Women can learn to cycle in Limehouse

There are few women cycling in Tower Hamlets – but a new project is set to change all that in the coming months. The Royal Foundation of St. Katharine has been awarded a TfL Cycling Grant, which will fund a Limehouse Women’s Cycling Project.

As part of the Project’s work, the John Scurr Community Centre will be running a women’s cycling club for the next three years. Sessions will be held on Saturdays and Mondays from 10-11:30am. Free to participants, the sessions will provide a safe and encouraging environment for absolute beginners and those who wish to increase their road cycling confidence. As well as encouraging women to cycle and teaching them how to do so, the Club will show riders how to maintain their bikes.

Cycling Grants London is a new programme funded by Transport for London (TfL) and managed by the environmental regeneration charity, Groundwork. It offers funding to community groups such as residents’ associations, charities and youth groups for projects that encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to cycle safely. With the Government cutting Council funding by huge amounts, grants programmes like this have to deal with a huge number of projects needing support.

In general, cycling is a healthy pursuit which can also provide very cheap transport. However, there is very poor air quality in Tower Hamlets (and much of the rest of inner London), so would be cyclists do have that concern to worry about.  Landlords are getting better at providing places for residents to store their bikes – but hoops are not always secure, and some bike sheds provide little more than easy pickings for bike thieves. Sometimes cycling isn’t the answer for a mum with two or three children and a lot of heavy shopping. Perhaps the Club will find time to address these real concerns and campaign for improvement.

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