Wheels for Wellbeing and suspended towpath triumph in the London Cycling Awards
South London all-ability charity Wheels for Wellbeing has won the coveted Community Cycling Project of the Year category of the London Cycling Awards in recognition of its work enabling more than 5000 people with disabilities to enjoy cycling in the past year.
The project has expanded from Croydon to Lambeth and has played a role in cycle campaigning as well.
Chair of judges Clare Neely said. “The standard of awards nominations was outstanding this year but Wheels for Wellbeing stood out for the exceptional work being done to enable both children and adults with disabilities to enjoy cycling.”
In the highly contested Best Cycling Facility category a massive feat of engineering shared honours with a small scale but innovative cycle parking project: British Waterways, London Thames Gateway Corporation and partners built the suspended towpath at Bow creates an off-road rote from the Thames to Waltham Abbey.
Cyclehoops and Lambeth Council created the 1 car = 10 bikes protected cycle-parking stands that stand in the street rather than on the pavement.
Havering Council’s well organised Bikewise day whose entertainments included councillors playing bike polo shared the London Cycle Event of the Year award with the small scale, but much applauded, Battersea Artists Trail Bike Ride led by Vanessa Celosse.
The London Borough of Hackney won the Best Project for Children or Young people award with its Biker’s Breakfast programme that was rolled out to 15 schools and involved 845 children.
Bicycle blogger Danny Williams won the Local Campaigner of the Year award for his active role in campaigning for improvements in the City of London and at Blackfriars Bridge.
Transport for London secured the Best Workplace Cycling Initiative Awards for its workplace cycling programme accompanying the Barclays Cycle Superhighways Project.
More than 80 workplaces located near the first two highways installed cycle parking, provided cycle training and repaired cycles.
The London Cycling Awards 2011 were sponsored by Butterworth Spengler – providers of LCC’s Urban Cycling Insurance
Full list of winners (details and photos of projects: www.lcc.org.uk/awards )
Best New Cycling Facility (joint winners)
British Waterways, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and Partners: (Walk London, TfL, Olympic Delivery Authority, Design for London) Suspended Walkway and Cycle Path beneath Bow Flyover
London Borough of Lambeth and Cyclehoop Limited: I car space = 10 bicycles on-street cycle parking
Community Cycling Project of the Year
Wheels for Wellbeing: Wheels for Wellbeing new projects
Best Workplace Cycling Initiative
Transport for London: Barclays Cycle Superhighways Workplace Scheme
Local Campaigner of the Year
Danny Williams – Cyclists in the City
London Cycle Event of the Year (joint winners)
Vanessa Celosse with partners (Wandsworth Cycling Campaign, Battersea Artists, Wandsworth Council) : Battersea Artists’ Trail Bike Tour
London Borough of Havering: Havering Bikewise event
Best Project for Children or Young people
London Borough of Hackney: Hackney Bikers’ Breakfast