Queen of punk promotes Bike Week 2009

Fashion diva Vivienne Westwood and a host of other celebrity cyclists are backing Bike Week 2009, which runs from June 13-21.

"Cycling is so convenient,” says the Queen of Punk on the Bike Week website.

“Because I never ride very fast, I don't need a change of clothes - if necessary I walk up the hills. Sometimes I carry high heel shoes with me in the basket."

Although her comments present an image slightly at odds with her anti-establishment reputation of old, they will be music to the ears of Sustrans and other organizations trying to get more women cycling by promoting it as an everyday activity which doesn’t require special equipment or clothing.

Bike Week, meanwhile, has an even wider remit - to promote cycling as a fun and sustainable way of getting around for both sexes and all age groups.

As the UK’s biggest mass participation cycling event, this year Bike Week is challenging families to get more out of life by swapping four wheels for two and exploring new places in their local community.

Towns, villages and cities across the UK will host free cycling events with the theme of ‘Get more out of life: live local, get cycling’.

Thousands of events will inspire people to hop on their bikes and discover the benefits and pleasures of cycling locally. Over half of all car journeys are less than five miles long, so by switching them to an easy thirty minute bike ride, you’ll save money, find new places you didn’t know existed, shrink your carbon footprint and get fit too!

Phillip Darnton, Chairman of Cycling England, said: “Many families are looking for easy ways to get more out of life, particularly during these difficult financial times.

Cycling brings families together and is a fantastic, free way to explore new places and rides and have a lot of fun. We hope that people will use Bike Week as the perfect opportunity to get back on their bikes and re-connect with their communities.”

To find out what is taking place in your local area, visit www.bikeweek.org.uk and enter your postcode.