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news
CyclingUK_logo.jpgCTC officially rebranded as Cycling UK
CTC, the national cycling charity, has today officially become Cycling UK. The organisation’s chief executive Paul Tuohy said: “Through our new brand, Cycling UK will help more people, from any background, enjoy the gift of cycling.”
The organisation can now be found online at cyclinguk.org.
Tuohy said: “For 138 years, we have championed a simple belief – that cycling is a wonderful gift that should remain accessible and available to all. Today we remain the nation’s voice for cycling and the strongest force for progressive change.”
Founded in 1878 in Harrogate as the Bicycle Touring Club, the organisation was subsequently renamed the Cyclists' Touring Club in 1883. In 2011 members voted to convert to charitable status, at which point the name ‘CTC, the national cycling charity’ was adopted.
When road.cc reported on plans to rebrand as Cycling UK back in February, David Murray, Head of Communications and Campaigns, told us that the new name was really just a reflection of what the charity was already doing.
“For years, as the national cycling charity, we have worked hard to achieve three things: to inspire people into taking up cycling of all forms, be it touring, commuting, or family rides; we campaign to protect cycling interests, for example creating well designed and properly funded space for cycling; and finally, we help people to overcome personal barriers to cycling, like physical disabilities or economic barriers.
“Our change in brand is aimed at helping to more effectively present the work that we do, so that even more people embrace cycling in their lives.”
Channel 4 News presenter, Jon Snow, president of Cycling UK, added:
“The new name provides a more appropriate reflection of what we do and what we are as an organisation in 2016. Touring is, and always will be, a fundamentally important part of Cycling UK and will continue to be the first love for many of our 67,000 members.
“But our work and ambitions embrace so much more and our objective is to get everyone cycling in the UK. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on-road or off-road, whether you’re three or 103, male or female, disadvantaged or disabled, everyone should have the opportunity to cycle. Cycling is good for people’s health, fitness and well-being as well as bringing benefits to the environment and the economy.
“We will continue to celebrate our rich heritage, continue to press Government to provide more funding for cycling, and continue campaigning for cyclists’ rights, only it will now be under the banner of Cycling UK.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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15 comments
It's a damn shame. All that history gone - the winged wheel gone - for a child-like logo that looks like every other charity out there.
Look at this video and weep at the loss of focus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPkT0paGEnQ
Wouldnt they be better off combining into one? Economies of scale etc.
I'm not interested in racing, but bringing cycle to work to the masses, infrastructure improvements.
Surely if they joined up, they could then do both e.g. support racing, but also campaign for better cycling infrastructure?
I doubt that there would be much cross-over. I can't see racers wanting to use a thin cycle path compared to the much wider roads, let alone stop and wait at each side road. I also can't see that many commuters would want to submit to blood tests so that we could root out the dopers.
Also, it would be tricky to come up with branding etc that would appeal to racers and commuters. A lot of commuters wouldn't want to be represented by just lycra-clad speed merchants and I doubt that racers would want to be associated with a traditional heavy steel bike with a wicker basket on the front. Actually, that last one sounds fun - let's do it!
Commuters don't want a thing cycle path either, they want one that's wide enough.
And a cycle path on a main road that doesn't have priority over side roads - with proper signage and raised levels - is endangering cyclists.
A merger may well make sense; a unified voice for all those that use a bicycle for sport, leisure or transport.
The problem is the politics of it. The CTC wouldn't want to be subsumed by an ambitious, larger organisation, some in BC wouldn't want to see their sports 'ethos' being diluted with cycle rights, advocacy, lobbying etc.
Agree with the fact that the name had to change at some point as the CTC seem to have moved a long way from being a Touring org. I guess one option would have been to split, leaving a touring/ride focussed org and a national (and more generic) cycling campaigner startup, with members then getting to choose which (or both) orgs to join. Personally, as a long time CTC member I have been getting a tad disappointed with its seemingly relentless focus on the crusade of developing national cycling and wished it would just concentrate on what I was interested in. It feels more of a cycling lobby group now, which frankly bores me to tears. I am also a BC member and will now probably just let my CUK membership cease as this change just reinforces what I knew was inevitable for some time.
My take is that it is because of British Cycling's current success that the CTC is suffering. With BC taking a larger slice of the pie there's less left for CTC, hence the rebrand.
Which is a shame considering it's CTC / CUK that are the ones who campaign for everyday cyclists rather than just provide for the racing type cyclists.
And the CTC/ CUK don't employ David Millar to guide youngsters so that shows better judgement for starters!
I will not renew my membership after this year, charity? think not!
Presumably there is a clear public benefit...
Our family Cycling UK [CTC] membership continues.
CTC RIP - the 'childish' look of the new logo must be intentional and a reflection of the current organisation. They have no respect for CTC's heritage. It's membership is plumeting, nobody knows it's direction, people remain because of the great work it's local groups do and in spite of the central organisation, which despises council and the local groups. I'm sure British Cycling can't believe their luck - another reason for cyclists to transfer their membership to BC's rapidly growing 'Ride Membership'.
Very ugly. Very childish looking. CTC definitely needed a rebrand but this is terrible. Why ditch the wings?
I'm confused already.
So won't get confused with British Cycling whatsoever. No sir. Not at all.
There's certainly a possibility - but BC are more focused on the sport side, and not on the mass participation, infrastructure provision, etc. I suspect it won't be a big issue for most of the two organisations' audiences, and those who are interested in both are probably geeky enough to know the difference.
And CTC hadn't been a suitable name for a long time. A change was needed.
Oh, I know what the role of each org' is but from the name on the side of the tin you wouldn't be able to distinguish one from another (and that's a criticism of both org's). I was never in favour of the switch from BCF to British Cycling, there was no hint in the title that this was the sport org' of cycling in the UK, it was just some amorphic name that suggested it had something to do with cycling in GB. The CTC's decision to adopt a similar name makes it all the more confusing. I mean, they probably mulled this over for months and Cycling UK was the best they could come up with?