COVID-19 cycling and walking information and advice

11 January 2021

Cycling or walking once a day for exercise - either on your own, with your household or one person from another household – and to undertake essential travel is a good way to support your mental and physical health while following the latest government guidance on social distancing.

The rules mean you must:

only go out on your own, people you live with or one person from another household;
keep two metres apart from anyone you meet and at all times, even if that means stopping and waiting for someone to pass;
only walk, cycle or run in your local village, town or area of the city you live on routes which you know well and match your abilities.

Make sure you follow the latest rules at gov.uk/coronavirus at all times and stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

FAQs

Is it a good idea to cycle and walk at the moment?

The rules mean you must:

only go out on your own, people you live with or one person from another household;
keep two metres apart from anyone you meet and at all times, even if that means stopping and waiting for someone to pass;
only walk, cycle or run in your local village, town or area of the city you live on routes which you know well and match your abilities.

Make sure you follow the latest rules at gov.uk/coronavirus at all times and stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

I need to make an essential journey by bike but I don’t know which route to take?

Plan your essential journeys with our handy online map at cyclecityconnect.co.uk/journey-planner

My bike has been in the garage for so long I’m not sure if it’s safe to ride, can you help?

Making sure your bike’s in good health before you get on it is vital.

Ensure you check your brakes work, make sure there’s air in your tyres, that none of the fixtures and fittings are loose, and the chain is clean and oiled. Sustrans 11-step M-Check is a good place to start.

You might also want to learn how to repair a puncture before you head out. Sustrans has a video to show you how.

For other basic bike maintenance tips, such as degreasing and oiling your chain, and replacing and adjusting brake pads, visit the British Cycling website.

Under normal circumstances we would advise anyone who is unsure to take their bike for a once over at their local cycle shop. The government has classified bike retailers as an essential service alongside supermarkets and pharmacies and this means they can continue trading, but shops may be temporarily closed or have changed their opening hours. Check online and only go if you really need to.

I’m a key worker and I don’t have a bike, do you know where I can access one please?

Please contact the CityConnect team via cityconnect@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or phone 0113 251 7366, and we will do our best to advise you on the current options available.

I’m home schooling my children and looking for activities to keep them occupied, what advice and support are you able to offer me?

In partnership with our training providers we have worked on a series of resources for schools which remain open to some pupils and to help families stay active while also following the latest government guidance. For more information on family cycling visit cyclecityconnect.co.uk/get-cycling/family-cycling/.

Is CityConnect still working with schools?

All activities delivered through CityConnect’s Bike Friendly Schools scheme, as well as Living Streets WOW (Walk Once a Week) school outreach programme, are not currently taking place in line with Government guidance.

Is CityConnect still working with businesses?

While we recognise this will not currently be a priority for many businesses across West Yorkshire that have been negatively impacted by coronavirus, we are still able to support any organisations interested in becoming more cycling and walking friendly by offering expert advice and support remotely either via email, phone or video call. For more information visit cyclecityconnect.co.uk/get-cycling/support-for-businesses/ or email cityconnect@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

What impact will coronavirus have on CityConnect’s delivery of new and improved cycling and walking infrastructure, as well as its initiatives to help people travel by bike and on foot?

Construction work can continue under the latest government guidance. If you have any questions relating to a specific scheme please contact the team via cityconnect@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

In the long-term, why is it important to get more people cycling and walking?

Enabling more people to travel by bike and on foot is more important than ever, not only as we look to address the health, transport and economic challenges created by COVID-19, but also in helping us achieve our aim of becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038.

We need to reduce car trips by 21% and increase cycling trips by 2,000%, walking trips by 78%, bus strips by 39% and rail trips by 53% if we are to achieve our ambitious net zero targets in this time frame.

We know encouraging more of us to travel by bike or on foot not only boosts people’s health and saves individuals money, it also brings wider environmental and economic benefits, which is why we want to make cycling and walking a natural choice for short, everyday journeys.