor Manchester. This includes increasing the number of electric vehicles and electric bikes being used, reducing the reliance on diesel and petrol vehicles and in turn reducing carbon emissions, traffic congestion and pollution.

Manchester Bike Hire has been commissioned by Triangulum to provide an electric cargo bike loan scheme. The modern electric cargo bike fleet allows Corridor partners the opportunity to try out bikes of different designs and sizes, all free of charge. The fleet is zero emission, with improved environmental impact when the batteries are charged from renewable sources.

The electric cargo bike loan scheme will enable staff to learn whether a bike can be integrated into their day-to-day operations on a permanent basis. The scheme incorporates up-to-date data collection and asset management techniques, using online reservations and GPS tracking, along with digital maintenance and repair record-keeping. Users will be provided with cargo bike familiarisation training before hire.

To book an electric cargo bike demonstration contact Manchester Bike Hire or call: 07523 092285.

Blindfold cycling and walking event

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is inviting cyclists to take part in a blindfold cycling and walking event on Friday 8 July on Oxford Road.

Only walkers will be blindfolded, so that they can understand some of the challenges blind and partially-sighted people face when they come in contact with cyclists in the streets, crossing a cycle lane or using a shared space.

As the cycleway on Oxford Road is being built, with bus stops being moved and a new cycle lane being laid, the RNIB wants to highlight the importance of making this scheme accessible to all cyclists and pedestrians. The new cycle lane will pass in front of the Manchester Eye Hospital, so it is more than likely that cyclists will meet blind and partially sighted pedestrians along the way.

RNIB will invite councillors, MPs and infrastructure designers to take part too. They would like you to bring along your bikes and take turns between cycling along the road and walking with a blindfold on.

The activity will also be a good chance for blind and partially sighted people to understand how you feel when cycling on a road and interacting with pedestrians. RNIB will give you some tips to follow when you meet a person with sight loss while cycling, as well as hearing your views.

For more information, please email alba.detoronozal@rnib.org.uk

Oxford Road closure

Part of Oxford Road will be closed from Monday 16 May to Sunday 5 June inclusive for demolition works at Alliance Manchester Business School.

The road will be closed to through traffic for a three week period between the junctions of Oxford Road with Hathersage Road and Booth Street West/East. Access will still be available for vehicles on University business or with other local businesses. Pedestrian access will be restricted near the demolition zone and will be diverted alongside Crawford House. Alternative pedestrian routes will be signposted at appropriate points on Oxford Road.

There will be no cycle access alongside Crawford House. Alternative cycle routes will be signposted at appropriate points on Oxford Road directing cyclists towards Higher Cambridge Street/Booth Street West and Upper Brook Street/Booth Street East.

Following on from the road closure, there will be a lane closure in place (in the direction of Manchester City Centre) for around 14 months from 6 June 2016 to 31 July 2017. This lane closure allows the end of the Precinct to be reconstructed in steel and glass to form an impressive new frontage on to Oxford Road.

You can read more about the road closure on Staffnet.