05/04/2012

Bank Holiday Bike Ride Planner Launched

Help is on hand for those looking to plan the perfect bike ride over the Easter break, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced.

Any cyclist, from enthusiasts planning a fun and healthy countryside ride over the long weekend to families looking for a safe, pretty route linking city parks can benefit from the Department for Transport’s online cycling journey planner.

Part of the Transport Direct Portal, the planner now covers every road in England. Cyclists tap in their planned start and end points and the tool calculates a route that suits.

Users can easily tweak the settings to meet their needs, filtering journeys to select the quickest, quietest or most recreational routes – those which take them through parks and green spaces. The planner can even plot routes avoiding steep hills.

Norman Baker said: "Cycling is a fantastic leisure activity that’s becoming increasingly popular, and rightly so.

"It’s good fun, it’s good for the environment and it’s good for your health. Indeed, the Chief Medical Officer has suggested that if cycling were discovered today it would be hailed as a miracle cure.

"Our route planner helps people wanting to get out and about and enjoy cycling, as well as those who want to map the best bike route to work."

As well as being great for those cycling for leisure, the planner is also designed to be used by those commuting by bike, who can use the online tool to find a well-lit, direct route to and from work.

The Transport Direct Portal receives more than 2 million visits a month and increasing numbers of people are using the website to plan their journeys by bike.

(GK)

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