Kingston Mayor Cllr Diane White is joining Kingston Cycling Campaign (KCC) on its third family-friendly bike ride Sunday 14 January at 10:45am. 

As the local group of the London Cycling Campaign, KCC's goal is to promote safe cycling across the borough and encourage more children and adults to consider using bikes for local journeys. 

Kingston Cycling Campaign's coordinator Jon Fray said: "Whether Santa brought people a new bike for Christmas, or they're keen to be more active in 2024, we hope this fun and family-friendly ride will help people of all ages get their new year's resolutions off to a healthy start - no matter how long it's been since they last cycled." 

September free cycle. (Photo: Graham Buckingham)

Starting at 10.45am from Alexandra Park in Berrylands, the hill-free seven-mile loop will venture along quiet roads, low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) and traffic-free routes tin Tolworth and Old Malden. 

Along the way riders will get to explore rural delights they might not already be familiar with, including Tolworth Court Farm Fields and Berrylands Nature Reserve. 

Discover new routes with KCC. (Photo: Graham Buckingham)

September participant, Ashley, said: "I'm relatively confident on a bike but being in a group makes such a difference - these rides are really fantastic at getting kids out with their mates. It builds their confidence so much - my son was talking about the last event for weeks afterwards." 

As Kingston's cycle infrastructure continues to improve and more school streets are created across the borough, KCC hopes these easy-paced rides will inspire people to consider how they could potentially cycle more often and show how cycling to the local park, shops or school can be the perfect way to squeeze more activity into their busy lives. 

Ed Davey blowing a whistle at the September cycle. (Photo: Graham Buckingham)

Ashely added: "We usually just ride to school or to the shops so these rides help us see a bit more of the borough, explore new routes and gives us the confidence to venture a bit further." 

Not only is cycling good for your physical health, it can boost your mood and provide benefits to your wellbeing. As well as decreasing your general stress, cycling removes the frustration of finding a place to park, cuts fuel costs and pay & display, as well as reducing emissions. 

Gathering for the September cycle. (Photo: Graham Buckingham)

Fray added: "We know supported group rides can give people the confidence they need to dust off those cobwebs and get back on their bikes." 

Whilst community project Full Cycle will be on hand for any basic pre-ride checks, if anyone hasn't ridden their bike for a while, a quick safety check is recommended. You can do this either yourself by looking at KCC's website for tips, or by visiting one of Kingston's many local bike repair shops. 

Poster. . (Photo: Graham Buckingham)

All ages and cycling abilities are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun, and maybe even discover a few new routes while building cycle confidence. 

Family rides first started in June 2023, with the second one taking place in September. Fray said: "By organising these rides all year round, we want to show that, with some simple preparations to ensure you're kept warm, dry and visible, cycling needn't be just a fair-weather activity." 

You can reserve your free place on tiny.cc/KingstonFunRide3 

If you don't have a bike, or are looking to get rid of your old one, read our feature on Full Cycle Community Project and visit the website for more information.