Walking and Cycling
Lets face it - there are tons of benefits to be gained by walking and cycling to work, both by the commuter and by the people around them. People who walk and cycle to work save money on transport costs, can save time on their journey to work, contribute zero harmful emissions, move through traffic and congestion easily, and stay much healthier than people who don't. It's a great argument for thinking about changing the way that you travel.
The Lenton Area has a lot of good local cycle routes connecting to the City Centre and suburbs. There is also The Big Track (www.thebigwheel.org.uk) off-road cycle route that follows the canal and River Trent which connect the area to many of the surrounding suburbs, large employers and local attractions.
You don't have to cycle every day, why not start at once or twice a week and see how it goes? After you get used to breathing cleaner air, feel much fitter and using the extra time you save to count the extra money you save, we are pretty confident that you'll soon start to wonder why you didn't cycle to work before!
Getting started
OK, so perhaps you're a bit rusty in the saddle... perhaps you're not entirely confident whether you can navigate your route from home to work without a little bit of assistance. Don't worry, we've all started off there!
Click here for cycle routes around the Lenton Lane area.
Or, you could have a go along the Big Track - our 10 mile circular cycle and walking route. To view the interactive map click here
Great reasons to walk and or cycle to work
Regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person ten years younger.
(Source: National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Foundation)
Cycling at least twenty miles a week reduces the risk of heart disease to less than half that for non-cyclists who take no other exercise
(Source: British Heart Foundation)
During rush-hour, a bicycle is about twice as fast as a car - good if you hate traffic jams!
Bicycles require no road tax, no MOT, no insurance, no licensing, no breakdown recovery services, and above all no fuel bills
A good bicycle needs at most about £50-worth of maintenance a year - less if you do a bit yourself. How much does your car need?
A good bicycle will last for years, if not decades. How long did your previous car last?
Twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space taken up by one car.
To make a bicycle requires only a fraction of the materials and energy needed to make a car.
People who walk and cycle to work have reported:
If you'd like to enquire about cycle training for adults visit Ridewise. Ridewise provide free cycle training for adults and will be able to train you to the proficiency that you require. It doesn't matter what stage you're at - whether you're a beginner or whether you just need a bit of extra confidence on the roads. Visit www.ridewise.org.uk for more details.
Or, for maps to plan your journey you can visit City North cycle map to view the north of the city or City South cycle map to view your way around the south of the city.