Dulwich families get on their bikes to show support for safe cycling routes

Dulwich residents have gotten back in the saddle to show their support for safe cycling routes.

Families, including children as young as four, joined a mass bike ride on Sunday to support Southwark council’s low-traffic measures.

The ride set off from Dulwich Square and made its way along quiet streets in the area. 

A placard read “More Safe Routes Not Less”, urging the council to install more cycleways linking up safe routes across Southwark.  

A recent study carried out by Transport for Quality of Life has shown that cycling in Dulwich has almost doubled, with an estimated seven times more children cycling to school. 

Isabelle Clements MBE, founder of the charity Wheels For Wellbeing joined the ride to continue to raise awareness of how adapted cycles can also provide greater independence and mobility for disabled cyclists, especially on safer routes.

The bike ride was in support of the position of Clean Air Dulwich – a campaign group set up  two years ago by local parents. 

A Clean Air Dulwich spokeswoman said: “Southwark has declared a climate emergency so taking action to address this is so important.”

The group want the council to develop a holistic plan to link up safe cycling routes across Southwark and neighbouring boroughs as part of the council’s Climate Emergency policy.  

Southwark council are currently consulting on the Dulwich scheme with Councillor Catherine  Rose leading the review. 

The group are urging supporters to respond to the review to retain  the filters and adapt other measures to be more effective for the wider area.

Pictured top: the bike ride (credit: Crispin Hughes)