Qualified instructors can help you get on your bike in Southwark

By Charlie Parry

Nervous cyclists are being offered a helping handlebar with an initiative that will help them ride to work after lockdown.

The Bankside Bike Train will show South London commuters how to cycle safely to work, with qualified instructors leading the way.

It was introduced after Better Bankside, a business improvement non-profit firm in Southwark, heard that many people were concerned with using public transport to get to work while coronavirus continues to threaten lives.

While the government promoted cycling to work as a way to avoid crowds, a survey taken before lockdown showed that three in five people thought cycling on the road was too dangerous.

Nicole Gordon, chief executive of Better Bankside, said she hoped the Bike Train initiative could change this.

She said: “We’ve had a wonderful response from riders, with first-time or nervous cyclists converted.

“And that’s what this initiative is all about – providing a confidence boost for people who are curious about commuting by bike.”

You can book into a slot along your local route here.