The London Cycling Festival Barking debut takes place this Sunday (20 September), as Barking Town Centre hosts the long-running celebration of cycling for the first time in its history.
The free event runs from 10am to 2pm and is organised by Be First — Barking and Dagenham Council’s wholly-owned regeneration company — alongside the council itself and the London Cycling Festival team.
Activities on the day include bubble bikes, free ‘Dr Bike’ mechanic checks, a head-to-head static bike challenge, the chance to try a selection of adapted cycles, family-friendly cycle rides and a guided heritage walk around the town centre.
What the London Cycling Festival in Barking will offer
Council leader Dominic Twomey said: “This is going to be a lovely day out for everyone attending, with plenty of free things to do for people of all ages. I think it’s clear that cycling is growing in Barking and Dagenham and that’s something we’ve worked to achieve. To be welcoming the London Cycling Festival to our borough for the first time is a great honour and my message to residents is clear, get on your bike and join the fun.”
The festival follows recent investment in the borough’s cycling infrastructure, including 44 easy-to-use secure bike hangars, 7.1km of new and improved cycle lanes, and ongoing support for popular school and social cycle training programmes. It also comes as the council pushes ahead with wider changes to the borough’s streets, including Barking and Dagenham’s approved parking strategy, which brings a CCTV crackdown and more school streets.
Victoria Spashett, Be First’s active travel and behaviour change manager, said: “The London Cycling Festival offers residents the chance to bring out their bikes. You can get advice on bike maintenance and how to improve your cycling confidence. Join one of our guided rides and explore the many cycle routes, that help people move about the borough. Shorter journeys around the borough are better by bike, making cycling safer creates healthy routes to work, school and our green spaces, sports, and leisure facilities.”
The London Cycling Festival starts at 10am on Sunday. For more information, visit lcc.org.uk/events/lcf_barking_and_dagenham/.
